₦airaland Forum

Waiting for the body language risk modelling.

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philips70:
Una no go bring barcanista from where una keep am? Hope una never use am make money this one una eyes still dey red with no government money to share?

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Freemanan:
Hopefully Mate...

You got that right

Freemanan:
Continue my wayward son, there will be peace when you are done.

I know, hopefully after my 72 virgins are done performing their duties.

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philips70:
Portraits of a president, governor in a public place APC policy? APC of yesterday?
Fear God na.

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2goodbobo:
You must respect the law of the land. her behavior is nothing but "treason"! How would she have felt or reacted if

some had done such during her Hubby's tenure?

What law has that picture violated

Freemanan:
Your thinking beats me...

hopefully you are not a sai chanting almajiri

So the picture in a PRIVATE hotel should conform to APC policy? Una dey crazy

nobeku:
Do you still enjoy the taste of brake fluid when you are frustrated?Kindly increase dosage to end your mental misery..SCALLYWAG!!!!

"Happy little mo_ron, Lucky little man. I wish I was a mo_ron, MY GOD, Perhaps I am!"
Spike Milligan

CHESSBOARD:
Yoruba ppl are imbecilic slaves to Hausas, They will nerver ever fell marginalized, trust me

Oya make we shout one Nigeria. My mama say shame don kill dem die. Most of them are just shell shocked.

Make I remember my oga at top again with this photo

Story story, story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STORY

About what Abegi forget that nonsense

The much celebrated former Lagos governor, Babutunde Fashola, is facing a series of allegations. But is a political falling out behind the controversy?

Once hailed by the UK’s Telegraph as “The man who tamed Nigeria’s most lawless city”, Babatunde Fashola has now found himself in turbulent political waters.

Since stepping down as governor of Lagos in May, after a maximum two terms in office, the internationally-celebrated Fashola has been confronted with allegations of misuse of finances. The former governor has been accused of awarding hugely inflated contracts and of leaving an astronomical debt burden of over N400 billion ($2.1 billion) to his successor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

Fashola has denied allegations of corruption, describing the claims as “manipulated and unsubstantiated”. Meanwhile, some of his supporters have suggested the accusations are part of a political campaign by the former governor’s opponents to prevent him being awarded a top job in the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Once seen as a shining light amongst a new breed of younger Nigerian politicians and possible future president, could the 52-year-old Fashola now see his reputation undone?

The making

A lawyer by trade, Fashola’s first break in politics came in 2002 when Bola Tinubu, who was then governor of Lagos, appointed him his Chief of Staff. A few years later, Tinubu rewarded Fashola for his loyalty and hard work by handpicking him to be his successor. The lawyer-cum-politician won the 2007 elections, under the banner of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), comfortably.

Questions were asked about the process through which Fashola had been chosen for the role, but as political analyst Mark Amaza told African Arguments, the way in which the young governor was chosen by Tinubu was not unusual. “Godfatherism in Nigeria is very strong. There’s hardly any public office holder that’s without one,” he says.

As governor, Fashola carried out far reaching reforms in a city with an estimated population of 15-21 million and a GDP of some $50 billion – if Lagos were a country its GDP would make it Africa’s seventh biggest economy.

Lagosians witnessed improvements in vital sectors including education, infrastructure, public safety and security, whilst special attention was also paid to increasing tax revenue, which now accounts for 65% of the state’s income.

Fashola’s tenure was not without its critics and controversies. For example, mass clearances of slums under the ‘urban renewal programme’ left thousands of low-income Lagosians without homes as the city’s business and political elite benefitted from redevelopment contracts. But the consensus domestically and internationally was highly sympathetic to the governor of the bustling metropolis.

“Fashola preached transparency in government and was a role model in public administration,” says Simon Kolawole, former editor of This Day newspaper. Meanwhile, outside Nigeria, Fashola received plenty of praise, with the Economist magazine describing him in a 2011 editorial as “a rare good man” and the International Crisis Group naming him as one of seven outstanding personalities worldwide in 2015.

The eye of the storm

Many saw Fashola as a highly effective politician and when the 2015 elections came around, Buhari called on the Lagos governor to help his campaign. Fashola headed up the campaign’s finance committee and worked hard to deliver his share of the votes in Lagos.

