₦airaland Forum

AZeD1: On a good day, i'd have asked why someone in the DSS was not sanctioned for this error but i'd let that pass and ask what did the DSS aim to achieve by announcing this to the press?
Don't you think they've emboldened other politicians to try this 'stunt' since there's no punishment for trying to bribe the DSS?

Nigeria's politicians are a different class of human beings. Close one loop hole and they will open another. Hopefully DSS coming out, to talk about this, will restrain them a bit. No kind of punishment will stop the average politician in this country from doing anything they think will further their political goals. Legal or illegal.

AZeD1: I don't care what anybody would have said, the fact that the DSS didn't arrest the person means someone else will try next year and who knows what will happen then.
You don't broadcast your incompetence to the world.


Simple question
If the allegation by the DSS is true, did the DSS do their job or not?


Yes or No answer needed.

To be fair to the DSS , political consideration and maintaining a low temperature election climate was more important, than arresting this person. You are correct, this person should have been arrested regardless.

adconline: Show me 100 companies like Dangote that generate their power that would create 1.5m manufacturing jobs. Just make up 100 names!
BTW, Innoson uses generating sets and diesel for their operations..

You are proving to be less informed than I thought. Are you a Nigerian, do your own research.

AZeD1: Who cares what the headline we read?

Are you saying the DSS should not do its job because of some headline?

You don't care?? Then you are not been realistic. The lies of APC and their headlines will burn like wide fires, before DSS has an opportunity to say their side of the story. We don't live in a vacuum.

AZeD1: It is a well known fact that bribery is illegal in Nigeria so if the DSS was offered a bribe and the person that offered the bribe was not arrested, then there is something wrong with the DSS

The spokesperson of the DSS should be ashamed of herself.

Arrest a politician in Osun for bribery??. Describe what that headline will read in APC's news medias across the world

APC the demon, Nigeria will never elect to power at the center.

CALEB AYANSINA
ABUJA – The Department of State Service (DSS),Tuesday, appealed to politicians to desist from habit of dragging security forces into political matter.

DSS disclosed that it was being hunted by political parties for rejecting the N14million bribe that was offered to its officials in Osun State, during the gubernatorial election that took place last Saturday.
The Spokesperson for the Department of State Services (DSS), Marilyn Ogar, who stated this during the routine security briefing at the National Briefing Centre, in Abuja said the service could not be induced with money.
Ogar said “The director that was in charge of election duty for the DSS was asked to come and collect N4Million for himself and N10million for the men, because the money was declined, that is the offence that the DSS has committed.
“The rejection of the money is bringing up a lot of misunderstanding between political parties and the DSS, it is unfortunate. I want to tell you, there is a big man occupying a very sensitive position in Osun State, the man should thank his God that it is not the DSS that arrested him with the huge sum of money he was found with.”

Maintaining that agency cannot be induced with money, Ogar said, “We are well paid, I will say it categorically, our operations are well funded, N14 million as against N200m that was spent, which one will you go for. People should stop using money to entice security forces. The federal government and the people of Nigeria who have engaged us have the capability of taking care of us.”
According to her, if security forces were not fully on ground during the period of the election, the story about Osun State would have changed while reiterating that political parties should as much as possible leave security forces out of politics.
“We thank God that APC worn the election in Osun State, there was no bomb blast because there was enough security presence on ground. The security forces that assisted in the election in Edo State were the same ones that went to Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti and Osun.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/osun-election-state-security-service-says-rejects-n14m-bribe-manipulate-result/#sthash.zQS8hVIo.dpuf

VENTURES AFRICA – The manufacturing sector is now the major driver of economic growth in Nigeria, the latest economic report by Renaissance Capital, reveals.

According to the report, with Nigeria’s rebased Gross Domestic Product,(GDP) the manufacturing sector is currently growing faster than the telecommunications, oil and gas and agricultural sectors.

The report, titled, “Nigeria’s GDP: Bigger but slower – Manufacturing is the engine of growth,” was released on Monday.

The report further strengthens recent figures by the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, which showed that there was an increase in manufacturing capacity utilisation from 46.3 per cent recorded in the first half of 2013 to 52.7 per cent in the 2nd half of 2013.

