₦airaland Forum

The electoral victory of Dr Goodluck Jonathan in the April 16 presidential election will go down in history as one the wonderful aspects of our nascent democracy. Nigerians set aside their differences to vote for continuity, prosperity and stability.
In spite of the contrived political disaffections created to scuttle his nomination by his political platform, the Peoples Democratic Party, through its zoning policy, the North-South dichotomy, the “accidental presidency” thrust on him following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua and the ethnic minority syndrome, Dr Jonathan, by the help of God and support of

One thing about the April general elections was that the electorate voted more for personalities/candidates than political platforms, particularly in the presidential election. It was also the reason some political parties decided to adopt outstanding presidential candidates who could win the election and deliver democracy dividends to the populace. It was indeed a wise decision as it helped to reduce the number of candidates as the nation has 63 registered political parties each of which could have fielded a candidate. This in itself is the hallmark of democracy which encourages freedom of association instead of decreeing the number of political parties that people could belong to, willy-nilly.

It was in that spirit that the Alliance for Democracy being the foremost progressive party in Nigeria, an offshoot of Action Group and the Unity Party of Nigeria founded by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, decided at its national convention held in Abuja to adopt Dr Jonathan as its presidential candidate in the presidential election. On 25th February 2011, the party held its National Executive Committee meeting at Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Abuja and officially launched its grassroots campaign for the Jonathan-Sambo ticket.

The victorious ticket was a fulfilment of the prediction by Chief Awolowo that an Ijaw man would one day be the President of Nigeria. The great Awo made the prediction in 1983 while canvassing for votes in Bonny, Rivers State when it was politically impossible to elect a man from a minority tribe as president of Nigeria. As a man of exceptional wisdom, Awo saw the future clearly.

AD, therefore decided to play a major role in actualization of this vision. On Tuesday 12th April 2011, the party held a rally in Abuja for the Yoruba in the North and sensitized them on the need to vote for the Jonathan-Sambo ticket. The speech delivered by the AD National Chairman, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa was published in full in Tribune newspaper of Wednesday, 13th April, 2011. Senator Akinfenwa gave three reasons why the Yoruba people across the nation, indeed all Nigerians should vote for Jonathan-Sambo presidency.

First, the late Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo had worked strenuously for, and predicted the imminent emergence of an ethnic minority president. At one of his final campaign rallies in 1983, in Bonny, Rivers State, Awolowo, in manifestation of his life-long passionate commitment to the cause of Nigeria’s ethnic minorities, predicted that “an Ijaw man will be president of Nigeria” before long. Jonathan’s presidency can thus be seen as a fulfilment of Awolowo’s prediction, and should be supported by all Yoruba and well-meaning patriotic Nigerians.

Jonathan is the only president so far to acknowledge Awolowo’s contributions to the polity by naming after him, the stadium which he (Awolowo) built, but which a former Head of State autocratically federalized. His (Awolowo’s) peers, resplendent Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduana of Sokoto, and the Owelle of Onitsha, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe were worthily rewarded long ago to the joy and admiration of Nigerians.

It was no surprise therefore that AD National Chairman Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa would urge the Yoruba race to vote Jonathan during the election.

For years successive governments have promised Nigerians regular power supply and failed. This is the time to fulfil the promise and achieve 24-hour power supply as obtainable in some African countries including Ghana. Corruption is a cancer that has eaten into the fabric of the nation, this monster must be crushed with federal might using all the security agencies, the EFCC, ICPC, Police, SSS, etc. The need to create wealth and provide employment to our idle youths cannot be over-emphasized. Youth unemployment is the remote cause of the spate of armed robberies, kidnappings, prostitution and violence in the country. Nigerian roads have become a death trap despite billions of naira spent to rehabilitate them over the years. The in-coming Government should tackle this effectively and make our roads safe again.

Education is the foundation of all civilization and development. The Federal Government should make the free and compulsory education programme for our teeming youths a reality. For decades, health-care delivery in government hospitals has been in shambles. Hospitals have remained mere consulting clinics despite billions of naira Federal and States Governments allocated to health-care. It is time to heal and reconcile Nigerians after the keenly contested general elections.

To effectively tackle these and other national issues, the president-elect should assemble patriotic, honest and diligent Nigerians within and outside the country to contribute in building the new Nigeria. Jonathan received a pan-Nigerian mandate and should consider renowned technocrats and qualified members of other political parties to serve in his government. National service is the highest act of patriotism. It should be an honour for anyone to serve his fatherland as obtainable in all democracies, and so it is absurd for anyone to reject such calls to serve.

Bisong wrote from Abuja.

http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20201:awo-predicted-a-jonathan-presidency&catid=7:opinion&Itemid=12

SouthChi:
The Nigerian Stock Exchange is a joke in regards to hiring this clown, that will never happen in America.

