₦airaland Forum

A call has been made to the Federal Government to declare public holiday over the death of world acclaimed novelist, Chinua Achebe.

This call was made Saturday by the Ken Nnamani Centre for Leadership and Development.

In a statement signed by Prof. Ebere Onwudiwe, the organisation maintained that the late Ogidi, Anambra State born writer of international repute brought so much honour to the country and therefore should be honoured.

"There should be a public holiday in honour of Professor Chinua Achebe whose integrity and courage in the service of our father land was nonpareil. The day should be named 'Chinua Achebe Day."

The statement reads: "Few have done more for our international image than Achebe, a great lover of this potentially great and loveable country of ours. The nation must show its gratitude to him.

"Achebe used his God-given talent to fight the good fight. He courageously defended the dignity of Africans against the assaults of some western writers and most importantly against Nigeria's political leadership that he blamed for most of our national problems."

http://m.naij.com/news/28480.html

I doubt the above-mentioned. He believes Jonathan will be there for eternity

To say that the public is no longer comfortable with Governor Godswill Akpabio's somewhat obscene display of tax payers' money is alluding to the obvious, writes Shola Oyeyipo.

Amongst the governors who enjoy widespread acceptance in terms of performance in the country, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, is certainly in the first five. This is on account of his array of developmental projects that have seen the administration as the toast of many.

Interestingly, his acceptance of goodwill is believed to have close ties with his generosity which, given the Nigerian political environment, has further endeared him to many than the substance of what he truly represents. However, with an unguarded giving spirit which is sometimes believed to constitute public nuisance, the people are now inclined to seeking answers to Akpabio's motive of lavish spending of public funds in the midst of squalid living.

The governor, who just acquired a $45 million dollar jet, was a few days ago reported as having splashed thousands of dollars on a Nigerian hip hop act, Innocent Ujah Idibia, popularly known as 2face, and his wife, Annie, at their wedding in Eket Local Government Area of the state. Apart from handing out a Toyota Prado Sports Utility Vehicle to the couple, the Governor has also elected to sponsor the delegates from the state to their Dubai wedding this weekend. And all the Governor had to say in defence of his gesture was that the gift was a compensation for Annie - who stood by 2face through their trying periods. Not long after that, Akpabio was again in the news for acquiring several bulletproof sprinter luxury vans from the United States-based Texas Armoring Corporation (TAC).

But more recently, Akapbio was shown on some local television stations, giving out N1m each to six state chairmen of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The news was not even that he gave out the cash donation, the manner in which he gave it out, describing the people as hungry, sculpted the image of a man arrogant with power on account of excessive and redundant funds.

Akpabio also caught negative media exposure when he donated the sum of N230m on behalf of other governors at the launch of St. Stephens Anglican Deanery and Youth Development Centre, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, home state of President Goodluck Jonathan. It was obvious that he did not consult with many of the other governors as he otherwise feigned before making the donation on their behalf. Indeed, some of them allegedly grumbled over the cash donation on the grounds that they were not in the know.

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The governor, who last month became the chairman of the newly formed PDP Governors Forum, a body believed to have been formed, solely to whittle down the influence of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), chaired by the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, however hinged his cash donation to the PDP chairmen in Paort Harcourt on an earlier call by his Delta State counterpart, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, on the need to empower the people as a way of keeping them in the party.

Hear him: "Well, my brother governor, Uduaghan said you are hungry. So, I will give the state chairmen from the six states N1 million per state for Mr. Biggs right now. All the state chairmen should see me immediately after my remarks so that at least I will drop N1 million each for Mr. Biggs' so that PDP can chart the course for empowerment."

Aside that, the PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, had come out to defend Akpabio in a statement on Monday, saying: "The cost of the venue and other logistics were handled by the host governor (Amaechi of Rivers) and Governor Akpabio showed his commitment to party faithful by assisting them with transport allowance as well as assisting them with some welfare." Metuh contended that, "Politics all over the world is very expensive and any gesture towards accommodating the sacrifices of the ordinary PDP faithful is important."

Of course, the amount of resources sunk in some of the rather inconsequential ventures is staggering if not worrisome and had sparked public rage and condemnation. For instance, a body of the South-east and South-south Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN) tagged the monetary and car gifts to Tuface and his wife, reckless.