Notably, the Rencap report stated that the manufacturing sector recorded 22 per cent growth in 2013, as against the 14 per cent it recorded in 2012, noting that the growth was largely driven by the textile, cement and food sub-sectors, among others.

The growth recorded by the manufacturing sector within the period under review, it said, accounted for one third of the total growth in the economy.

The report said, “Manufacturing is growing strongly, despite power deficit. The manufacturing sector is a much bigger, faster-growing sector under the new series (nine per cent of GDP as against the four per cent previously). In 2013, it recorded substantial growth of 22 per cent (as against 14 per cent in 2012), comprising one-third of total growth. Food, beverage and tobacco producers account for half of the manufacturing sector. The sub-sector’s growth accelerated to 12 per cent in 2013, against 7 per cent in 2012.

“An analysis of the growth drivers shows that telecoms is a maturing and slower-growing sector. The growth sectors are manufacturing (particularly food, cement and textile producers) and real estate.”

The report further revealed that the cement sub-sector, which accounts for about one per cent of the country’s GDP, recorded phenomenal growth in 2013, as it posted a 39 per cent growth as against the 14 per cent recorded in 2012.

It stated, “Several of the smaller manufacturing sub-sectors are growing even faster than food producers. Cement, which only comprises one per cent of GDP, grew by a sizeable 39 per cent in 2013, up from a strong 14 per cent in 2012.

“Nigeria’s large population of upwardly mobile consumers, particularly in the south-west, coupled with investments in power, implies the strong growth of manufacturers, including food producers and breweries, is sustainable.”

Conversely, the report revealed that in 2013, the oil and gas sector experienced a decline in growth as the sector contracted by 13 per cent, while trade and real estate sectors overtook agricultural and financial services to emerge as the top three growth drivers of the Nigerian economy.

“The trade and real estate sectors trumped agriculture and financial services in 2013, to become among the top three growth drivers, together with manufacturing. The decline in agriculture’s growth contribution in 2013 was partly due to the 3Q12 floods. The upside is a smaller agriculture sector (23 per cent, as against 36 per cent) that reduces the economy’s exposure to it,” the Rencap report said.

According to analysts, the level of capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector is an index of the health of the sector. When it is low, it indicates poor growth and vice-versa. The Rencap report therefore reflects the improving health of the Nigerian manufacturing sector just as the rising capacity utilisation has shown.

Manufacturers in Nigeria had attributed the remarkable increase recorded in capacity utilisation within the last year to favourable government policies, especially with respect to industry, trade and investment.

Olusegun Aganga,the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, reacting on the new research findings, said the analyses, done by the reputed Renaissance Capital, corroborated the fact that the manufacturing sector was being transformed under the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“It is a good thing that the manufacturing sector is breathing well under this administration. Figures are there as proof. All we need do now is further improve the situation through consistency in policy as we continue to work hard towards continuously improving Nigeria’s non-oil revenue,” Aganga noted.

http://businessdayonline.com/2014/07/manufacturing-sector-now-major-nigerias-economic-driver-says-renca

jmaine: He belongs to the fold who feels bad news about Nigeria is good news . . . Terrible set of human beings . . . . . .

Just amazing.

adconline: Yours is a carefully crafted way to espouse ignorance in order to misinform and win debates.. Who in their right mind doesn't know that Naija generates 4k MW of electricity??Matter of fact, Naija generates 3,424MW.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigeria-s-paltry-power-output-to-fall-with-repair-of-gas-plants/180097/

I will indulge you for a while here. Try and differentiate between private generating plants owned by multi nationals/major manufacturers in this country and the PHCN installed capacity. Don't just argue, because you think, you have something to say. More than 90% of companies in this country don't use public power.

http://www.ventures-africa.com/2014/04/dangote-others-generate-15000mw-of-electricity-from-private-plants

VENTURES AFRICA – BUA Group, Honeywell and Dangote Group in conjunction with similar manufacturing plants across Nigeria are generating more than 15,000 megawatts of electricity used by the companies off the national grid, Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, President and CEO of General Electric (GE) Nigeria disclosed at the weekend.

According to him, the captive power of 15,000mw is sufficient for the private companies to operate.

Nigeria’s power sector which has been struggling since the transfer of ownership to private owners is set for a shake up as a number of positive developments are aligning to help boost output currently stuck below 3,500 megawatts.