And yes it amazes me how far American credentials can get you in Nigeria, real or fake, and thats a shame. Its a shame that in a country that "hates" Americans you contradict yourselves by praising anything with an American stamp, even at the hands of your own criminals, smh

bros america is a way better country than nigeria which is a fact

nigerian stock exchange yes it is a joke

thirdly, u boast of america credentials like it a cerficate to pradise, yes people study abroad just like american study in nigeria, it is not big deal


bros a-me-ri-ca-an relax before u injure urself

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s Resident Representative and Director, Regional Office in Nigeria, Dr. Patrick Kormawa, has said that Nigeria will no longer be an emerging economy by the year 2030.


Kormawa said this during the quarterly business luncheon of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, titled, “Industrialisation in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities,” held in Lagos on Thursday.


He said, “At UNIDO, we are confident that Nigeria will emerge an African industrialisation success story in the next decade or two.


“Jim O’Neill, Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management and a member of the board of the Bruegel think tank also thinks along these lines. In his recent publication in Project Syndicate/Europe’s World 2011, he projects that beyond the BRICs, among the likely top 10 contributors to global Gross Domestic Product growth this decade are South Korea, Mexico, and Turkey.”


He further noted that, from the developed world, only the United States was guaranteed a place on this list and the top 20 could include Iran, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Vietnam.


He also said that the same report forecast that, within the next 20 years, Nigeria, home to around 20 per cent of Africa’s population, could account for one per cent of global GDP.


“This projection is underpinned by the fact that Nigeria’s economy has almost doubled in size over the last 13 years. It is presently growing at 7.4 per cent and inflation below 10 per cent,” it added.


Meanwhile, the President, LCCI, Otunba Femi Deru, has said that the cost of doing business in Nigeria is still very high.


“The cost of funds is currently in the range of 20 and 25 per cent and this is too high to sustain manufacturing enterprise,” he said.


Deru added that the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy was contributing less than five per cent to the country’s GDP, adding that “the reality is that the economy has transformed into a trading and consuming economy, not one that produces.”


He, therefore, called on the government and individuals to tighten the industrial sector to help alleviate poverty and create wealth.
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201106032182218

unbelievable

where did all the money go

The Presidential Projects Assessment Committee has said that the Federal Government has spent N7.78tn on 11,886 ongoing and abandoned projects nationwide.


Presenting its final report to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, the committee headed by Mr. Ibrahim Bunu, mentioned the Ajaokuta Steel complex which has been ongoing for 30 years as an instance of one of such abandoned projects.


It said, “There are many uncompleted projects where trillions of Naira has already been spent, and abandoned, prominent example of which is the 30- year- old multi-billion dollar Ajaokuta Steel company Project.”


According to the committee, “as at now, $4.5bn (about N675bn as at Thursday) which have been spent (on the steel complex) lie wasted.”


The committee therefore urged Jonathan to address the issue of the Ajaokuta Steel Project in line with his transformation agenda.


It stated in a summary of the report made available to journalists in Abuja that out of the N7.78tn spent on the projects, N2.696tn had been paid to contractors.


The PPAC was set up by President Goodluck Jonathan on March 4, 2010, and charged with the responsibility of assessing all ongoing Federal Government projects in the country.


The report noted that the actual number of ongoing projects could be 20 per cent higher than the reported 11,886.


It added that the total sum involved in their execution also surpassed the N7.78tn contained in the report of the committee headed by Mr. Ibrahim Bunu.


But the report did not give the exact number but it stated that the actual amount could be in the neighbourhood of N8tn.


According to the report, “the figures (11,886 ongoing projects being executed in the sum of N7.78tn) represent the total responses received from the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), some of whom for reasons best known to them, failed to respond to the committee’s request for data on ongoing projects.”


The committee noted that “corruption in the handling of projects by many self-seeking officers and contractors has led to massive inflation of costs and undermined the legitimacy of their monitoring and supervision responsibilities.”


Besides corruption, the committee identified “widespread institutional mediocrity”, inadequate budgetary allocation and high cost of financing among the ills plaguing the execution of capital projects in the country.


Part of the report reads, “Following the committee’s indepth assessment of many of the projects, we take no joy in confirming that there is indeed evidence of large scale, widespread institutional mediocrity, deficiency of vision and a lack of direction in project management, which result in poor conceptualisation, poor design and faulty execution.


“Needless to add that, this has resulted in avoidable losses of billions of Naira to the Federal Government.”


Highlighting the problem of inadequate budgetary allocation, the report noted that, “as a matter of routine, contracts are awarded without securing the required funds in the annual budget to ensure their timely execution.”