SESSPN Publicity Secretary, Oscar Onwudiwe, said though Akpabio made impressive effort by completing his predecessor's projects and initiated new ones, some of which are already completed, the people were shocked by the way the governor spends money in recent times. "We are flabbergasted by the governor's recent show of financial indiscretion and recklessness in donating two SUVs to the musician, Tuface Idibia, and his wife, Annie Macauley, during their recent traditional marriage in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom. We are equally embarrassed that the governor also pledged to sponsor a delegation of 29 people to Dubai during the wedding of the couple and to dualise the road to Annie's home during their child dedication."

The group, however, underscored the palpable poverty among the people of Ibeno, the bad road and unresolved youth unemployment as requiring more urgent attention than the gifts. Indeed, efforts by the Commissioner for Information, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Aniekan Umana, to dismiss some of the issues may not have sufficed. "Looking carefully at the surrounding events in perspective, Mrs. Annie Idibia, nee Macaulay is a daughter of Akwa Ibom State and the gift of a Prado SUV from her governor is only a gesture of love and goodwill. Her resolve to stand by her husband on his journey right from his days of youthful beginnings to stardom even in the face of challenges was commendable and a true attribute of the Akwa Ibom women.

"It is, however, unbecoming that mischief makers and enemies of progress have decided to inflame the social media with incongruous reports that the State Government is sponsoring an entourage of party supporters to the wedding in Dubai, when in fact the Government is only sponsoring the travel expenses of twenty of her family members at an estimated cost of roughly three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00) only.

"I wish to therefore urge members of the public to discountenance the misrepresentations made out of a well intentioned act of the governor," he said.

Good as the governor's intention might be in all of the cases, the question agitating the minds of the people is whether or not there are no better and people-oriented projects to invest the money in? Is it that he has finished developing the state? That an average Akwa Ibom indigene still seeks succour is niggling, much less that their Governor now goes on a spending spree, not bothered what they think.

Certainly, the general feeling is that while Akpabio might be trying to impress the president on the one hand, he is also trying to live up to his new status as chairman, PDPGF and at the same time, clearing the grounds for his party and President Jonathan in 2015.

Whatever the case, Akpabio must slow it down. With a high poverty level everywhere, such public perception of an otherwise performing governor does no good to his person, office and party. This is more so that many see his deportment as portraying corruption. Yet, he is believed to be brazen about such obscene display of tax payers' money because he is a friend of the president.

This, of course, is why Akpabio should watch and slow it down. The Nigerian history has recorded many people who were even closer with former presidents but ended up and or still serving jail term. The present cover he seems to enjoy cannot be permanent. There might come such a time when the Pharaoh in the saddle will not know his Joseph. That, pray not his lot, could mark a terrible point in his career. After all, the anti-graft agencies are watching.

http://m.naij.com/news/28346.html

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, has warned Lagosians to stop burying dead bodies of their loved ones at home as the action has serious climatic and health implication.

This is coming as the governor disclosed that the state will need N27 billion to fight ocean surge in the next three years. Fashola spoke on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the 5th Climate Change Summit held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

According to the governor, burying corpses at home was never a good option for Lagosians, explaining that it portends danger to people. He said with the drilling of boreholes for water, there are prospects of getting toxins from decomposing corpses mixing with the water.

The governor added that the Eko Atlantic City was one of the mitigation and adaptation strategy adopted by the administration to protect the real estate. He said that if the Eko Atlantic City had not been started, it would not have been possible for people to converge on the coastline today.

Disclosing that the state needed money to fight ocean surge, he explained: "In the implementation of last year's budget, government did not foresee that the uncompleted part of the Eko Atlantic would be overrun by the sea when the sea surged into the Kuramo late last year and took away the walls of most of the properties there down to Alpha beach.

In the last quarter of the year, we called all the departments together that everybody must contribute some capital votes so that we can start the urgent protection of all the properties, starting from Oniru right down to Alpha Beach. It is a project that will cost N27 billion over three years.

We are not getting any help from anywhere, but we have committed about N6 billion to it already and it gladdens my heart when I went there with my colleagues and saw that the shoreline that was already on the fence of those properties was already moving back."