The problem of inadequate gas supply has plagued the development of the power sector since the handover of assets from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to private owners.

To help resolve the gas supply impasse, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has decided to lead the initiative that will provide a concessionary financial package to ensure steady production and supply of gas to the power sector.

The CBN will start by offsetting the outstanding N25 billion gas related legacy debt owed to gas suppliers by the now defunct PHCN. In addition, the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee will set up an SPV (special purpose vehicle) to support the gas-to-power programme through the provision of attractively priced long-term funding.

Specifically, the bond will be backed by MYTO receipts, with NERC, the power sector regulator, ensuring that a portion of the tariff levied by Discos is allocated towards servicing the bond. Furthermore, the bonds are to be guaranteed by the CBN like the AMCON bonds, and pricing is to be the same as FGN bonds.

The gas suppliers had been reluctant to initiate or step up supply to the new private owners as there is a huge debt hangover right from the beginning of the business relationship between the gas suppliers and the new private power companies, which has remained unresolved.

According to a source, “In the power sector, NELMCO has been the poor cousin of AMCON trying to grapple with the huge legacy debt”.

NELMCO (Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Ltd) was set up to be the liability management vehicle to take over the management and settlement of PHCN’s Power Purchase Agreement obligations and other legacy debts in order to ensure the smooth transition of the power sector into a new liberalised, productive and efficient sector.

NELMCO has about N800 billion of legacy debt on its books. In addition, since November 1, 2013, the interim debt has ballooned to N100 billion, which is an addition of N10 billion per month.

Diezani Alison-Madueke, the minister of petroleum resources, has in addition put together a package of short-term measures to address lingering issues of gas supply to Nigeria’s thermal power plants.

Some of the initiatives announced include the upward review of gas price from $1.50 per million cubic feet (mcf) to $2.50 per mcf, and an additional $0.80 fee as transport costs for new capacity.

Gas prices are also to be reviewed periodically based on US inflation data.

The government hopes that an increase of gas supply from 750 mscf to 1,120 mscf per day will boost production from its current 2,600/3,600 MW levels to 5,000MW by the end of 2014.

As well, in view of the new gas price review, NERC also announced plans together with the Ministry of Petroleum to get each gas producer to sign up to a specific gas supply commitment.

The Federal Government last week Monday resolved to commit $1 billion to the improvement of gas infrastructure in the country in its bid to improve power generation and supply. This fund is to be deducted from the proceeds of the ongoing privatisation of the NIPPs.

In addition, the World Bank Group had announced the commitment of $5 billion (N800 billion) in new technical and financial support to energy projects in six African countries – Nigeria, Ethopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Tanzania – in partnership with the Power Africa initiative of the US President Barack Obama.

Looking forward, oil and gas analysts say it is expected that there is enough incentive now for existing gas producers to ramp up capacity, and for new investors to build Greenfield production facilities. According to analysts, in the short-term, the winners are three companies listed on the NSE – Forte Oil Plc (which owns a Genco), Transcorp Plc (which owns a Genco and is a potential gas producer from its recently approved oil block) and Seplat Plc (a current gas producer). Other major winners are cement manufacturers and other manufacturing companies whose reliance on gas has increased in recent years. “SMEs, who are the engine of growth but have been held moribund by inadequate power supply will begin to see some relief. The local capital market will also benefit as the power bond will further deepen the market,’’ they said.


http://businessdayonline.com/2014/08/positive-developments-align-to-fast-track-power-sector-boost

adconline: What's Nigeria's MW output? Folks like u can never get it that a sector-manufacturing cannot generate 1.5mil jobs. It's unrealistic and manufactured for folks like u.

You are a waste of my time. Have a good day.

adconline: Naija cannot create 1.5million jobs in manufacturing alone in a year with 4000 mega watts? Got it

Who told you Nigeria generates 4000MW?

Barywhyte: Sir, you and I know that in this country, the private sector or a NON-GOVERNMENT organization like Nigerian government dish out, on regularly basis baseless and unverified documents/claims just to appease the international community or to make believe that they are at the fore front of solving the country problems. Any organization can be hired by the government to dish out lies to give impression that the government of the day is working. Weather the 1.5M jobs are 8k/month or 10k/month, the issue is what is the volume of manufactured products that could have warranted the influx of 1.5M people into manufacturing sector alone? What in the world in this country producing? How many manufacturing companies are currently operating in Nigeria and what are they manufacturing? No one can give me the impression that any sector of this this country is working.