In return, many have been expecting Fashola to be awarded a big portfolio in the new government, with the positions of Chief of Staff to the President and Secretary General to the Federation (SGF) being mentioned.

However, this possibility may be looking a little shaky now. Within weeks of leaving the governor’s office in May, allegations of financial and personal impropriety began to surface. Fashola was said to have spent N78.3 million ($390,000) on the upgrade of his official website, N139 million ($700,000) on the drilling of two boreholes at the government secretariat and to have awarded a N640 million ($3.2 million) contract to German engineering firm Julius Berger for the reconstruction of a car park and other associated works at the Lagos House Marina, his official residence. The story of an illegitimate child also made its way into national dailies.

Civil society organisation The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) have led calls for Fashola to be investigated, and the group has forwarded eight petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) detailing the allegations. CACOL’s executive director Debo Adeniran has said that the Lagos State government under Fashola saw “frivolous spending on white elephant projects, lack of due process in budget implementation as well as inflation of costs in contract awards”.

For his part, Fashola has penned an official rebuttal titled “When you wrestle with a pig, the pig gets happy and you get dirty” in which he called the claims “distorted allegations without evidence”.


Walking the political tightrope

While the veracity of the allegations remains to be seen, some observers trace Fashola’s current travails to his fractious relationship with his former godfather Tinubu.

There were signs of rift between these two Lagos big dogs as early as 2009, when Tinubu was thought to be unhappy with Fashola’s unwillingness to toe his line. There were even rumours that Fashola might be impeached.

This dispute seemed to simmer down, and Tinubu endorsed Fashola for a second term in 2011, saying “I am the pathfinder. He is the navigator. I am the one that identified the talent.” But bad blood resurfaced a few years later over the choice of Fashola’s successor as governor. Tinubu eventually emerged victorious, with his preferred candidate Ambode being chosen. Ambode went on to win the governorship, cementing Tinubu’s role as kingmaker.

Relations between the two former governors appear to still be raw, however, and earlier this week, former minister Femi Fani Kayode publicly asked Fashola to “make peace with his benefactor Bola Tinubu before it is too late.” Tinubu though denied a rift, saying yesterday: “Governor Fashola and I are and shall always be political allies and fellow travellers on a vital journey”.

Nevertheless, suspicion remains that the corruption allegations – whether true or not – are linked to a behind-the-scenes wrangle for power.

For his part, President Buhari is probably hoping that a reconciliation between these two influential allies of his will come soon. If the accusations turn out to be true, Fashola’s reputation will take a tumble. But if this is at heart political manoeuvring, Buhari will be keen for it to be resolved so he can bring Fashola into his team. The young(ish) former governor is a seen as a credit to the APC government, and as Amaza puts it, “Fashola is actually effective despite all his shortcomings and his popularity will bring the Buhari administration plenty of goodwill.”

Lagun Akinloye is a journalist and Nigerian political analyst.


http://africanarguments.org/2015/08/28/nigerias-poster-boy-for-good-governance-caught-up-in-corruption-allegations/

calebo101:
He admitted that the process took a period of six months, dating back to former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, adding “the process was rigorous as they looked at many issues including, land, investment, technical competence, design and a host of many others.”

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[b]So the "clueless" one has been working silently in the background without noise or fanfare?

Honestly Buhari should have a walk in the park governing Nigeria. He doesn't have to do much. Let him just relax and continue GEJ policies because all the sacrifices of Jonathan are already yielding fruits.

We should have been patient with Uncle Jo. He clearly knew what he was doing. From Auto policies to Agricultural growth to improvement in Power generation and modular refineries to spur growth locally. Almajiri Schools, new universities nationwide, FOI bill.

Is it the new airports or the attempts to open the East to the world? Enugu international airport and the commencement of the 2nd Niger bridge? He even impacted on the rail sector . All these in 5 years under war.

If only the demons that control the media don't toy with the uneducated Nigerians. Strangely enough they shout corruption but Transparency international thinks otherwise!!! Our corruption rating has drastically reduced from 1st position during Obasanjo's reign to 43rd under Jonathan!!!

