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TV Debate: Media Group Sends President Jonathan Advance Questions
Posted: March 30, 2011 - 17:15
Posted by siteadmin
caption: Goodluck Jonathan

As further evidence that next month’s elections are unlikely to be free and fair, SaharaReporters has obtained a document which shows that the media group which is organizing today’s debate did prepare advance questions for President Goodluck Jonathan at least a week ago.

It is the equivalent of one student receiving the exam test papers in his own home while the others sweat in libraries and study rooms.

Although the event is supposed to treat all the debate participants equally, the questions prepared by the media group for President Jonathan demonstrate that the group is biased in his favour. This was one of the reasons given last week by three of the leading contenders who pulled out of today’s debate, but the charge was denied by the so-called “media group.

The targeting and phraseology employed in the questions also show a tendency not to challenge President Jonathan, but to help him formulate favourable responses. On the PDP’s zoning quagmire, for instance, he is merely asked such a penalty-spot question as whether he does not carry a moral burden. On the question of transformation, he is lobbed another “Help Yourself” question: “What are you really saying to Nigerians?”

On the vexed question of infrastructure, the media group says, “The complex of infrastructure in Nigeria is allegedly notoriously inefficient, inadequate, underdeveloped, derelict and neglected,” but again points to the penalty spot, “Its (sic) all the noise about power not just a hype?”

In addition to the questions submitted by the media group, the document also shows government functionaries feverishly trying to help Jonathan pass the test, with both questions and suggested answers carefully laid out for him. An e-mail dated 25 March from Kassey Garba, the Chief Economic Adviser to the President to Professor Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah, the Minister for Agriculture, covers Questions 23 & 24, supposedly for that Ministry. Since the questions from the media group are numbered 1-16, this suggests that Questions 17-22 were expected from other government bodies.

The emergence of this document will provide further worry to many Nigerians and the international community that although Jonathan has repeatedly said he wishes to see elections that are free and fair, he is desperately trying to employ short cuts to ensure his victory. On December 25, SaharaReporters reported the presence of a rigging manual that had been prepared by the Jonathan Campaign.

The television debate advisory by the media group is particularly worrying because the group is supposed to be a professional one and has asked to be seen as such.

“This is a terrible tragedy,” said a political analyst in Abuja this afternoon.

“This is a sad day for both the media and this government. It is the old story of power being desperately sought by every desperate measure. This is a terrible tragedy.”

Full text of the document:
Questions submitted by the media group


1. Your emergence as PDP presidential candidate was mired in controversy as a result of the conflicting interpretations of your party’s zoning and rotation principles: do you not carry a moral burden?



2. When you talk of “transformation” what are you really saying to Nigerians?




3. The Nigerian economy seems to be in the grip of an unending crisis, characterized by a poor growth rate, low capacity utilization, unimpressive direct foreign investments, bank failures and now a rapidly weakening naira. Is the situation redeemable?



4. The complex of infrastructure in Nigeria is allegedly notoriously inefficient, inadequate, underdeveloped, derelict and neglected. Its all the noise about power not just hype?




5. What is your programme for taking the Nigerian Railways, roads, marine and air transportation into the 21st century?



6. Employment is one area of crisis. 80% of Nigerian school leavers/graduates do not get jobs for years after graduation. What will your government do to cure this dangerous scourge?




7. With Boko Haram in Bauchi and Borno States, endless killings in Jos, bombings everywhere, kidnappings in the South-East and armed robbers operating with impunity everywhere. Could it not be said that your Government has lost grip of the management of security in the country?



8. Has your Government abandoned the fight against corruption in Nigeria? All the former Governors indicted since 2007 are sitting in the Senate, seeking re-election and playing active roles in the current electoral dispensation!




9. Is the lackadaisical way the reform agenda in the petroleum sector has been handled not symptomatic of your approach to governance? Why has the Petroleum Industry Bill been so shabbily treated?



10. Please, give us an insight into how you intend to tackle the rot in the education and health sectors.




11. Are you satisfied with the outputs and growth rate in the agricultural sector? If not, give us an insight into your programme for the sector?



12. Your foreign policy seems to be defined by the contradiction between declaration and action on the election crisis in the Ivory Coast. Do you really have a coherent Foreign Policy?




13. Is your corruption fight not compromised by the alleged involvement of your wife in money-laundering and what is seen as your own indictment by the Code of Conduct Bureau?

14. Your wife is already exciting women about getting 35% of public offices under your Government, if you are elected. Are you really serious about fulfilling this promise?




