₦airaland Forum

The Challenge is Great; The Goal is Clear
By Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, 05.30.2007

This is a historic day for our nation, for it marks an important milestone in our march towards a maturing democracy. For the first time since we cast off the shackles of colonialism almost a half-century ago, we have at last managed an orderly transition from one elected government to another.

We acknowledge that our elections had some shortcomings. Thankfully, we have well-established legal avenues of redress, and I urge anyone aggrieved to pursue them. I also believe that our experiences represent an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Accordingly, I will set up a panel to examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections, and thereby deepen our democracy.

This occasion is historic also because it marks another kind of transitional generational shift when the children of independence assume the adult responsibility of running the country at the heart of Africa.

My fellow citizens, I am humbled and honored that you have elected me and Vice President Jonathan to represent that generation in the task of building a just and humane nation, where its people have a fair chance to attain their fullest potential.

Luckily we are not starting from scratch. We are fortunate to have been led the past eight years by one of our nation’s greatest patriots, President Obasanjo. On behalf of all our people, I salute you, Mr. President, for your vision, your courage and your boundless energy in creating the roadmap toward that united and economically thriving Nigeria that we seek.

Many of us may find it hard to believe now, but before you assumed the presidency eight years ago, the national conversation was about whether Nigeria deserved to remain one country at all. Today we are talking about Nigeria’s potential, to become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by the year2O2O. That isa measure of howfarwe have come. And we thank you.

The administration of President Obasanjo has laid the foundation upon which we can build our future prosperity. Over the past eight years Nigerians have reached a national consensus in at least four areas: to deepen democracy and the rule of law; build an economy driven primarily by the private sector, not government; display zero tolerance for corruption in all its forms, and, finally, restructure and staff our government to ensure efficiency and good governance. I commit myself to these tasks.

Our goal now is to build on the greatest accomplishments of the past few years. Relying on the 7-point agenda that formed the basis of our compact with voters during the recent campaigns, we will concentrate on rebuilding our physical infrastructure and human capital in order to take our country forward. We will focus on accelerating economic and other reforms in a way that makes a concrete and visible difference to ordinary people.

Our economy already has been set on the path of growth. Now we must continue to do the necessary work to create more jobs, lower interest rates, reduce inflation, and maintain a stable exchange rate. All this will increase our chances for rapid growth and development. Central to this is rebuilding our basic infrastructure. We already have comprehensive plans for mass transportation, especially railroad development. We will make these plans a reality.

Equally important, we must devote our best efforts to overcoming the energy challenge. Over the next four years we will see dramatic improvements in power generation, transmission and distribution. These plans will mean little if we do not respect the rule of law.

Our government is determined to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies, especially the police. The state must fulfill its constitutional responsibility of protecting life and property.

The crisis in the Niger Delta commands our urgent attention. Ending it is a matter of strategic importance to our country. I will use every resource available to me, with your help, to address this crisis in a spirit of fairness, justice, and cooperation.

We have a good starting point because our predecessor already launched a master plan that can serve as a basis for a comprehensive examination of all the issues. We will involve all stakeholders in working out a solution.

As part of this effort, we will move quickly to ensure security of life and property, and to make investments safe. In the meantime, I appeal to all aggrieved communities, groups and individuals to immediately suspend all violent activities, and respect the law. Let us allow the impending dialogue to take place in a conducive atmosphere. We are all in this together, and we will find a way to achieve peace and justice.

As we work to resolve the challenges of the Niger Delta, so must we also tackle poverty throughout the country. By fighting poverty, we fight disease. We will make advances in public health, to control the scourge of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases that hold back our population and limit our progress.

We are determined to intensify the war against corruption, more so because corruption is itself central to the spread of poverty. Its corrosive effect is all too visible in all aspects of our national life. This is an area where we have made significant progress in recent years, and we will maintain the momentum.

We also are committed to rebuilding our human capital, if we are to support a modern economy. We must revive education in order to create more equality, and citizens who can function more productively in today’s world.
To our larger African family, you have our commitment to the goal of African integration. We will continue to collaborate with fellow African states to reduce conflict and free our people from the leg chains of poverty. To all our friends in the international community, we pledge our continuing fidelity to the goals of progress in Africa and peace in the world.
Fellow citizens, I ask you all to march with me into the age of restoration. Let us work together to restore our time-honored values of honesty, decency, generosity, modesty, selflessness, transparency, and accountability. These fundamental values determine societies that succeed or fail. We must choose to succeed.

I will set a worthy personal example as your president.

No matter what obstacles confront us, I have confidence and faith in our ability to overcome them. After all, we are Nigerians! We are a resourceful and enterprising people, and we have it within us to make our country a better place. To that end I offer myself as a servant-leader. I will be a listener and doer, and serve with humility.

To fulfill our ambitions, all our leaders at all levels whether a local government councilor or state governor, senator or cabinet minister must change our style and our attitude. We must act at all times with humility, courage, and forthrightness. I ask you, fellow citizens, to join me in rebuilding our Nigerian family, one that defines the success of one by the happiness of many.

I ask you to set aside negative attitudes, and concentrate all our energies on getting to our common destination. All hands must be on deck.

Let us join together to ease the pains of today while working for the gains of tomorrow. Let us set aside cynicism and strive for the good society that we know is within our reach. Let us discard the habit of low expectations of ourselves as well as of our leaders.