Painful enough Jonathan isn't around to reap the fruits of his labour. All these things he accomplished even when the demons from the North kept terrorising. Something one old fool with otapiapia mouth couldn't achieve in 8 peaceful years!!

God bless you Jonathan. We the simple people who are not sophisticated neither born to rule acknowledge your efforts in building Nigeria. We acknowledge no other president has attempted to tackle Nigeria's multi-faceted issues the way you did.

We only pray your successor can build on your foundation... unless he is a dullard as they say.[/b]

NOTHING LEFT TO SAY FOR ANOTHER 4 YEARS.

Stop all these window dressing about sales of crude oil. You have tankers filled with oil without any purchase orders Nigeria oil is floating over the seas looking for spot buyers, yet you are telling lies here about reducing buyers, you don't have.

There are no sincere southerners,only northerners are corrupt free and good public administrators. So buhari can appoint all his supporting cast from the North. This was the mindset in Nigeria once upon a time. To our sai chanters and lying almajiris, oya, come and chant.

Amaechi, you see yourself now, common sense you no get. Never fight your own people in life, because of Nigerian politics. You will always come out a loser. James Ibori foolishness should be a lesson to all politicians from the Niger delta. I don't see how Amaechi will not end up in Prison outside Nigeria.

Truckpusher:
I've always maintained that our collective interest must be protected before this particular Hausa/Fulani tyrannical governance with their south west lapdog.
We will kill , destroy ,maim and r@pe anyone including our own that wants to stand on our way to keep Wike on that seat.
Rivers state is PDP's birthright at all cost and we'll use any means necessary to achieve these things.
Mark my words.

This is why I like reading your comment.

If I may ask where is Baba Akande and John Oyegun? MIA from the news cycle

cjrane:
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DUDE,
STOP PRETENDING !!!
DELUSION IS A PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEM.[/size]

the pandemonium of she/males on NL.

Mogidi:
So francizy was right when he named you (Altwireless - Alhaji Waya Sani,
The only Hausa wey I sabi na ba turenchi

Am seriously considering changing my name to Mohamedgidi to reflect the new realities.

Barrack life carried me across Nigeria, welcome back to the Nigeria of the 1980s.

Mogidi:

My own is even good, I am fluent in Kanuri and Hausa. I will fit in just fine. Just need to update my fashion.

1toRtoiSe1:
this is what we all should position for instead of wailing. Let's wait for them to fail first. I doubt they'll fail. Ride on buhari

All wailing wailers calling GEJ a clannish President , back in 2011 after appointments were announced are now happy. That makes me happy too. Oya Long live one Nigeria.

sunnyb0b0:

Oga sunny wetin you want me to talk? Make we shout One Nigeria nahin remain.

As long as people don't feel marginalised like they felt under GEJ, I'm happy.

baralatie:
there is going to be second batch supplementary list

e don become admission list ba?

NewNigeriaMind:
I still believe your energy is better focused on Biafra

Almajiri, be rest assured, my energy is to see this hell called Nigeria burn. Unfortunately, it will not save slaves like you from fulani bondage.

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NewNigeriaMind:
Why are these sad people worried about the SW.

Take your destinies in your hands and focus on your region.

There are over 350 tribes in Nigeria apart from Igbo, Hausa OR Yoruba. No Fulani is even on the list, those people are from the minorities.

If the argument is that southern minorities should be represented more, well if they will get the job done and if Buhari can work with them fine.

The last time Jonathan appointed someone from my state FFK, I am ashamed for the fact the nincompoop is even from my state.

Now to the tribalist:

What have you all gainef when Jonathan made his appointments from your SE region?

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KEEP THIS RUBBISH TO YOURSELF

SAI CHANTERS, OYA MAKE UNA COME HAIL UNA ALAMAJIRI FADA

SeverusSnape:
As long as stupidity is concerned, Ask the south westerners.

Tinubu most especially.

They have all gone silent.

SeverusSnape:
MizMyColi have already changed her own sef, Her new name now is MizColiatu.

Mine is Alhaji SeverusLafiaJi.

No time my brother. Go change your own o

After changing our names, we need new dress codes, without babariga and matching hat, gate man will not allow you through the gates of ministries anymore.