If MAN told Nigerians, they lost 1.5M jobs, because of contraction in utilization capacity by their members factories, I doubt you will question those numbers. Look to the market, visit the borders and see products from Nigeria leaving in trailers to countries around us. Companies like honeywell, dangote cement,nestle are seeing valuation almost double in the last 11 months on the stock exchange. Something good is happening, just don't allow your pessimism lock you out.

adconline: US creates about 2 million jobs in all sectors in a year with 316 million folks working in a $16tn economy.
Naija creates 1.5 million Manufacturing jobs alone? Just in one sector??Which could mean that Naija creates about 5 million jobs annually. Naija is about $700bn economy with 170m folks.

So, what's your point?

I know some of you are waiting for bad news in Nigeria, I'm sorry to disappoint you people with good news all the time. Things are happening across this land. Just accept it and move on.

[quote]Dangote, Others Generate 15,000MW Of Electricity From Private Plants

VENTURES AFRICA – BUA Group, Honeywell and Dangote Group in conjunction with similar manufacturing plants across Nigeria are generating more than 15,000 megawatts of electricity used by the companies off the national grid, Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, President and CEO of General Electric (GE) Nigeria disclosed at the weekend.

According to him, the captive power of 15,000mw is sufficient for the private companies to operate.

“When I say they are captive, I am talking about consumer industrial groups that are self-generating, like the Dangote Cement, Bua Cement, Lafarge Cement and others,” explained Angbazo.

He said due to inefficient power supply, these groups are constructing private power plants to ensure their operations are not affected by epileptic supply of electricity in the country.

“We are in partnership with Dangote, for example, on Obajana, Ibese, Shagamu and Gboko and we are the one providing the power,” local news platform, local daily ThisDay quoted him as saying.

Honeywell also gets power from GE, as well as other companies producing food and making use of GE engines.

Angbazo said further that the groups have been able to continuously produce the quantity of electricity required for their operations due to their financial muscle, citing Dangote, which is Africa’s largest producer of cement as an example.

According to him, the companies are taking the same step in the generation of captive power to ensure smooth operations.

The CEO said GE would during next month’s World Economic Forum (WEF) holding in Nigeria talk about how the partnership it has with respect to additional power generating capacity would be increased.

He added that the 11 distribution companies (DISCOs) can generate power within their own networks, without going through the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), if they are financially buoyant enough. This, he said would be good as the DISCOs lose up to 40 percent of power allocated to them from the generating companies on transmission.

The GE Nigeria chief said he expects some DISCOs to have generating capacity in the next few years, especially the big ones like Ibadan, Ikeja, Enugu and Eko. This he noted will improve electricity supply in Nigeria.

Africa’s largest economy with over 170 million people still produces less than 4,000 MW of electricity, a dismal figure when compared with South Africa’s estimated population of 52.9 million and 44, 000MW power generation level.

However, reforms in Nigeria’s critical power sector, is expected to bring the much desire succour to its citizens and boost economic activities. Early this year, renowed economist, Jim O’Niell was quoted as saying the country’s economy “could grow at 10-12 percent by sorting out this problem alone.”[quote]http://www.ventures-africa.com/2014/04/dangote-others-generate-15000mw-of-electricity-from-private-plants

Reading some comments here only makes me laugh, how can people become so regressive, where their thought process is programmed to celebrate bad news only.

Barywhyte: Oga sir, why not point out exactly the point I missed in your post? Is my qoute of 1.5M jobs not correct? Or is all this nonsense you put up there not about politics, your own way of sayin GEJ is doing fine? If you are a refined individual, do you have copy of that document in your possession? can those job claims be verified? Is it not the usual copy and paste like any other stuff? grow up

You claimed the government published this numbers. The last time I checked MAN was not the government.

Below is the address for MAN.

Postal Address

By Mail:
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria
MAN House
77 Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja
P. O. Box 3835, Marina, Lagos,
Nigeria.