Let us stop justifying every shortcoming with that unacceptable phrase 'the Nigerian Factor' as if to be a Nigerian is to settle for less. Let us recapture the mood of optimism that defined us at the dawn of independence, that legendary can-do spirit that marked our Nigerianess. Let us join together, now, to build a society worthy of our children. We have the talent. We have the intelligence. We have the ability.

The challenge is great. The goal is clear. The time is now.

•Inaugural Address of Umaru Musa Yar’adua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-In-Chief of The Armed Forces, May 29, 2007.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=79552&printer_friendly=1

it sounds like a good move

laudate
^{Who are my kinsmen, please? Kindly specify the exact group you are referring to because my kinsmen cut across all ethnic groups. And since am only one person, not a multitude, I cannot claim to speak for all of my kinsmen. Any opinion I proffer on this matter, would be mine & mine alone. To answer this question would call for an in-depth analysis of all the elections that have been held in this country till date, which brought in the various leaders of this country. It would also require an in-depth examination of each candidate's campaign & the political strategies & manouevres that led to their successes or defeat, especially the reasons why they failed. I do not have insider knowledge of this issue & since am not clairvoyant, I cannot do any guesswork to arrive at the answers.}

I did not know that you came from over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria except Igbos. Good luck. I was referring to Yorubas since you defended Yoruba issues in relation to Lagos and land ownership.



^{Having an investment in area that is different from your own, does not always mean that you believe in the unity of that place. It merely means that you can recognise a good business investment or opportunity & you are ready to take advantage of it. People do this in all countries, all the time, and will continue to do so as long as such a country is not on the brink of war.}

Investing in all nooks and crannies will make  every Tom , Dick and Harry equal opportunity investors and losers in times of tribal conflicts. Would an Igbo man  destroy an investment that belongs to Hausa man when he knows that his brother’s investment in Kano is on the line? I don’t believe that Nigeria will be one, but we can co-habit and co-exist freely. Americans have their racial divisions, so Nigeria is not different, but there has to be equity and fairness.

^{We should be looking for a way to heal the wounds of the war, not exacerbate it. We gain nothing by villifying one ethnic group, or putting down another in order to make our own group look big.}

Nigeria is not ready to heal the wound of the war. 3Rs were not followed to the later. Igbos have moved on, but there must equality of stakes if Nigeria wants to move, instead, Nigeria still runs on tribal lines. Presidency, university admissions, appointment of board chairmen, federal character commission, national awards, appointment of SANs etc


^{Now each state in the country, was allocated land in the Abuja masterplan, when the idea of the Federal Capital Territory was concieved. Out of 31 states in Nigeria, Northern states (not Hausa states o! There is a difference please take note!), like I was saying, Northern states are 19 out of 31 states, that make up Nigeria. That come to roughly 61%, I believe. So if the Northern states received 61% of the total land allocations in Abuja, (El-rufai says it is 68%, don't think he is accurate), would you say it makes sense?}

Still  telling us to believe that Rufai made a mistake in front of  PDP South East caucus,  I rather stick with El Rufai’s  figures than yours. Are you saying that Nigeria had 31 states in late 70’s when Abuja was decreed as Nigeria’s new capital?

^{@Majamaja
people lets be realistic.  what is the percentage of crime committed in Naija from? ask anyone and they will tell you IGBO boys are the most arm robbers in Nigeria, the evidence is there for all to see, go to Spain, even AMERICA here most of the dope peddlers are from Niger Delta region and Igbo boys, so what the hec are you guys saying?  its not about attention, I have my evidence. BOMBACLOT.  there was a script ran on NBC couple months ago called how to ROB A BANK, there were like 15 naija boys arrested, and 9 of them are from IGBO speaking tribes, ill post the link in a minute}

This guy is the most uninformed person on this forum.  "How to Rob a Bank" was on CNN not NBC. This has just invalidated all your tribal remarks. You hide under the cloak of tribal supremacy to incite hatred against Igbos. What can you achieve if your tribe does not come into play? What you have as a person (not we as a tribe) achieved that you think that a person of another tribe cannot achieve?
Here is link for   you.  http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0605/20/cp.02.html. Read carefully if you can and tell us how many Igbos were indicted in that documentary.

Maybe you should post your link.

watchung
@[color=#990000]adconline I don't need empirical evidence I use common sense. Yes there are poor people in Nigeria but to tell me that 50+% of the population is living on LESS THAN A DOLLAR a day is rubbish. Well u show me the empirical evidence and how those stats that claim this were deduced.[/color]

ANS:

I don’t know about, but your argument has to be completely true ie deductive or probably true which is inductive or unprovable which is absurd argument. Your common sense analogy is absurd, but $1 a day analysis  is much more probable to be true than your common sense, because  I can use my common sense to tell you that Nigeria is  not most populous country in  Africa. The burden of proof lies on you to provide with us any existing method to calculate what average Nigerian worker earns. By the way $1 a day could translate to about N4000 a month. Are U telling me that money is so small for folks in rural areas? The fact that our govt does keep track of what people in  Nigeria earn has made IMF, World. CIA and some other agencies to economically deduce those  benchmarks. By the way, this is the same system they use to calculate GDP of wealthy countries, oil output, economic growth,literacy rate etc.

Like Chuba Okadigbo said “you cannot subsidize oil, because it belongs to Nigerians”

Maybe you need read my previous comments.





ANS: What kind of market forces in Nigeria? Do market forces take into consideration that over 60% of Nigerians earn $ 1 dollar a  day to pay N70   (about $ 0.60) for a litre of petrol?