As part of efforts to prevent avoidable disasters, Fashola said the government was recommending 0.55mm as roofing sheet size for private concern and 0.70mm for commercial and industrial concerns.

He reiterated that government wanted agencies like the Standard Organisation of Nigeria to ensure that substandard materials were not brought in to the country and the state. "We cannot afford to build with substandard materials. Our professionals should not be a part of lowering the standard.

We will act severely to punish anyone who participates in it. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development is already issuing notice of non compliance to professional associations and members who we find as accomplices in the sector," he said.

Fashola noted that this year's Climate Change Summit focused on housing, adding that this explained why the state is cleaning over 1,000 of drainage network round the city spread across 24 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas. He said since the stock of houses were not enough and more houses were needed, the emphasis should be about the people not allowing the houses to be taken over by floods and dumped in canals.

Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, said the previous summits had clearly shown that the state's commitment to the development and evolvement of a climate change-conscious is yielding positive results. He said the desire had propelled the administration to come up with a topical issue that is in tune with the policy thrust of the administration as the theme which is "vulnerability and Adaptability to Climate Change in Nigeria with particular focus on transportation, housing and infrastructural sectors of Lagos State."

Deputy British High Commissioner, Mr Peter Carter, said climate change is a global challenge which countries are better off facing together, adding that it posed a fundamental threat to man's long term prosperity and security. He said the United Kingdom is working to build the capacity of African nations to better coordinate and communicate messages of the threat that climate change poses.

He also explained that UK is also helping African nations to adapt to climate change and promote low carbon development/renewable so that they could avoid being locked in to high carbon as they industrialise.

http://m.naij.com/news/27399.html

Every state/city must have masterplan for its development. Lagos state has masterplan that had been known for years before Tinubu became Governor, but due to inefficiency of the past leaders of Lagos which made it for some officials of the ministry of planning to approve these lands to them, made it look sympathetic. Fashola is an action man! He does care who owns them as long as it falls within the reserved/planned area, he brings it down. A leader must be efficient.

This is my Governor! Well said, sir

Ketu market is populated by yorubas and was shut down, oke odo full of yoruba and few hausas and had been shut down and re-opened, mile12 was shut down where 50% are yoruba and 50% hausa, computer village had same treatment before re-opened and tejuosho likewise without any ethnic jingosm but now that it has moved to chest-beaters market, they tend tribalise the whole thing.

tomakint: Definitely, you know diddly squat about political happenings in Nigeria! Is it not the same PDP that kicked ACN to 3rd position in d last gubernatorial election in Ondo State? Iroko is definitely defecting to PDP on the long run and I know Ondo people will never join the 'slave trade of Tinubu' the more reason ACN lost in Ondo State

I don't know why you reason at all. ACN had no presence in Ondo prior to the election,hence, the state had been ruled by PDP and LP before the emergence of ACN. ACN was a new party to Ondo people, even with that, they were able to vote for ACN just a little behind PDP that has been known to them for many years. ACN: 13000+ while PDP: 14000+

ikwere militant: You tok of ibos movng to d west.dats colonial oppurtunity nd nt d hand wok of you yarabas.oky, hw do u explan d influx of yorubas in ph or owerrind aba oky they came for pilgrimage abi.for the dude comparng ogun wit anambra sory.anambra has advance metal fabricationplant ogun hs nt.motor vehicle plant motor cycle plant,electronics factrory marbel. Breweries oil nd gas plastic nd polytene plants drug factopries by orange drugs.vehicle nd motor cycle parts plants,tyre production,distilleries,pait rug industry,packagng.noddles factory,name it all present in anambra state.d odar fellow comp3ng aba wit a hamlrt lyk iksa they boost of a power plant d largest garment industry in nija paint industry alluminium marbel breweries shoe industry metal fabrication,electrical cabals plant ruber pants polythrnr rubber plantation,aluminium kitchen utencils nd buldng materials etc all in aba alone.so stop d jelusy you only produce biscuts nd sweets in ogun state

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Thrash as usual! Illiteracy is a disease, instead of typing garbages, why not list names of big companies. Combine all dis you mentioned up is not upto ONLY GSK OR UNILEVER. Gosh!