15. With hindsight, do you approve of your handling of the bombing incident at the Eagle square on 1st October 2010?



16. Are you confident that your strategy for peace and development in the Niger delta is working?



Agriculture



• Question 23: 
It has been argued that government subsidies on agriculture and other products have not achieved the desired goals, what is your view on this?
Why is Nigeria spending so much on food importation despite the abundance of resources?
Subsidy is not getting to the farmers


Answer:


• This is because we have not embarked on developing the full value chain for our agricultural products and not paid enough attention to reducing post-harvest losses. Once this is done, food importation will reduce.
• As a developing country, subsidy is still very important if we are to achieve the desired growth. Even developed countries have one form of subsidy or the other.


• Government will continue to subsidize agriculture but with better management approach to its administration. The Fertilizer voucher scheme which we have piloted in partnership with private sector since 2009 appears to be working well. We shall use it to reach the desired target population that needs the subsidy.
-Between 2007 and 2009 a total of 1.23 million metric tons of fertilizer were procured and distributed at a total subsidy cost of N29.16 billion. In 2010 alone, 900,000metric tons were procured for distribution at a cost of N89.31billion with total subsidy of N22.30 billion.)


♣ There have been a lot of investments in irrigation, (HMIC) in addition to fertilizer supplies, GMP support for farmers, 


Question 24: 
What will be your government’s programme for agricultural transformation in the country?
Answer:
Agriculture is an important sector of Nigeria economy; employ over 75 % of the population; contribute 41% to GDP and accounted for 30% of the growth in the non- oil output
Creating of enabling policy environment and provision of essential infrastructure that will boost the productivity and output of smallholders and large scale producers. Areas of focus of my government will include;


• provision of improved seed and other farm inputs at subsidized rate 
o ( 25 % subsidy level on fertilizer) with emphasis on expanding the new fertilizer voucher scheme subsidy model; one-stop shop agro- input centres,


• agricultural financing / Credit facilities to boost agric value chains 
o ( N200billion Commercial Agric Credit scheme, N100billion Textile and cotton fund, Revitalization of Bank of Agriculture)
• Increase irrigation facilities and dams across the country to support dual season production 
o cover 200,000 ha of irrigated farm land from the present 40,000ha.


• attracting private investment into agriculture through Public-private partnership in all the agriculture value chain process,


• Facilitate agriculture value chain process to reduce post harvest waste and market for producers ( establishment of agricultural value chain infrastructures:- two fish processing estate, five integrated livestock processing centre; eighteen agro-industrial estates; nine farmers’ markets


• Development of strategic food reserve to ensure national food security, stabilize food prices and guarantee producers’ farm income. ( increase reserve from current 300,000 metric tons to 1.3million . In addition to current 14 silos that are operational , 20 more are at various stages of completion across the country.
• In my transformation plan, opening up the rural roads is a top priority so that agricultural products can be moved to the consuming areas.




From: Abdul and Kassey Garba <kagarba@yahoo.com>

Subject: Q & A
To: profsheikh@yahoo.com

Sheikh Abdullah
Date: Friday, March 25, 2011, 3:20 AM



Dear Honorable Minister,
 
Compliments!
 
As discussed at the meeting yesterday, I am sending you the proposed questions and suggested answers in preparation for the presidential debate as it relates to your Ministry / sector.
 
You are kindly requested to review the suggested answers and provide alternative answers as may be necessary, preferably less than half a page.
 
Please note that the 'questions submitted by the media group' are included for your information only.
 
I will be grateful if you could make your contribution available by 2pm please. This is because the final document must get to His Excellency by 3pm today.
 
Stay blessed.
 


Kassey Garba

If this is true, LOL, no need to watch the debate, but they should have left this till 20 minutes before the debate so that it will be too late to change the questions and answer, If this is true then it is a huge shame, hahahha

more on ms kassey garba

http://www.saharareporters.com/press-release/jonathan-appoints-professor-precious-kassey-garba-chief-economic-adviser

Jonathan Appoints Professor Precious Kassey Garba As Chief Economic Adviser
Posted: August 6, 2010 - 19:17
Posted by siteadmin
Ima Niboro

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has appointed the Chief Economic Adviser.

She is Professor (Mrs.) Precious Kassey Garba.

Until her appointment, Garba has served as Professor of Economics and Dean, Faculty of The Social Sciences at the University of Ibadan. She was also Vice President of the Nigerian Economic Society between 2003 and 2007.

Garba is a recipient of several prizes in academic research and author of many research works on Economics.

Now we know how JEGA got his PHD

hahahahahahah, God don catch them oh, but they should have waited 30 mins or 20 mins before the debaate before releasing thin na, so we can catch them redhanded. Shame,

Examination Malpractice

this debate is going to be fun  

hahahahahahah, God don catch them oh, but they should have waited 30 mins or 20 mins before the debaate before releasing thin na, so we can catch them redhanded. Shame,

too late for lazy man to change questions. if they change anything gej will stumble like a drunken fisherman. you know olodos always have problems with utilizing expo

why am I not suprised!