Question: The only reason why we make so much fuss in Nigeria is because cheap fuel is seen as our share of the national cake while politicians loot the treasury.

ANS Flawed economics theory, do you know the cost of fuel in Iraq, Iran, Saudia Arabia, Libya,UAE?  In the US,  its about $3.20 per gallon ( 1 gallon = 3.785 litres)  which is about $ 1.18 per litre. Mind you that minimum wage in America is $5.15 per hour while that of Nigeria is less than N10, 000   about $70 per month. So a Nigerian pays half of what an American pays for petrol even though an American earns about $800/per month which is above 100 percent more than what a ‘worker’ in Nigeria earns.

@ Watchung

Also just to throw this out. Please everybody pull out your thinking hat here because i want to know how they came up with the percentage of people living with $1 or less a day. Me thinks this is a big fallacy. I've been looking around me and everywhere but can't seem to find anyone living with $1 a day. Even the poorest of the poor no dey live on $1 a day abeg.

Why  don't you  present empirical economic evidence to show that  $ 1 day analysis is wrong? Also include in your report people who are jobless- maybe uni graduates.

My question for you ;  are market forces predicated on stardand of living? Why dont some EU govts allow their rail transport systems to be detected by market forces? Do you know that 1 out of 6 Americans depend on programs for poor?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003589315_welfare26.html

This is like saying that Bush appointed blacks like Rice, Collin Powell into offices. therefore blacks have benefited immensely from their appointments. Igbos were appointed to serve Nigerians not Igbos. By the way a litre of Petrol at N75 is not only affecting Igbos. Some folks criticized OBJ because he had some economic policies that robbed Nigerians off their living. Economic policies that did not have human face.

http://www.worldmusicawards.com/. His performance was a class act.

@ majamaja
xtycod stop this madness all the people you listed are they not qualified to hold the position that they hold? appointment should be made on merits and qualification, i can careless if you are IGBO or YORUBA or Hausa. its about getting the right candidate for the job. IIGBO people are business oriented and should focus on business and stop trying to stick their hand where they don't belong.

I hope that this post will elicit condemnation and attack from you guys the way you have bombarded xtycod and co

As Peter Obi says he won’t hand-over to Uba until,


ABUJA—The Supreme Court yesterday refused an invitation by Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State and Mr Peter Obi of Anambra State to stop today’s inauguration of their successors.

Dr Andy Uba is to take over from Mr Peter Obi as Governor of Anambra State this morning while Otunba Christopher Alao-Akala is expected to receive the baton of leadership in Oyo State from Governor Rashidi Ladoja.

But the apex court yesterday threatened that it would order both Andy Uba and his Oyo State counterpart, Alao-Akala to vacate office, if after examining the relevant laws, it was found that the tenure of office of their predecessors were yet to expire.

Governors Ladoja and Peter Obi of Oyo and Anambra States respectively had, separately, invoked the original jurisdiction of the Federal high court to pronounce on whether or not their 4-year tenure of office could expire on May 29, 2007 when they did not spend up to four years in office.
They came to court yesterday with a view to procuring an order stopping the inauguration of new governments in their respective states pending determination of their separate suits.

During hearing in the cases yesterday, the presiding judge of the Supreme Court panel, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu said that they would not issue any injunction stopping the inauguration ceremony scheduled to take place today.

Justice Katsina specifically said during hearing in Obi’s case: “this is a novel case. The swearing-in of anybody tomorrow (today) does not extinguish the res. If we decide that the appellant (Peter Obi) has a case, we will nullify the election in the state and whoever is sworn in will have to quit office.
“Parties are hereby directed to file their brief of arguments. This case will be heard on June 14, this year,” he added.

All other six justices on the panel concurred with the leading decision of the presiding justice of the panel.
In fact, one of them, Justice George Oguntade faced the contending parties in the case and expatiated on the position of the Supreme Court thus:

“You have all heard the panel chairman. Go and prepare your briefs very well. Your action predates the swearing-in, taking place tomorrow (today). Don’t entertain any fear that the res of your matter will be extinguished if there is a swearing-in tomorrow (today).

“If anybody is sworn in and we find out that you have a good case, the person will have to quit office.
“So all parties should be aware of that. We will not grant any injunction. We will not be stampeded to take any decision. Let the matter take its normal course. Everybody should file his briefs. That is our own stand-point,” he added.

In the meantime, Governor Peter Obi who was personally in court however said yesterday that he would only vacate the Government House today in view of the swearing-in of the new Governor, Dr Andy Uba but that he would not hand over government to him.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/may07/29052007/f629052007.html

NITEL gets third CEO in seven months

Transnational Corporation, (Transcorp), has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for NITEL, Malam Abubakar Nahuche, making him the third in seven months. Transcorp took over the premier telecom company in November, last year under an arrangement in which the technical partners, British Telecom, provided the CEO, Mr. Steve Brookman.Brookman, however, withdrew his services in March, this year due to a fall- out between British Telecom and Transcorp over delay in pumping in funds to revive the ailing telecoms company. Transcorp later appointed its Executive Director, Operations, Mr. Williams Okoye, to head an Interim Management Committee that would supervise the activities of the company, pending another contract with a technical partner. Sources at the NITEL headquarters, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that Nahuche was appointed to head the company because of his professional background and experience in the telecoms industry. He would replace Okoye as the new chairman of the Interim Management Committee of NITEL and would assume duties on June 1, while his position would be ratified by the NITEL board on June 6. NITEL spokesman, Malam Bala Abdulkadir, said he was not aware of the change, but other sources in Transcorp confirmed the new arrangement.
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/breaking_news/article01

By Kingsley Omonobi
Posted to the Web: Monday, May 28, 2007



ABUJA—Indications emerged in Abuja weekend that the Indian government has apologised to Nigeria over the arrest last week, of Navy Captain G. A. Ojedokun, the Nigerian Military Attache to the Nigerian High Commission in that country.