ikwere militant: @ egghead truth is alwas bitter I no ure contemplatng a free dive into d lagoon wer in d entire sw can u compare wit d east.ogun state apart frm abeokuta nd ijebu ode we're agan is developd.sango ota is lagos enchrocment igogila is ahamlet abi na ijere wey d skool dy.abeokuta cannt be compard wit any capital in d east.oky ibadab big for ntng wit old dirth buldngs is no match for enugu is it akure or oshogbo dat re fild wit red mud acient buldngs.wen u cm to anambra we hav awka as d capital onitsha as d second city wic is better dan all. D capitals in d sw put togedr.u tok of nnewi oketiti a village we're d cheapest house u see dia worth nt less dan 3milon we're in d sw do we hav such luxery.anambra is d most ibdustralize state in nija afta lagos nd offcouse don't cliam lagos becos its d contribution of every tribe in nija so wen u cm to imo ask ur brodas wey serve finsh for owere stay bk. So dnt cliam ure hav been to d se wen u hav nt crosd benin

Ibadan vs Enugu: what makes a city/state developed? Let's do it:
Education: Ibadan has the highest number of public schools than Enugu.
Industries: Ibadan has higher industries than Enugu.
Hospitality: Ibadan still carries it.
Infrastructure: both have good roads and bad roads, both have ancient houses, both have federal government presence. If am wrong, let me know

ikwere militant: I am far more educatd than any member of your family.can u compare the industries in aba wit wat u hav in ilesa.or can u compare d industry in nnewi wit any part of ur amala land.you re bragng of seaport in lagos ws lagos developd by d west my frnd leave lagos out of this after all yorubsa never cpntributd up to 10percent of the development of lag.mr prof soyinka ondo state is landlockd ekiti has noting ibadan big for notng nd if u cliam u cm to d east by air nd land at asaba dat means u telepotd to onitsha abi olodo oshi

I dare challenge you. Name five biggest industries in south east and I Will name ten bigger ones in ogun. After Lagos, ogun becomes the next industrialised state in Nigeria. Whether you like it or not, the only region that has land and sea borders in Nigeria is southwest. So, stop this hatred!

onatisi: this is pure official nonsense from mr official

Leave the people of the west to decide not an eastern like you. Thank you!

peleson: But PDP Governors have done better than ACN, ANpp, App,AC ,APGA in th 3rd n 4th republic.what are u people talking about?
Donald duke was better than tinubu n his likes in Ac n Can, likewise Akpabio n mimiko who have performed better than fashola n his likes.
The only good road CAN built in lagos state, they r collecting multiple toll fee on same road n same LGA.
If FG collects toll fee on 3rd mainland bridge u will cry foul.
More 60 percent work done in lagos state is done by FG (ferma n co) but CAN will rob off n shine like they are the ones working because nigerians r not informed! Amaechi of rivers has done better than CAN fashola big time! Check the money lagos state make n ask why they still borrow money. From banks making them the highest state with highest depth. Where is lagos money going?

Sentiments and hatred have blinded your reasoning that you don't want to learn. Comparing Fashola with Akpabio is like comparing a suspension bridge with ordinary road. Besides, let's know the current leader(s) that have performed than Fashola and oshiomole in Nigeria with facts and let's learn from eachother or disgrace one another.

A United States-based communication firm, Fleishman-Hillard Inc, has admitted that it arranged a Cable News Network (CNN) interview for President Goodluck Jonathan for a fee, claiming, however, that it only received $40,000 and not the $60,000 as initially agreed the Premium Times, reports.

According to the online outfit, the US firm made this revelation in an email reply to its enquiries, adding that parts of planned "communication services", including media interviews for the president in 2010, were later suspended, with equivalent $20,000 reduction in its fees.

According to the Premium Times, the development implies that for arranging one interview, the firm was paid $40,000. The online medium also claimed that the US firm did not state which media interview went through, but said the service was in support of Jonathan 's trip to New York for the 2010 United Nations General Assembly.

"Due to urgent ad-hoc meetings held for the African nations at the 2010 UN General Assembly, the original services proposed were not able to be fully executed," a Nigerian firm, Quadrant Company, representing Fleishman-Hillard, said in an e-mailed response to Premium Times.

The company said "planned media interviews and other services" for the president were cancelled with only one appointment rescheduled for a later date. As a result, Fleishman-Hillard fees were more than $20,000 less than those originally proposed," the statement added.