By Telephone:
+234 (1) 7415670 - 74 OR +234 (1) 7390076

By Email
info [at] manufacturersnigeria.org
man [at] manufacturersnigeria.org

Barywhyte: 1.5M jobs in this country only last year Where did they get this data from why do pdp desperately watch out for any goodnews just to save their face, even if the so called goodnews doesnt exist?

Try reading this article again. The source is clearly stated.

The manufacturing sector has continued to show strong positives, having added 1.584 million jobs in 2013.

Out of the total employment created within the year, the non-metallic products sector, comprising cement, glass, ceramics and chalk makers, generated a total of 1.183 million jobs, thus making the contribution of the group 74.6 percent of the total.

The new jobs created in 2013 represent 48 percent upgrade from 1.071 million estimated totals for 2012, data from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) shows.

“The increase has been as a result of improved performance in production output and the corresponding increase in the rate of capacity utilisation,” says MAN.

New members in the manufacturing sector likewise engaged fresh workers, while some firms that had not fully started operations engaged few personnel in the course of putting some skeletal services on ground, according to MAN.

Apart from the non-metallic products sector, which ramped up employment to 1.183 million in 2013 as against the 155,423 figure of 2012, the food, beverages and tobacco sector generated 48,532 jobs by the end of 2013.

Similarly, within the year under review, the textiles, apparels and footwear sector added 53,955 workers, as against the 29,129 additional jobs the sector recorded by end of 2012.

The captive wood and wood products sector added only 3,953 jobs within the year, even though it reported a total addition of 50,332 jobs in the preceding year.

Furthermore, the pulp, paper, printing and publishing sector had additional 52,844 workers by end of 2013 as against 41,998 new jobs created in the whole of 2012. The chemical and pharmaceutical industry, on its part, created 28,415 jobs by the end of the year, as against the reported 99,336 jobs in 2012, says MAN.

Also, the domestic/industrial plastic and rubber sector had additional 28,161 workers, as against 160,326 jobs added in 2012, while the electrical and electronics sector hiked employment by 27,642 as against 114,510 jobs created in the whole of 2012.

The basic metal, iron and steel sector ramped up employment to 130,582 by year-end 2013 as against 89,139 recorded in 2012, whereas the motor vehicle and miscellaneous assembly sector added 26,997 jobs in 2013 in contrast to 24,718 reported in 2012.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, coordinating minister for the economy and minister of finance, had in February this year implored manufacturers to create more jobs with the Federal Government‘s waivers. The cement industry seems to have largely responded to this call, given the level of expansion taking place among manufacturers in the sector which warrants engagement of a large number of workers.

In 2013, Lafarge WAPCO announced plans to double its 4.5 million metric tonnes (MT) capacity, while the United Cement Company of Nigeria (UniCem) had also approved a second line project to increase capacity to 5 million MT, from its current 2.5 million MT. Ashaka Cement, likewise, is investing N100 billion to increase capacity to 4 million MT from its current one million MT.

With the recent announcement of the Lafarge Africa deal, a combined capacity of 12 million MT is already guaranteed, while an additional 5.5 million is in the offing. Dangote Cement’s 20 million MT capacity is also set to reach 29 million MT by the end of the year.

“We are putting another 9 million tonnes into the market this year,” said Devakumar V.G Edwin, group managing director/chief executive officer, Dangote Cement (DangCem) plc, in an exclusive interview with BusinessDay.

“If I am going to put an additional 6 million, it takes me to 35 million,” he said.

But to add more jobs, stakeholders say cost of borrowing should be reduced to single-digit rates, while multifarious taxes must be cut down.

Similarly, electricity distribution and regulation must improve, while waivers should be granted on sectoral basis rather than to individual manufacturers, they say.

“We have to re-instate the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) to enable manufacturers engage more workers and compete effectively,” said Tunde Oyelola, chairman, MAN Export Group.


http://businessdayonline.com/2014/08/manufacturing-generates-1-584m-jobs-led-by-cement-group[s][/s]

There is an increase in the activities of commercial motorcycle operators (Okada riders) on major roads in Lagos.
Their presence could be felt on most restricted routes across the state.