The apology according to sources, was verbally diclosed to the Nigerian High Commissioner in India by the Indian authorities following investigations which cleared the naval officer of any ulterior motive when the money was found on him.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/may07/28052007/f828052007.html

The source noted that though the apology has been communicated Nigerian Authorities here at home, an official letter to that effect is expected to be recieved before the end of this week from the Indian authorities.


Recall that Military authorities had on Wednesday, last week, clarified that the $2. 27 million found in possession of the Nigerian Military attachéé in India, for which he was arrested by the Indian security agencies, was money duly approved by the Ministry of Defence for certain projects earmarked for the Nigerian High Commission in that country.

A senior officer who spoke to Vanguard under condition of anonymity had disclosed that the money was part of an approval released for the project after the sanction of the Defence Ministry pointing out that the project was initially meant to be undertaken by the former Defence Adviser, also a Navy Captain, who is currently attending the National Institute for Policy and strategic Studies.

“Following the appointment of the new Defence Adviser, the cost of the project was reviewed downwards,” the officer said adding that “from our discussions with the DA and investigations, we discovered that the officer was trying to return the money which is the balance of the original sum that was approved to the country.”

Nigeria strike over 'flawed' poll
Nigerian trade unions have started a two-day general strike in protest at last month's elections, on the eve of the inauguration of the new president.
A BBC reporter in Lagos says offices and banks are closed, with few vehicles or people on the streets.

There is more activity in the capital, Abuja but government offices are shut.

A senior union official told the BBC the new government had been brought to power by fraudulent means. Umaru Yar'Adua is to be sworn in on Tuesday.

The BBC's Fidelis Mbah in the commercial capital, Lagos, says the heavy traffic you would normally see on a Monday morning is absent.

But he says some people may have stayed at home because of local media reports that Monday and Tuesday had been declared public holidays because of the inauguration.


We want to tell the world, we want to tell Nigerians that the elections were massively rigged
Nuhu Toro
Deputy NLC leader


The government has denied these reports.
However Reuters news agency reports that many Nigerians are apathetic about the protest.

"Tomorrow is the handover, so what difference will it make?" said Daniel Legunsen, who was at work selling photocopiers in Abuja.

This is to be the first time in Nigeria's history that one elected leader has handed power to another.

'Perilous time'

Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has told the BBC the country needed a revolution to break the cycle of incompetent and inhuman leadership.

"I think what a country like Nigeria needs is a genuine, authentic but humane revolution," he said.


Mr Soyinka said Mr Yar'Adua was "an unknown quantity" who was taking power at a "perilous time".
Previous opposition protests over the elections have not succeeded but our reporter says the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has the organisation to ensure that its call for workers to stay at home for two days is heeded.

"We want to tell the world, we want to tell Nigerians that the elections were massively rigged," deputy NLC leader Nuhu Toro told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

Local and international observers also condemned the poll as a "charade" and "not credible".

Observers say that results were announced even in areas where no elections were held, either because of violence, or because voting materials were not delivered to polling stations.

In most such areas, candidates from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) were credited with massive victories.

The election commission, Inec, has denied charges that it favoured the PDP.

Mr Yar'Adua has promised to introduce electoral reforms.

The two main opposition candidates have challenged the results in court.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6697471.stm

It depends on the premise of that marriage. If both partners agreed that they might not want children. it can survive

Obasanjo leaves Nigeria uncertain future By DULUE MBACHU, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 32 minutes ago



When Olusegun Obasanjo was elected Nigeria's president in 1999, Nigerians hoped long years of military misrule were behind them and stable democracy was ahead.

As he leaves office Tuesday, Nigeria's democracy is in doubt, and its people seem uncertain of their future. But Obasanjo, a 70-year-old former military leader, is credited with making economic strides, and earned respect abroad for his efforts to secure peace across Africa. While he will no longer be president, his influence in Africa's most populous country will likely remain strong.

Many of his critics say he failed woefully. Obasanjo, though, counts his greatest achievements in terms of intangibles.

"Democracy is not a destination, it's a journey," Obasanjo said in a nationally televised farewell address Monday. "We are well on our way to a greater destination."

Term limits kept Obasanjo from running again, and he says he will be a farmer after he leaves office. But last-minute political engineering has ensured a powerful party position for him: chairman of the party's board of trustees. A daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, won a senate seat on his party's ticket in April elections and is likely to help keep the family name in the limelight. His wife Stella died in 2005.

Umaru Yar'Adua, picked by Obasanjo to lead his People's Democratic Party ticket, was declared winner of the elections that domestic and international observers said were deeply flawed. Yar'Adua takes office Tuesday, but has been battling a crisis of legitimacy since the vote.

"After eight years, Obasanjo is leaving Nigeria the way he met it," said Emma Ezeazu, who leads the Alliance for Credible Elections, an umbrella of civic groups campaigning to end the country's history of vote-rigging. "We have a tradition of rigged elections but he has given us the most-rigged election in the country's history."