But Premium Times reports that the US firm's claim is inaccurate on the grounds of the documents in its possession. In one of the documents, Fleishman-Hillard informed its contact in the Nigerian presidency that although it was unable to get an interview for Jonathan in the United States, it succeeded in getting the CNN to interview the president in Nigeria.

The reaction followed an earlier report by the online medium on how the president paid thousands of dollars to agents for arranging interviews with foreign media outlet, a choice seen as wasteful and unnecessary.

Documents available to online outfit indicate that Fleishman-Hillard Inc anchored the deal with the Nigerian presidency through Enyi Odigbo, chairman of Lagos-based advertising and public relations company, Caesar's Group.

In the bill, seen by Premium Times, the company requested $59, 200 from the Nigerian government for arranging an interview for President Jonathan with the CNN Nigerian affiliate in late 2010.

The interview, anchored by Isha Sesay, held in Aso Rock in Abuja on September 30, 2010, in preparation for the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Nigeria's Independence.

Fleishman-Hillard was also to contact other foreign media outlets such as Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Reuters, as Mr. Jonathan planned at the time to announce his intention to run for president in 2011. The firm only delivered on the CNN interview.

A response, signed by Bolaji Okusaga, the managing director of Lagos-based The Quadrant Company, who is representing Fleishman-Hillard in Nigeria, said a part the contract awarded to the company was suspended "at the last minute" due to the exigency of time.

The company denied carrying out lobbying activities for the presidency, and said what it offered to the presidency was a "one-time assignment".

"Fleishman-Hillard has not provided any service to the Office of the President since that time," the firm said.

Since taking office early 2010, some of the president's key decisions have been made public on foreign outlets, mainly the CNN.

Jonathan had delivered his first public comments on late President Umaru Yar'Adua's health in an interview with CNN's Christiana Amanpour in 2010, where he spoke of how the ailing president's family blocked him from seeing him.

http://m.naij.com/news/24045.html

My Layman's View

By Adisa Adeleye

During the Olusegun Obasanjo years before his re-election in 2003, there were cries of marginalization from Arewa and Igbo quarters and attempts were made to impeach President Obasanjo.

The main reason, though superficial, was essential. President Obasanjo won the 1999 elections without the support of his Yoruba race. Those who supported him then would want to be repaid in terms of developments in their areas.

Of recent, some Yoruba leaders under a Forum joined the chorus of, we too are being marginalized. But for their illustrious names, one would have questioned their motive and conclude that they represent only their selfish interests.

In my book, “The Agenda”, published in 2002, I noted that, “The children of Oduduwa, known and recognized as Yoruba race are according to Mrs. Anna Hinderer (the wife of a white missionary in Ibadan in the 1850s) inhabit the Yoruba country with a population estimated at about three million, speaking one language, but comprising many separate tribes, occupies a region stretching inwards from the Bight of Benin to within forty miles of the Niger, and bordered on the West by the Kingdom of Dahomey”.

Gbonigi, Olajumoke & Falae: Fighting the Yoruba cause

An accurate description of the Yoruba race today will include the Yoruba people of Kwara and Kogi States with a total population of about 20 million. Simply put, the Yoruba predominate in Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Lagos, part of Kwara and part of Kogi States in the present political set-up.

The Yoruba belong to one of the most sophisticated communities in West Africa with a fine tradition and recognized fine custom. Early contacts with Europeans afforded that race the opportunities of copious Western education that it could boast of an impressive list of professionals like doctors, lawyers, historians, surveyors and priests at the beginning of the 20th century when many parts of this country were in total darkness, educationally.

The modern Yoruba still love their education which had been further influenced by Chief Awolowo‘s ‘Free Primary Education Policy‘ in the Old Western Region in the 1950s, they still cherish their custom and traditional activities which are sometimes wasteful.

Their mode of dressing is picturesque except that embroidered Agbada (aso-oke) is now consigned to traditional festivities. In the new millennium, the “lace culture” has returned with a bang, while the Senegalese long dress is fast replacing the smarter Kaftans of the earlier period. The female hair style of the Yoruba is unique and is still popular in the country.