The roads include Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Apapa Oshodi, Oworonshoki, Lagos Ikorodu, Lagos-Abeokuta, Agege motor road, Egbeda, Ikotun, Ikeja, Funsho Williams Avenue, Eti-Osa Lekki CFoastal Road among others.
Last Friday, a Lagos based businessman, Mr. Bimbo Oguns, regretted the return of Okada riders, describing it as worrisome.
Oguns, whose vehicle was damaged by an Okada rider, said: “I was shocked with the manner he broke the side mirror of the car. The speed was so much that in the twinkling of an eye, the rider disappeared into thin air. I think this menace is back. The Okada riders are back to business, probably because of the forthcoming election. They are always handy tools for politicians,” he lamented.
The Traffic Law

Vanguard recalls that the state government had on August, 2012 signed the Lagos State Traffic Law in to law. The objective of the legislation was to provide for road traffic administration.
It also seeks, among others, to restore sanity in the state tansportation system.
The restriction on the activities of commercial motorcyclists, remains controversial.

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/2-yrs-later-okada-riders-return-govt-relaxes-enforcement/

By Femi Aribisala
The only way the APC could have won the Osun election is by rigging it.
My first impressions are usually mistaken. If I have a good first-impression about someone, it generally turns out to be wrong. But if I have a bad first-impression, it usually turns out to be right. However, if my bad first-impression remains bad; or if my good first-impression remains good; it means my view of the person is bullet-proof.
Attahiru Jega
My first-impression of Attahiru Jega was very good when he was appointed INEC chairman in 2010. Then, as I watched him for hours painstakingly collating the results of the 2011 elections with the help of university vice-chancellors, that first-impression was more than reinforced. I concluded that the winner of the 2011 elections was Jega himself. That led me to ask myself: since we have this kind of man in Nigeria, how come we never elect someone like him as president?
My opinion of Attahiru Jega has not changed. He remains one of the best presidential materials we have in Nigeria today. He is also by far Nigeria’s best public-servant, as far as I know. Here is a man who is not only highly-educated; he is also very competent and scrupulously honest. He is yet again, the real winner of the Osun election; and he is doing a fantastic job transforming the electoral process in Nigeria for the better and even the

best.

God has given us in Jega a man that is making what we thought was impossible possible. He not only deserves to get a second-term as INEC chairman after his term expires in 2015; he would also be a shoo-in if he were to run for president thereafter. He already has my vote. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Jega and his entire INEC team for excellent job they have been doing. They are really doing Nigeria proud.
New politics
The Supreme Court decision that led to the staggering of some gubernatorial elections has provided Jega and his INEC team with training-grounds for perfecting our electoral process. One-by-one; from Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti and now Osun, we have had election results that, by all accounts, reflected the true wishes of the people. That is a sign of progress in a Nigeria where progress is often few and far between.
As INEC has grown, so have some of the actors in the political process. Growth in the PDP is evidenced by increased internal democracy. PDP candidates are now chosen through popular democratic elections and not through the diktat of the party leadership; as used to happen during the Obasanjo presidency.

Governor Kayode Fayemi showed great maturity in accepting defeat and in congratulating Ayo Fayose after the last election in Ekiti. When INEC announced the victory of Ogbeni Aregbesola in the just-concluded Osun election, Goodluck Jonathan immediately congratulated him. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti also extended to him a right-hand of fellowship as neighbouring governor in the South-West; even though they belong to opposing parties. These are the nascent signs of new democratic politics in Nigeria.

Cry-wolf APC

In all this, there is still one big problem: the APC. The APC calls itself a progressive party, but in actual fact, it is antediluvian. It cannot recognize the sign of the times. When Fayemi accepted defeat in the Ekiti election, the bigwigs of PDP Central persuaded him to reject the result. They came up with such ludicrous allegations as ballot-papers with disappearing ink. One thing is clear; the APC does not recognize any election that it loses. Moreover, the APC cries wolf in every election it is going to lose, or is afraid to lose.
APC clearly does not believe in democracy or in the democratic process. It is the party of threats and blackmail. It is the party of Muhammadu Buhari; who says the dogs and the baboon will be soaked in blood if the 2015 election is rigged. It is the party of Bola Tinubu, who declared that in Ekiti it will be “rig and roast.” It is the party of Murtala Nyako, who says there will be civil war if Goodluck Jonathan runs for president in the next election.