When Obasanjo took office in 1999, his credentials were among the most impressive of Nigerian politicians. He succeeded an assassinated predecessor as military ruler of the country in the 1970s, then became the first military ruler in Africa to voluntarily transfer power to an elected civilian government in 1979.

Retiring to his farm on the outskirts of the country's biggest city, Lagos, Obasanjo set up the Africa Leadership Forum and became an international statesman renowned for its governance advice to other African countries. When the military toppled the civilian government that succeeded him, Obasanjo became a vocal critic of the autocratic regimes that spanned more than 15 years.

Obasanjo was charged with plotting to topple Gen. Sani Abacha in 1995 and given a life jail term that was later reduced to 15 years. Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who succeeded Abacha on his death in 1998, freed his old friend Obasanjo.

Obasanjo won the elections that followed by a landslide. He vowed to tackle Nigeria's debilitating corruption and abysmal power supply situation, as well as heal ethnic and religious wounds that made the country prone to upheavals.

Obasanjo said Monday his restive nation of 140 million people, split among 250 ethnic groups and almost equally between northern-based Muslims and southern Christians, had grown more united under his tenure.

"We have become simply Nigerians interested in the development and progress of our country. This is a great gain," he said.

Obasanjo had also pledged to make Nigeria a leader on the continent. He ended his tenure with a farewell tour of Sierra Leone and Liberia, where he played a leading role in bringing peace after years of civil war. He has sent Nigerian peacekeepers to several African hot spots, and hosted talks aimed at ending the bloodshed in Sudan's Darfur region.

But after eight years in office, many complain that Nigeria is still rife with problems. The country's infrastructure has decayed, and fuel shortages and power cuts — which Obasanjo promised to end within two years of assuming office in Africa's leading energy producer — have hit their worst levels in the country's history.

The oil sector remains volatile, with attacks by militants claiming a greater share of the country's exports and shaking world markets. Corruption remains endemic.

"The public was betrayed on so many levels," said Nigerian Nobel literature laureate Wole Soyinka, who with 48 fellow laureates from around the world called for new elections. Of Obasanjo, the writer says: "Reluctantly I've been forced to conclude that he's a dictator at heart."

Some critics, like Olisa Agbakoba, a human rights lawyer and president of the Nigerian lawyers professional body, make a distinction between his political failings and economic achievements.

"His politics pulled him down," Agbakoba said, citing Obasanjo's failed attempt to amend the constitution in order to run for a third term in office. "On the economic front I think there is progress."

Agbakoba said Nigeria paid off its foreign debt of more than $32 billion in a deal Obasanjo's government negotiated with the Paris Club of creditors last year. New economic partnerships forged with China have reduced dependence on the West, Agbakoba added.

But many of the problems he promised to solve appear likely to remain long after he is gone.

"At the time Obasanjo came to power, Nigeria was completely divided by years of military misrule," said Ezeazu, the elections monitor. "He has spent eight years not healing any wounds."

___

Associated Press Writer Edward Harris contributed to this report.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070528/ap_on_re_af/nigeria_obasanjo_s_legacy&printer=1;_ylt=ArdUb6HV709jUbOXElnaBGoV6w8F

Chief Seun.

Why did you delete my posts that never offended anybody? I challenged obo_nyunmi who called me names to argue intellectually instead of name calling. Could you tell me how that post offended you? Why did you not delete that post when it first attacked me? You acted when I urged her to adopt analytical approach toward her debate. You have to be fair in your dealings with other members. You MUST act that New Nigeria you would love to see and live in. Good luck


Eleventh commandment of Nairaland. Thou shall not trust a story without a website

By the way, I got this quote from my bible. Do you also want a link for this?


http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/may07/25052007/f725052007.html

Even America needs Europe as much as Europe needs America. The world has become globalised that a drop in Chinese markets would affect major exchange markets all over the world. Lets make some realistic statements. Thermocool everybody.

Iran is in Opec, imports refined products, yet fuel is as cheap as Agege bread. I dont know why Nigerians want to be treated differently.

Afam@

Cut ties? Please tell them to speed up the process.

They need us more than we need them.

Is this blind patriotism or arrogance?  Did you check our balance of trade with Europe.

Obasanjo's parting gift to Nigerians: FG hikes fuel price to N75

By Funmi Komolafe, Hector Igbikiowubo, Emma Ujah, Emmanuel Aziken, Victor Ahuima-Young, Emmanuel Ulayi, Abdulwahab Abdulah & Yemi Adeoye
Posted to the Web: Monday, May 28, 2007




*May hit N85;
*NUPENG, PENGASSAN, others kick


LAGOS — BARELY 48  hours to the end of its tenure, the Obasanjo administration, yesterday, effected its sixth increase in the price of petrol in eight years. Petrol now costs N75 per litre from N65— a 15.4 per cent margin, with indications that the in-coming government may move it up to N85 per litre in an effort to keep the level of subsidy within manageable limits.

Similarly, government has increased the price of dual purpose kerosene from N50 per litre to N60 per litre.
Vanguard gathered yesterday, that the decision to increase the price of petrol was informed by the rising cost of crude oil which hit $71 per barrel in the international market last Friday, and the inability of the domestic refineries to refine petroleum products.

Filling stations monitored within the Lagos area were seen dispensing petrol at N75 per litre, while some others were simply shut.

Dr. Oluwole Oluleye, Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), confirmed the increase in prices, saying the rising cost of crude in the international market put the pump price of petrol at N95 per litre.