The report said, “Now, with N8tn commitment, and on the basis of the prevailing allocation of about N1tn for capital projects annually, it will take the next eight years or so for the Federal Government to complete existing ongoing projects, provided there will be no inflation within the period.”


In addition to corruption, the other factors, according to the report, include “consistent delays in payment to contractors leading to massive claims for overhead costs, interests and additional costs and poor coordination between government officials at all levels in the planning and execution of projects.”


Others are “ poor planning and conceptualisation of projects resulting in costly variations and inefficiency in the implementation and management of projects, and lack of adequate and efficient municipal services such as the provision of electricity, transport, security and water supply, all of which contractors have to arrange privately.”


The committee also reported that almost all ongoing projects were not subjected to and taken through the normal project cycle of conceptualisation, planning, the undertaking of full economic, social and environmental impact analyses, design and procurement, contract execution and on to maintenance.


Also, the report said that in most instances, the Bureau for Public Procurement Act was undermined and subverted at the Ministries, Departments and Agencies as evident in numerous cases where, after bids were received, it took between six months to two years or even five years, before a project was finally awarded.


The PAC added that on several occasions, ‘No Objection Certificates’ issued by the BPP were revoked without any justification.


It said, “There were also cases of disqualification of duly pre-qualified contractors in questionable circumstances, including the mutilation and substitution of bid documents, thereby rendering such bids non-responsive.


“On the other hand, in many other situations, contractors were allowed to draft contract agreements, which, not unexpectedly, they did in their favour against the interest of government.”


Suggesting remedies for the unsavory situation, the PPAC recommended, among others, “the need to streamline and downsize the ongoing projects to a manageable proportion through a well thought out realisation process.”


The committee also urged the government to prioritise and classify the ongoing projects into three.


The three, it said, should be, “Those to be completed immediately due to economic impact or nearing level of completion; non-commercially viable but socio-economically relevant projects that should be completed using low interest funds from appropriate international financial institutions; and those that are not commercially-viable, which “should be left to find their own level within the transformation agenda.”


As a way out of the problems, the PPAC recommended effective planning and coordination between government, contractors and consultants, crackdown on corruption, and enforcement of compliance with standards and specifications.


A statement from the Director of Information in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Musa Aduwak, said Jonathan expressed the concern after the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee presented its report.


“The huge number of on-going projects all over the country is of concern, considering the financial implications,” he said.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201106036321170

SouthChi:
As a Black American, it amazes me how much fraud comes out and to Nigeria, It really is a shame

who cares even if u are obama

secondly, fraud is a universal thing so it should not amaze u in any form

it amazes me to think u can express ur amazment

Kobojunkie:
He can't survive what? I mean what exactly is the purpose Tinubu is to serve in this government? The man is not even an elected leader of any kind but the sitting president is giving him so much power and we are happy for this why?

This is what is wrong with our democracy, we have too many God fathers, and apparently, a president who feels, rather than approaching the people directly, making deals with Godfathers is the way to go.

+ 1000

^^^^^

good u got my message

kpogede77:
I don't understand how some people reason in this forum, if some body ask a question , I think it is the right answer that should be given to that person. I am close to these people, I have just told you the way it is, you said every body want to claim Yoruba. May be you want me to give you the wrong answer that Itsekiri has similarity wiTh Hausa. For your information, Itsekiris have nothing to benefit by claiming Yoruba rather it is Yoruba who have more to benefit by claiming Itsekiri. Most Yorubas are working in Chevron Ugborodo Escravos today because it is difficult to differentiate their names from Itsekiri names and a lot of them claim to be Itsekiri. If an Urhobo man send his CV to Escravos for a job and a Yoruba man send his CV, the Yoruba man's CV is likely to sail through than the Urhobo man. Name like Ejiro cannot claim to be an Itsekiri but Shola, Ayo, Areyinka, Olu, Tunde, Femi can claim to be Itsekiri even though the urhobo man is a next door neighbor to Itsekiri. It is only in this forum that people criticize Rochas Okorocha for forfeiting his salary to support free education.

gbammmmmm

don't mind this mumu's

violent:
Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door . . . .don't come here feeding us with junks!!

I am smart enough to know that when someone comes public on his first day in office to declare that he will be "forfeiting his basic salary"  to provide free education for all, more likely than not, the dude is a lying b'astard funny man!

Real achievers win the hearts of the people by the work they do, Fashola is one example! you don't have to seek cheap glory to be declared the "people's governor". . . .things become a lot more disgusting when one begin to take into account the megajumbo allowance he'd collect while serving as a governor, it makes the basic salary look ridiculous.