The Yoruba, because of early Western education and the notion of easy life (manifesting itself in dancing, conspicuous consumption of imported products and lavish parties), held other non-Yoruba tribes in absolute contempt during the pre-independence era. That pride, borne out of palpable ignorance had perhaps been responsible for the poor performance of the race in the national political dispensation since Independence in 1960.

The Yoruba, in their unguarded moment of pride, often forget that Western education, as admirable as it is, may not be the only superior culture in the world.

An Arabic scholar is as much exposed to the various cultures of the world like his Western trained mind.

It is an admirable fact that the Lagos Yoruba were more politically conscious than their counterparts from other parts of the country before 1960. Politics in Lagos had always been dominated by principle rather than ethnicity or primordial feelings. In the heydays of NYM (Nigerian Youth Movement), late Ernest Ikoli, an Ijaw candidate defeated Akinsanya (late Odemo of Ishara), an Ijebu Yoruba for a legislative council seat for Lagos in the Legislative Council of the 1940s.

Paradoxically, late Dr. Azikiwe an Ibo supported Akinsanya (a Yoruba) while late H. O. Davies (a Yoruba) supported Ikoli (an Ijaw). Dr. Azikiwe once represented Lagos in the old Legislative Council and Western House of Assembly, while the late Mazi Mbonu Ojike (an Ibo) was once a Deputy Mayor of Lagos in the1950s. Even in the 1950s and early 1960s when the NCNC was regarded as an ‘Ibo‘ organization, the party won elections in the core Yoruba urban centres of Lagos, Ibadan, Oyo, Abeokuta, Iseyin, Oshogbo, Akure, Ado-Ekiti and Ondo.

Political sophistry In spite of the fine record of sound education and assumed political sophistry, what could have been responsible for the dismal political performance in the past decades? Could the answer be attributed to poor leadership based on pride and comical misunderstanding of the political chemistry of the time? Yes and no. The First Republic saw the disintegration of the Action Group and the imprisonment of its leader, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The proud children of Oduduwa were in total disarray, completely routed and became politically comatose in the early1960, principally because of envy, mistrust and misunderstanding of other political gladiators and tribes.

The Yoruba leaders of the second republic (1979-1983,) like the French Bourbons, appeared to have ‘learnt nothing and forgot nothing‘ about the collapse of the earlier experiment.

The scattered children of Oduduwa in different political parties saw themselves as mortal enemies in the political area which had been reduced to a jungle war.

Their participation in the federal government was minimal and they cared less”. However, the political rivalry between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe had tilted in favour of Chief Awolowo‘s party (UPN) which was ahead of Dr. Azikiwe‘s party (APP) in the 1979 and 1983 Federal elections.

The period between 1984 and 1998 (being military era) was a cooling period for active political activities except for the rise and fall of late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO) who was supported by majority of Yoruba people for the position of president under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Sadly, the victory of Abiola was crudely annulled by the Military President at the time, General Babangida. The return of democracy in 1999 saw the election of a Yoruba, General Olusegun Obasanjo with the full support of other tribes except the Yoruba. At present, majority of the Yoruba find themselves in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Party under the leadership of Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu.

That party itself is in a merger arrangement with other parties to form, All Progressive Congress (APC). Whether this represents the interest of the Yoruba is a moot question.That the Yoruba race is an object of admiration by many and envy by others is natural. Certainly, there is no question of marginalization of a race that has produced the President of a country without begging for it.

The Yoruba, like some others, remain good hosts even if others appear to be bad guests.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/state-of-the-nation-yoruba-and-their-political-agenda/

eggheaders: following who around a scoundrel like you I laugh in Arabic.a low life like you that lie you are Yoruba because you attend oau. you so insecure you denial your ndigbo heritage.I can really understand you plight you so scared of your life post gej administration. no more crumbs from him.nitwit go get a job the obvious is that your boss is going .live with that reality. were agba.

Please leave that sell-out alone, he has sold his future and that of his children and unborn ones.

Former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, on Wednesday in Ibadan said the conspiracy against the Peoples Democratic Party would fail.

Alao-Akala, while reacting to speculation that he would dump the Peoples Democratic Party, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan that the All Progressives Congress comprised "strange bedfellows".

He denied the defection rumour and expressed his determination to remain in the PDP in spite of the challenges.