He said the agency had been battling with the rising subsidy which is now N30 per litre and that government simply could not continue to bear the cost any longer.

Dr. Oluleye recalled that President Obasanjo had capped the price of petroleum products in 2005 and made available the sum of N150 billion as Petroleum Stabilisation Fund (PSF) for management of the subsidy.

“You would recall that the government also made another N100 billion available to augment the N150 billion earlier made available. Although this has not been depleted, we have to manage it in such a manner that it is not totally depleted before we make adjustments,” he said.

On why the adjustments had to be made now, he said the rising prices of petroleum products and crude oil in the international market did not just happen. “The situation has been on for some time now and we have been trying to deal with it. If the refineries and importers are to continue to supply fuel, we have to give the correct signal. We don’t want what happened pre-1999 (long queues owing to acute fuel scarcity) to rear its ugly head again,” he said.

Contacted, a staff of the Ministry of Energy who did not want his name in print, said government was alarmed by increasing prices of petroleum products and crude oil in the international market, adding: “The situation has not been helped by our inability to refine crude oil domestically.”

“President Obasanjo felt it wouldn’t be nice to leave such a burden for the in-coming government. We, therefore, reduced it by N10 per litre. There is still a N20 per litre subsidy and this cannot be carried by the in-coming government. Otherwise, certain projects would be stalled.

“The current understanding is that after Yar’Adua takes over and settles down, he would reduce the subsidy by another N10 per litre, raising the price of petrol to N85 per litre,” he said.

Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) at its monthly  meeting in December, last year recommended that N360 billion be set aside for petroleum products subsidy in 2007.

The committee in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting said about N28.333 billion was spent on fuel subsidy monthly in 2006 fiscal year and, therefore, recommended that a N30 billion per month provision be made for fuel subsidy in the coming year.

Due process not followed

Senator David Brigidi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum, expressed surprise at yesterday’s increase in the pump price of petrol, saying due process was not followed.

Reacting to the development in a telephone interview, Senator Brigidi said the management of the Petroleum Product Prices Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) was not qualified to effect a unilateral increase without the consent of representatives of the board including Labour.

“I am not aware that the PPPRA has officially made an increase. PPPRA is not a unilateral body because it requires labour and everybody that is a member of PPPRA to meet and look at the cost profile before they can come out with an increase. I am not aware of any formal meeting yet, though I hear there will be a meeting tomorrow (today),” he said

Major Marketers

Investigations revealed that major marketers of petroleum products in the country had been informed officially by PPPRA to consider an upward review of pump prices as the current crude oil price of $71 a barrel has necessitated an increase in the current ex-depot price.

In accordance with the directive, most petrol stations in the country immediately adjusted their pump prices upwards to N75 per litre.

An industry operator who spoke on condition of anonymity said although most marketers had not received the letter from the PPPRA, directive had gone out to the effect that an upward review of pump prices was inevitable, hence what is experienced at the various filling stations is a follow-up on the directive of the regulatory agency.   

Most filling stations visited in the early hours of yesterday, including major marketers like AP, Oando, Mobil, Total, Texaco and Conoil, all followed suit, increasing their pump prices to reflect the N10 increase on petrol.

Labour reacts

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) denounced the last minute fuel increase by the outgoing administration of President Obasanjo as a wicked parting gift from an insensitive government. They vowed to reject and resist the  new prices.

The threat from the trade unions came, even as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) declared that it was not behind the recent price increase, saying PPRA was responsible for price adjustment.
The NLC General Secretary, Mr. John Odah, speaking for Labour said the “unexpected price increase”  called for its“immediate reversal” to the old pump price, noting that failure to do so will be seriously opposed by Labour.

Odah maintained that though it was unexpected at a time like this, it was not a surprise that the government was raising the price at this time given its antecedents.

He described the out-going government as anti-people, adding that it was not a surprise that President Obasanjo’s parting gift to Nigerians after its eight years of alleged gross mismanagement was another round of increase in fuel prices.

The latest increase in fuel prices, according to him, would not be in the interest of the incoming government because of the multifarious economic, social and labour issues it shall be inheriting from the out-going government.

He said: “The Obasanjo government, given its unpopularity with the masses, would end up compounding issues for the incoming administration. It is a pity that this government is particular about transferring its woes to the incoming government.

“We urge the government to reverse this unpopular act immediately and unconditionally. This is totally unacceptable to us, and we are sure every Nigerian will resist this latest imposition,

“Soon, in fact, immediately after the two-day sit-at-home strike we have ordered, the Congress shall meet and properly and effectively deal a blow to this issue. However, let it be known that we are in full support of an immediate reversal to the old price. It is a sad end to a notorious anti-people government.

“If this government has over the years refused to make the refineries work, they should not make ordinary Nigerians suffer for their incompetence and mismanagement of the system. This is most unfair and untimely,” he added

Also speaking, PENGASSAN President, Mr Peter Esele, said the increase was arbitrary and the union would meet and take action against the decision.

Meanwhile, General Manager, Group Public Affairs of the NNPC, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, said the organisation had no hand in it.
The NLC is expected to meet soon on the issue.

Also reacting, President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Peter Akpatason, said the new increase was totally unacceptable and that Nigerians should resist the attempt by the out-going government of Obasanjo to inflict more pains on already suffering masses,  less than 24 hours to his departure.