Rochas Okorocha will be measured by the size of his achievements, him forfeiting his salary is no achievement!

mikeansy:
Thank you Mr Governor, but Imo State economy will not be built on charity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gbammmm

thank u,

omanzo02:
He is one stuborn boy that run haywire sometime if he forget to take his medicine, But there one good cure for him tho, just call Beaf, he behaves well when he is around.

beaf smh

me and beaf have history, the BOY is not honest with u all

jmaine:

ALj harem  from Chad or Nigeria 

from Nigeria

Imo Imo Imo good one

make sure power is taken from people that want to make u all suffer

[quote author=aloy/emeka link=topic=676411.msg8437205#msg8437205 date=1306965508]So? [/quote]it is an achievement for her to then be in the lagos state government

kudos to her and itsekiri nation

Andre Uweh:
On another thread in this politics section, you were advocating for positions based on merit. Is there any reason it can not be applied in the case of Abuja.

yes it can be done

but this is the main reason

jason123:
I think it is a Nigerian territory but but if there is a split, it goes to the "North" (Core north and MB) and you all know it except you want to deceive yourselves.

Andre Uweh:
But it is not called Northern capital territory but fed. cap territory.
How about offering the post based on merit?.

yes it is called fedral capital territory but when it boils down, it is a northern territory

jmaine:
Who is this person   . . .

ALj harem, why do u care to know

Omooba77:
@alj_harem,
Thank you sir,we can only have those you listed in a peaceful atmosphere! Look at what is happening in Libyia and Yemen the beautiful cities are becoming rumbles. Irrespective of party affiliation,Nigeria belong to us all. Akande even said the meeting should hold regularly. It is well with Nigeria.

rightly said sir nigeria belong to all

and that is why he needs to put things in place so we know it belongs to all and not some families and elites

Andre Uweh:
@The O.P, good observation.
The position should be rotated between the six geo-political zones.
Plan B, MAKE THE POST AN ELECTIVE ONE.

my brother, that is silly talk

@op

YES it is a northern Terrritory, and don't waste ur time in telling beaf or GEj

Adejoro/Nchara/Ramon/Akin-egba/babalola/etc

funny man/woman

semid4lyfe:
Hehehehehe. . . .very funny

But seriously, this kinda news is not beyond saharareporters.

can u shut the f up

page 13

unbelievable

Omooba77:
Only CPC failed to show up,it shows they are not mindful of the rest of us Nigerians.

what !!!!!

that is the only party that loves nigerians then rest just love themselves

Omooba77:
Politics is not about making more enemies,but finding a common front to move Nigeria forward. We should stop all these politics with bitterness.

my friend, you make me laugh

politics is ABOUT MAKING ENEMISS, PROGRESS to the people u lead AND OPPOSITION

when 2 crimials (1 crimal of lagos and the other crimial of baylsea) meet to find a common ground, then u should know the country is in trouble

if jonathan is serious about the country then he should stop all this silly appintments and meeting and go to the main deal

1, constant electricity

2, create jobs for youths inculing the crimals Mend in his home state of balysea

3, destroy zoning and merit should be awarded

4, reduce the price of fuel and food in the market

5, bring regional government back to nigeria

6, petronize nigerian industries like innoson cars and others

7, dettrach himself or arrest from tinubu, obj, emir, ibb, shehu, ohaneze, mend, dora, peter obi, ciroma nd his wife, atiku, edwin clark, bankole, ojukwu and bainca etc

8, create a good secrity SYSTEM (not force but system)

9, a good border system

10, the 1.5 billion naira given to ojukwu should be taken back and used for something better like a seaport in portharcount

ojukwu is already old why should they give him such a large amount of money

Seun and co, it is good that we now hav a new mod who happens to be a respected Nairalander

but what are we going to do with people like Adejoro/Nchara/Ramon/Akin-Egba/etc

this same user is a waste of space and makes the political section terrible

also just to add, ChineyeN, Andre Uweh, Kastimoto, ekt_bear, haka-nai or namfav would have been a good choice as well or maybe next time

can u imagine

fresh air talking to a crimial tinubu

smh, this na really fresh air

[quote author=High_Chief link=topic=679657.msg8435847#msg8435847 date=1306953242]Shut up, chime is working. Resident doctors in Lagos were on strike at a time too. Chime is a performing governor[/quote]first of all u don't have to tell me to shut up

secondly, lagos doctors strike but did they not pay their salary

7 months salary have not been paid to this doctors

remember they have families as well who would need this money

is it fair on them, who told u chime is not a preforming gov

the question is, is he as good as fashola

yet some people here will be comparing fashola to chime

2015 i dey laff oooo

Pornodude:
Pls alj harem and ileke idi, keep all tribal comment to yourselves. Thank u.i think something like that happened.

what!!!!!!!!

have read my comments
[quote author=alj_harem link=topic=679959.msg8430601#msg8430601 date=1306894557]haba, 20 people die

i think we should be sad for the lost ones

imagine if 1 of them was your relative[/quote]