He said, "I can never leave PDP. I am in PDP and I will be in PDP. I heard that some people were speculating that I am going to another party. How can I leave a big mansion and go to boys' quarters? Any other party in Nigeria is a boy's quarters."

He said the PDP remained a big party with diverse interests, adding that the "gang-up" against the PDP by opposition parties in the form of a merger would fail.

The former governor added, "Because the party is big, some people are even ganging up to fight it and with that too, they cannot get it right because they are not birds of a feather. Circumstances brought them together yet they will still fight.

"If those of us who have common interests are fighting, why won't those who do not have a common interest fight? So, let us see what will come out of that. They are ganging up because they know that we are Iroko."

He described those who defected from the PDP to other parties as "political jobbers,'' saying they would not add value to their new parties.

He added, "If you ask the parties they went to about their impact, they will tell you they have not felt their presence.

"The parties they went to will also be careful in dealing with them because they will repeat what they did where they are coming from. They won't allow them to have access to their secrets and strategies."

Alao-Akala urged PDP members in the state to be steadfast and to refrain from engaging in speculation.

http://m.naij.com/news/23888.html

eggheaders: keep living in the pimpers paradise. you will definitely wake up after your boss is sent back to otueke.pdp falling,apc working.all pdp goons in here are panicking.

I can't just believe people still believe this fisherman's son called jonadunce.

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa said on Thursday that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would present a credible candidate for presidential election in 2015.

Mr. Lamido gave the assurance in Dutse when he received members of Arewa Youths Forum who paid him a courtesy visit.

"From my political history, I don't present myself for any position, I believe in my party and it will present a candidate that will be acceptable by all," he said.

"PDP has modalities of doing things, we should wait and see the person that will be chosen to be the flag bearer of the party in 2015.

"PDP is built on justice and fairness and my party has sagacity to break religious[img][/img] dichotomy and it is a party that was formed to unite the country, " he added.

The governor advised the forum not to allow politicians to use it to achieve their political machinations.

Mr. Lamido has been rumoured as a possible presidential candidate of the PDP for the 2015 election.

Earlier, the President of the Forum, Ibrahim Gujungu, said its members visited Dutse as part of its working tour of Northern Nigerian states.

Mr. Gujungu commended Mr. Lamido for his development projects and urged him "to wade in and save the north from total collapse."

http://m.naij.com/news/23997.html

Members of the House of Representatives have moved to ban the use of foreign currencies in local and domestic transactions in Nigeria.

This was sequel to a motion brought to the floor of the House by Hon Nadu Karibe, representing Bayelsa state.

According to Karibe "every country has its currency which serves as a means of exchange, a symbol of identity, a source of pride and a sign of independence and economic stability without equivocation, the Naira and the only means of exchange for local and domestic transactions in Nigeria.

"There is a growing trend in the use of foreign currencies especially the US Dollar for payments of school fees, hotel bills, real estate, rent and purchase in bars, night clubs, luxury good shops, in Nigeria… this trend has led to the high demand of these foreign currencies especially the US Dollars in Nigeria."

When the Speaker put the motion to a voice vote it was unanimously adopted.

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A section of Peoples Democratic Party's state chairmen have vowed to boycott a Thursday late night meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The irate state chairmen made the vow after they were walked out of a prep meeting with the party's chairman, Bamaga Tukur, Thursday evening.

A source close to the itinerary of the chairmen told PREMIUM TIMES the men were shocked when the party's National chairman, Mr. Tukur, announced he would only meet with party leaders from states controlled by opposition at the Legacy House Maitama, Abuja, venue of the prep meeting.

"It was so shocking he just asked all those from PDP controlled states to excuse them and as I speak to you now, he is meeting with only thirteen chairmen who are from states that have no PDP governors," our source said shortly after the irate chairmen were made to leave the meeting hall.

The meeting with the 13 state chairmen from states not controlled by the PDP was still on as at 9.00 p.m Thursday.

Following the walk out, the state chairmen vowed not to attend the later meeting President Jonathan in presidential villa.

"The president can as well also meet with the thirteen chairmen," one of the chairmen was quoted as saying.

Our source added that Mr. Tukur also cancelled a scheduled meeting with PDP governors.