According to Comrade Akpatason who is also the National Trustee of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), “this is a pointer that the out-going President Obasanjo does not mean well for even the incoming government. This will further compound the problems of the in-coming government. We are talking of an incoming government that is faced with legitimacy crisis for which Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) and other groups like NBA and so on are protesting against.

Why would a government that has less than 24 hours to go be increasing the prices of petroleum products? Why would a government be adding more crises to an incoming government that already has more than enough crises ahead of it? It is unfortunate. They have no explanation for it and will not accept.”

Deputy General Secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN),  Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa, lamented that the new regime of fuel price was a unilateral decision by the outgoing government and lamented that it was unfair for President Obasanjo to increase the burden of the already over-burdened masses of Nigeria less than 24 hours to his exit.

According to him, “we are highly disappointed, it is wrong, unfair, unacceptable and without justification. This is un-imaginable. The man appears to be telling us  go to hell and that we cannot do any thing. I hope the government knows the danger of pushing the citizens to the wall. The leadership of labour would meet to consider how to deal with assault on Nigerians.”

NBA kicks against price hike

The Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, reacting to the increase in pump price of petroleum products described it as an attempt to derail democracy in Nigeria. Also, gubernatorial candidate of the Democratic Peoples’ Party (DPA), Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje, said the increase coming just as the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo was leaving showed that the yet to be inaugurated administration of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua would inflict hardship on Nigerians. To this end, he called on Nigerians to resist the increase and other bad policies of the government.

Mr Niyi Idowu, NBA Chairman, Ikeja in his reaction said “this is uncalled for and it is unfortunate that this present government handing over in few days to another PDP member is doing all these when it has already impose unpopular policies on the people increasing their poverty level. Definitely all these are deliberate attempt to engineer trouble and chaos, ensuring that democracy does not flourish in the country.

I am telling you they went on with these bad policies to derail democracy, I, therefore, call on Nigerians to be vigilant and ensure that the present government does not truncate democracy in Nigeria.

Lagos lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, in his reaction said: “It is sheer wickedness. It is madness. It is an attempt to create chaos and probably to truncate the hand-over because they know Nigerians could resist and there will be protests. It is extremely insensitive. Nigerians will resist this but whatever happens, Obasanjo must go


http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/headline/f128052007.html

here are  some links for Federal Inland Revenue and Ministry of Finance

http://www.fmf.gov.ng/detail.php?link=firscharter
http://www.firs.gov.ng/

obo_nyunmi

^{what is the talk about - Nigerians - if they are not complaining the money is too much - they are complaining about the competence of an internationally reknowed engineering compnay - na wa o -}

because some Nigerian are more rational and thoughtful than their government and apologists.  I wonder what you meant by internationally renowned engineering company. Could you also tell us their scope of global presence and engineering ingenuity?

Obamedo
^{@
The price of fuel in Nigeria has been politicised
Do we hassle the Government when the price of garri goes up}

Is there a like company like NNPC in garri business? Oil business in Nigeria is controlled by the govt?

^{Market forces should determine the price of fuel like everywhere else.}

What kind of market forces in Nigeria? Do market forces take into consideration that over 60% of Nigerians earn $ 1 dollar a  day to pay N70   (about $ 0.60) for a litre of petrol?

^{The only reason why we make so much fuss in Nigeria is because cheap fuel is seen as our share of the national cake while politicians loot the treasury.}

Flawed economics theory, do you know the cost of fuel in Iraq, Iran, Saudia Arabia, Libya,UAE?  In the US,  its about $3.20 per gallon ( 1 gallon = 3.785 litres)  which is about $ 1.18 per litre. Mind you that minimum wage in America is $5.15 per hour while that of Nigeria is less than N10, 000   about $70 per month. So a Nigerian pays half of what an American pays for petrol even though an American earns about $800/per month which is above 100 percent more than what a ‘worker’ in Nigeria earns.


!

obo_nyumi

@ very good - no more black marketeering.

Why dont you come of the closet and tell us that you are working for PDP government. Maybe you should lecture us  on how pump price increases will stop black markets. Also include in your lecture, how previous increases stopped black market. Waiting for your answer economic Professor Soludo Obo Nyumi.

What has this image laundry got to do with the way he won? I keep saying that politicians don’t necessarily want to deliver public services to their electorates, but elections force them to doso. My HOD used to say that students are not asked to learn, but forced to learn because of examination. Politicians will not better people's lives if not for elections. In Nigeria, politicians elect themselves, so they don’t not need people's support to stay in power. Nothing will happen to Yar’dua if he chooses not to deliver.

Mckren

Naivety of thought that Nigeria's highest law officer was shot in his house with security details and the president now knows the killers just a week before he leaves office. Can anybody tell me who has better intelligence than the presidency to unmask Ige' s killers. Why would ordinary Nigerians be asked to prove that OBJ did know how Ige was killed? When did Nigerians become private investigators? So if NPF cannot solve a crime of that magnitude, it should be left for people who are yearning for a closure to come with evidence? Why does Nigeria pay police, ministry of justice, intelligence, and SSS for?