This is doing the rounds on Facebook, just saw it and want to re-post:

Brazil built a power plant of 120,000MW in 3yrs with a loan which they also paid back in 3yrs!South Africa gave a contract for a 5,000MW power plant at a cost of just US$3 billion!PDP-led government spent US$17 billion in 11 years and generated less than 2,000MW!!!

hmmm, are they sure this is real? Now we may never know as the questions can be changed before the debate, hmmm

From: Abdul and Kassey Garba <kagarba@yahoo.com>

Subject: Q & A
To: profsheikh@yahoo.com

Sheikh Abdullah
Date: Friday, March 25, 2011, 3:20 AM



Dear Honorable Minister,
 
Compliments!
 
As discussed at the meeting yesterday, I am sending you the proposed questions and suggested answers in preparation for the presidential debate as it relates to your Ministry / sector.
 
You are kindly requested to review the suggested answers and provide alternative answers as may be necessary, preferably less than half a page.
 
Please note that the 'questions submitted by the media group' are included for your information only.
 
I will be grateful if you could make your contribution available by 2pm please. This is because the final document must get to His Excellency by 3pm today.
 
Stay blessed.
 


Kassey Garba

no way they can prepare new questions for good dunce in four hours

after 5 days of cramming

no wonder the guy no show yesterday



only hope now na to . . . (make i no give them idea)

Well, this is just still an allegation.

I don't see any problems with advance questions, but it should be given to all participants, so that they too would be equally prepared. Bye the way, and as Debosky said earlier, 'let's just see if the same questions are repeated during the debate'.

we go see later

there must be panic in camp gej right now

see as the chief gej thugs are nowhere to be found

oga has been told at the last minute that his expo has been voided

Waiting and watching

Sahara Reporters are obviously against Jonathan, and has done everything to frustrate him. The story is obviously planted. But as I always say, debate or no debate GEJ will win!

This stinks---- does media group mean debate group, for all we know this could be possible questions prepared by the GEJ camp, not questions prepared by the debate panel.

Pls leave mr GEJ he has many things to think of please give him more EXPO.

[size=14pt]This is the most shameless, most clueless, most useless, most ''olodo-rious'' President Nigeria has ever had![/size]

Haba!!!!

May this President not suffer from heart attack from this hopeless state of being clueless about the affairs of the nation!

March man:

Sahara Reporters are obviously against Jonathan, and has done everything to frustrate him. The story is obviously planted. But as I always say, debate or no debate GEJ will win!

am sure u will say they were also against GEJ when they exposed all the plans of the kitchen cabinet to make sure GEJ doesn't succeed Yar'adua

When is the debate?

babasoty:

This stinks---- does media group mean debate group, for all we know this could be possible questions prepared by the GEJ camp, not questions prepared by the debate panel.

How did they get the questions? They may have been able to prepare the answers but the questions are too direct, not that i beleive this oh, but your argument is a bit faulty

ICS

Nigeria we hail thee!

strangest:

NEVER TRUST SAHARA REPORTER AND SUNNEWS,  SMH

Can u imagine the guy, When saharareporters give information on Abdulmutalib u believe them but now Hun

We just have to wait and see, there is always a fact in Sahara reporter and don't forget people are free to post in Sahara reporter.

hehehehehehehe. . . . . before nko!


Only a naive person would not believe that there is collusion between BON and the Presidency.

Too much holes in this story----

From: Abdul and Kassey Garba <kagarba@yahoo.com>


unless someone wants to point out that madam kessy garba and her hussy abdul share the same email addy, and she uses the same id for government correspondence.

There is no place except where "media group" is used, does this suggest that the questions came out from the nigeria debate group.

Pataki:

[size=14pt]This is the most shameless, most clueless, most useless, most ''olodo-rious'' President Nigeria has ever had![/size]

Haba!!!!

May this President not suffer from heart attack from this hopeless state of being clueless about the affairs of the nation!

Ha! Goodluck Bsc, MSc,PHd, Hiv,etc forgery

babasoty:

Too much holes in this story----


[b][/b]

unless someone wants to point out that madam kessy garba and her hussy abdul share the same email addy, and she uses the same id for government correspondence.

There is no place except where "media group" is used, does this suggest that the questions came out from the nigeria debate group.

Abdul is the Minister of Agriculture not Kassy Garbas husband

ogodomi:

Ha! Goodluck Bsc, MSc,PHd, Hiv,etc forgery

No insults please, this is still just an allegation.