Before every election, APC goes to town shouting itself hoarse that the election will be rigged. It brings out all sorts of fictitious documents showing “beyond reasonable doubt” that the PDP, in collusion with the INEC, has perfected outrageous plans to rig the election. Then when it loses, it says “We told you so” and decides to contest the results frivolously in court. Apparently, the only election that is not rigged in Nigeria today is the one that APC wins. At least, we are yet to hear APC say it is going to court to contest the Osun results.

Pyrrhic victory

Before the election in Osun, the APC went to town telling the whole world it would be rigged. Every so often, it came out with broadsides as to the discovery of fresh plans to rig the election which it discovered through its detective agency. Its Sherlock Holmes in this regard is Lai Mohammed, its Publicity Secretary. Lai Mohammed has the unique capacity to smell smoke where there is no fire whatsoever. These days, whenever he makes an announcement, it is to cry wolf yet again.

A dishonest party will tend to presume dishonesty in others, especially when it discovers that its traditional channels for manipulating elections have been blocked. The APC doctrine implies that no election can be won in the Nigeria unless it is rigged. This doctrine cannot be conveniently jettisoned now that APC has won in Osun. The APC position is like the backward belief in Nigeria that, if anybody dies, he or she must have been killed. Likewise, if anybody wins an election in Nigeria, it must have been rigged, according the APC.
Since, therefore, the only way the PDP could have won the Ekiti election was by rigging it; then by the same token, the only way the APC could have won the Osun election is by rigging it. Therefore, the APC needs to tell Nigerians how it managed to rig the Osun election. Otherwise, Lai Mohammed, John Odigie-Oyegun and the entire APC party-apparatus owe Nigerians, the PDP and INEC a big apology for maligning virtually everybody just because it was running scared of losing in Osun.

APC damage-control

The very fact that Osun was a make-or-break election for the APC, leading it to cry wolf again and again, shows that the APC lost the election in Osun even before it took place. Here is a party that has pretensions of overthrowing the ruling PDP nationally in 2015. And yet, this same party was scared to death of losing an election in what is supposed to be its backyard.

Can anyone imagine the PDP being afraid of losing an election in Bayelsa or Akwa Ibom? Of course not! But this is what happens to an APC party that, in spite of all its bluster, had been trounced in Ekiti; one of its putative strongholds.
Under normal circumstances, Osun should be a cakewalk for APC. It is supposedly an APC redoubt. The incumbent governor belongs to the APC. In the last presidential election of 2011, Osun was the only South-West state that PDP lost to the ACN. The voters opted massively for the ACN by a nearly two-to-one margin vis-à-vis the PDP. Why then should the APC be so afraid of losing Osun if it were not for the fact that, instead of growing stronger, the party is actually growing weaker.

The APC has been running petrified since Ekiti. The entire party has been suffering from high blood pressure. Every other day, Lai Mohammed or John Odigie-Oyegun comes up with yet another wolf-cry, alerting everybody that would listen that the PDP, in collusion with INEC, has perfected plans to truncate the democratic process, rig elections and retain the PDP and Goodluck Jonathan in power forever.
Since the APC ended up by winning the Osun election convincingly, it can only mean that this ginormous PDP/INEC rigging machinery is not up to scratch. As a matter of fact, it apparently fails every so often. It failed in Ondo, where Mimiko and his Labour Party prevailed over the PDP. It failed in Anambra, where APGA, and not the PDP, won the gubernatorial election. Since it has failed yet again in Osun, it cannot be what the APC is touting it to be.

The truth is that it is all a figment of APC’s anti-democratic imagination. APC bigwigs are not only sore-losers, they are sore-candidates. Such temperament is not needed in today’s new dispensation.

Bad omen

In the end, Governor Aregbesola of the APC won the Osun election convincingly. His margin of vis-à-vis his PDP rival amounts to a landslide victory. But placed within the framework of the forthcoming presidential election, the Osun election is a major defeat for the APC. It actually suggests that, without the benefit of incumbency, and with a Northerner as opposed to a Southerner as the likely APC candidate, APC will most likely lose Osun to the PDP in the forthcoming presidential election.

I repeat; Osun was the only South-West state that Jonathan lost in 2011. PDP obtained 188,409 votes to ACN’s 299,711. That is a relative vote-share of 38% PDP to 62% ACN. But three years later, in this gubernatorial election, PDP obtained 292,747 votes to ACN/APC’s 394.684. That is a relative vote-share of 42% PDP to 58% ACN/APC. That shows the strength of the PDP has increased in Osun state, relative to that of the APC. When you factor in the APC power of incumbency in Osun, then this election becomes nothing short of disastrous for APC’s presidential aspirations.