Mckren

^{I do not blame my bank for defaulted credit repayments, but it becomes criminal if after defaulted repayments my Bank goes on to futher increase the worth of my credit card because they know a few things about my person and maybe inspite of the fact that I have no means of income they are sure that maybe because my dad is a billionaire they can extort money from me by puting me in debt trap.}

I would think that so long as you owe your creditors, you are bound by a contractual agreement which was agreed upon by the two parties. These loans were not forced on us. It was sought for by Nigerian corrupt officials who though that would evade payment like the way they evaded justice, good governance, law etc in Nigeria. There is an old saying that debt does not rot, so long as Nigeria exits, it MUST pay back what was borrowed by its leaders. Now if you default in your payment, it does not stop your creditor from accessing late payment charge and interests on your loans. If you are servicing the debt ie minimum payment it  does  not have any significant effect on your principal loan ie  your loans do not go down,  so its either you pay up or stuck with the loans the rest of your life. What is more criminal than borrowing money with Nigerian name and inappropriately using it for personal purpose? Do we blame lenders who gave the money to Nigerians leaders or Nigerians leaders who under disguise for economic development sought loans for personal luxury?  When you get a loan from your bank for a business venture and you decide to blow it on prostitutes and stripers, who are you going to hold responsible?  Your bank or yourself.


davidylan

^{Dont even mention debt cancellation as a form of aid. That was daylight fraud! Only an African state borrows $3bn and has to pay back $36bn in less than 20 years! Besides more than 90% of the so-called aid is used to pay "expatriates" hired by these same EU nations to act as consultants who are no better than the average Nigerian graduate?}


If debt cancellation did not come as a form of aid package, what would  it be called?  Maybe reparations for colonialism or mismanagement consolation. During debt cancellation negotiations,   Nigeria did not raise any issues that the terms of the contract were altered, but it merely argued its case on moral grounds.  i.e we already paid too much.  Why didn’t Nigeria argue that it was fraudulently drawn into that contractual agreement? IBB borrowed huge sums of money thinking that it would not be his responsibility to pay back the loans. So  long  as Nigerian corrupt officials did not reject the interest rates on those loans, they were still considered as  valid loans that met strict financial laws governing creditor nations. By the way, payday loans charge exorbitant fees on loans in the US. They still operate legally so long their actions are within the ambit of the law.  The willingness of the borrower to borrow at any rate will make the lender to charge more on fees, while the willingness of the lender to lend at any rate will make the borrower to negotiate for a favorable rate. This is pure business. Blame OBJ, IBB, BUHARI,SHAGARI,ABACHA .

@
stupid journalists - they will do anything to bring the country down - why will Yar'Adua visit in the cover of night?

All lies from a corrupt mind who wants to post enemity where there is none


Why don't you leave your base in Hawaii and become  Nigeria's much needed Dele Giwa?

Mckren@

but hope your understanding also includes the fact that the debt itself came as a result of aid.

Debt came as result of misappropriated loans not aid. Do you blame your  credit card company  for bad credit history when  you default on your payment ?. We have to apportion the blame to where it belongs. Lenders  are in to make money and its the reponsibility of the borrower to make  good use of the money borrowed.

aid = (IMF and Wolrd bank's deceptive word for loan). Loans are given because there is a security some sort of guarantee that the money can be reclaimed. The security in this case is the vast resources we have.
The very essence of these aid is to leave us in a disadvantaged position so that they can dictate to us how to use our resources.

I did not know that loans and aid could be used interchangeably. Thanks for opening my eyes to IMF economics.  I would think that loans are needed to carry out most businesses since most folks don’t usually have start capital. I firm believe that Nigeria still needs AID.  Just check the cost of Anti retroviral drugs or anti malaria drugs without any sort of aid.

Anglicans 'obsessed' by gay issue
By Mike Lanchin
BBC News religious affairs correspondent

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has called on Africa's Anglican church to overcome its "obsession" with the issue of gay priests and same-sex marriages.
He said they should spend time on more pressing issues in the region.

Speaking to the BBC World Service, the South African bishop said Zimbabwe, HIV/Aids and the crisis in Darfur were not getting sufficient attention.

Zimbabwe's Anglican church also lacked courage to stand up to President Robert Mugabe's regime, he said.

'So many issues'

This was the 76-year-old Nobel peace laureate touching raw nerves for the Anglican church in Africa on very sensitive subjects.

In his usual forthright manner, Archbishop Tutu told the BBC that the Anglican communion was spending too much of its time and energy on debating differences over gay priests and same sex marriages - a subject, he said, that had now become "an extraordinary obsession".

He said: "We've, it seems to me, been fiddling whilst as it were our Rome was burning. At a time when our continent has been groaning under the burden of HIV/Aids, of corruption.


"There are so many issues crying out for concern and application by the church of its resources, and here we are, I mean, with this kind of extraordinary obsession."

For Archbishop Tutu, the crisis in Zimbabwe was one such issue that had been eclipsed by the sexuality debate.

He said he was saddened by the muted response other African governments had shown to the Mugabe regime.

Growing tensions

But he also said that leaders of his own Anglican Church in Zimbabwe had failed to show more courage in dealing with the Zimbabwean president.

"One seems to have to say they have kow-towed to President Mugabe. Certainly there's not been anything like the same kind of standing up to the evil and exercising the prophetic ministry that one would have expected from the church, and that has been very distressing."

There are growing tensions within the worldwide Anglican communion - pitching liberals against conservatives - mainly over the issue of sexuality.

But as Archbishop Tutu recognised, there are other points of contention that need to be resolved and other issues that the church, especially in Africa, needs to turn its attention to.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6694985.stm

afam,
separate aid from debt cancellation. Answer,

Separate marshal plan from loan. Answer,

my point is that if countries, banks, investors take foreign loans, why cant Nigeria take AID (Free of Charge) just because they criticized our selection process. If want to reject their aid, let's start from debt cancellation. kapich