Mr. Tukur has been having a running battle with PDP governors and some members of the National Working Committee of the party, particularly the embattled National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who has been temporarily replaced by his deputy following a court order.

Powerful NEC

The series of meetings were called preparatory to the meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, which is expected to be stormy following the ongoing power play among party leaders.

Pundits predict the NEC may lead to the ouster of Mr. Tukur, a reason the president is trying to pacify internal opposition prior to the meeting.

It was reported that the president also plans to meet with the G 84, a collection of voting members of NEC on Thursday night after meeting with the state chairmen of the party.

The PDP NEC is the second highest decision making organ of the party after the National Convention. Though the party's constitution says the meeting should be held quarterly, the last time it was held was in July, 2012.

Some of the curial issues the NEC is expected to discuss include the Adamawa crisis, constitution of a disciplinary committee, and approval of the amended constitution of the party.

The NEC may also decide the fate of Mr. Tukur as party chairman.

Embattled Tukur

Last week, the PDP chairman suffered a similar boycott. His decision to introduce the executive committee of his favourite PDP faction in Adamawa state to the Director General of the State Security Service, SSS, Ita Ekpenyong, angered members of the National Working Committee, NWC of the party leading to a boycott.

"He called the meeting only after writing the letter to the DG of the SSS and wanted the NWC to ratify the decision, but members stayed away and only three persons came, so the meeting could not hold," our source said.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the party, Olisa Metuh, for clarifications were unsuccessful. He neither picked nor returned our calls. He also did not respond to our text message.

The meetings to be presided by Mr. Jonathan will hold late into the night at the presidential villa until the early hours of the morning. It is not impossible that the chairmen will be persuaded to rescind their decision.

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The first signs that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party feels threatened by the merger of the major opposition parties have started to emerge with Vice President Namadi Sambo making clandestine moves to scuttle it.

The vice president on Monday approached former Borno State governor Ali Modu Sheriff to map out plans on how to get state party chairmen of the ANPP to denounce the merger of the four opposition parties and pull out of it.

While the vice president and Sheriff met in Abuja,this was not the first meeting they held in their efforts to kill the All Progressive Congress, the joint platform adopted by the opposition parties. We were unable to confirm if Sheriff had accepted the offer. But the office of the vice president has denied that any such meeting took place. A media aide to Sambo, Umar Sani "I read it on twitter and I laughed. I showed it to the vice president and he laughed. How can he stop a merger? The merger is moving on. All we can do is get more supporters."

Sani however made no categorical statement suggesting that the vice president and Sheriff did not meet. He said, "I did not ask on other issues. All I asked the vice president was whether he met with Sheriff to scuttle the merger and he said no." Nonetheless, the governors of the merging parties, who established zonal contact and mobilisation committees yesterday, also unfolded the new party's priority areas that have as base the aim to rescue Nigeria from decay.

The governors declared the new grouping as "Social Democrats". Also, the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, debunked speculations over his seeming lukewarm attitude towards the merger plans. He declared, at the end of over five hours' meeting at the Lagos State Governor's Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, that he was all for it, since it is appropriate at this point to have a credible alternative platform for Nigerians. This was even as Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State insisted that his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is in the merger despite some minor internal problems. However, a clandestine plot was allegedly championed by Vice President Sambo not only to undermine the successful launch of the APC, but also to discourage any cohesive merger of the political parties.

Sources disclosed last night that Sambo had allegedly been holding secret consultations that could culminate in dissuading top members of the ANPP, including the state chairmen, from being part of the merger arrangement. "The idea is to encourage the members of the party to protest and issue statements disowning a section of the leadership of the party, who are at the forefront of the alignment.

An aide of the former governor of Kano State, Sule Yau Sule, confirmed the plot to LEADERSHIP, though he distanced his boss from it. He said: "Yes, we are aware of the plot to scuttle the merger, but it will not succeed because Nigerians including even a large segment of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are in support of the realignment. We know that the government will deploy the apparatus of government to scuttle the merger. They will not succeed; Nigerians are already dissatisfied with the way PDP is governing. So they will not succeed by the grace of God." Speaking through Governor Al-Makura, the governors declared that the committee would mobilise support for the party across political, social, religious, ethnic and professional interest groups in the country.
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