If PDP can defeat APC in Ekiti, where APC had a sitting governor; and if PDP can take 42% of the APC vote in Osun, where the APC also had the advantage of a sitting governor; and since Ekiti and Osun are supposedly APC strongholds; then the APC does not have a prayer in the coming presidential election. It will not give any serious contest to the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan.

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/apc-lost-osun-election/

I normally never engage in religious debate on this forum, the attempt by some to insult or belittle Pastor Ayo must be confronted head on. He remains the best thing to ever happen to CAN in this country. That's why the Muslims can't stand him.

Nigeria: Where Jihad and Christian Persecution Run Rampant

w.frontpagemag.com/2013/raymond-ibrahim/nigeria-where-jihad-and-christian-persecution-run-rampant/

Deadliest place to be a Christian: Nigeria
- See more at: http://www.onenewsnow.com/persecution/2013/05/31/deadliest-place-to-be-a-christian-nigeria#.U-qAfeNdVJk

Christians Murdered Nonstop in Nigeria
Muslim Persecution of Christians: May, 2013

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3904/nigeria-christians-murdered#

Nigeria continues to be the most dangerous nation for Christians—where more Christians have been killed last year than all around the Muslim world combined. In one instance, Boko Haram Muslim militants stormed the home of a Pentecostal pastor and secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and opened fire on him, instantly murdering him.

say4gunit: Oh i see, shey na u be lord Lugard

good night kid.

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/press/2014/june/nigeria-tops-christian-persecution-violence-list

SANTA ANA, Calif. (June 3, 2014) – The World Watch List (WWL) Research team of Open Doors International has released a Top 10 Violence List of countries in which Christians have experienced the most violent incidents for their faith in Jesus Christ.

The World Watch Top 10 Violence List, which is based on persecution incidents between Nov. 1, 2012, and March 31, 2014, is topped by Nigeria. The others, in order, are: Syria, Egypt, Central African Republic (CAR), Mexico, Pakistan, Colombia, India, Kenya and Iraq. For a complete country summary of the Top 10 Violence List, go to https://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/violence-top-10-countries-2014.pdf.

In all countries where Christians are persecuted, researchers recorded 3,641 churches and Christian properties destroyed and 13,120 other forms of violence against Christians such as beatings, abductions, rapes, arrests and forced marriages.

Open Doors researchers also released information on the Top 10 Violence List in the category of faith-related killings during the 17-month reporting period. Nigeria was No. 1 with a total of 2,073 Christian martyrs. Nigeria is followed by Syria 1,479, CAR 1,115, Pakistan 228, Egypt 147, Kenya 85, Iraq 84, Myanmar (Burma) and Sudan 33 each and Venezuela 26.

Of the overall compilation of 5,479 Christians killed for their faith around the world, Nigeria, Syria and CAR make up 85 percent of the total. The estimated average of Christians killed for their faith per month in the reporting period is 322.

Researchers say the total number of martyrs is “a very minimum count and could be significantly higher.”

“The alarming increase of violence against Christians in Nigeria over the past months highlights the lack of religious freedom they have and the daily dangers they face from the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram and other violent Islamic organizations,” says Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. David Curry. “Going to school, attending church or identifying yourself as a Christian is a very brave decision in Nigeria. It is turning into a bloodbath. Christians in the West must stand in the gap with our prayers and support.”

MORNDEW: Pls don't be an alarmist becos s group of people whose brain nid reconfiguration are are misbehaving does not mean islamitazation. How can a region known to be Muslim still islamitise themselves. Ok I get it you are one of those who believe that its only Christians DAT die in Book attacks. Pls mosques have also been attacked. And coming to my church and opening fire on ppl down south here is never gonna happen. And y it seems as if this reckless urchins carrying out this acts are succeeding is cos we have an incompetent leader. MORNDEW.

Urchins and incompetent leader, that's your fall back position. Unfortunately this has been the news of Nigeria since I can remember. They are always urchins and our leaders are incompetent. Please tell me another story. After they killed several thousands every year since 1960. They're always urchins, burning down churches abi?