₦airaland Forum

Obasanjo Rubbishes National Assembly, Says It’s An Assembly Of Thieves, Looters

Mr. Obasanjo said the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has upped Nigeria’s corruption level through the huge sums of money it has been paying to the National Assembly to stop investigating its corrupt acts. He said, “Corruption in the National Assembly also includes what they call constituency projects which they give to their agents to execute but invariably, full payment is made with little or no job done.
by Premium Times—Ibanga Isine Nov 26, 2014
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Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday lampooned the National Assembly, saying it is largely an assemblage of looters and thieves.

Former President Obasanjo

Mr. Obasanjo, who was speaking at the public presentation of the autobiography of Justice Mustapha Akanbi, in Abuja, regretted that every aspect of Nigeria’s national life is riddled with corruption.

However, he said there were a few exceptions and people who stand out and would not succumb to the scourge of sleaze, even in the federal legislature.

In a speech he delivered at the public presentation of “The Story Of My Two Worlds; Challenges, Experiences And Achievements” written by Justice Akanbi, the pioneer chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, the former president said the National Assembly, which he said is shrouding its corruption in the opaque nature of its budget, has damaged its capacity to oversight the executive.

He accused the President Goodluck Jonathan-led executive of making direct payments to the legislature in order to cover up its wrong doings.

“Apart from shrouding the remunerations of the National Assembly in opaqueness and without transparency, they indulge in extorting money from departments, contractors and ministries in two ways,” Mr. Obasanjo said.

“They do so during visits to their projects and programmes and in the process of budget approval when they build up budgets for ministries and departments, who agree to give it back to them in contracts that they do not execute. They do similar things during their inquiries.”

Mr. Obasanjo said the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has upped Nigeria’s corruption level through the huge sums of money it has been paying to the National Assembly to stop investigating its corrupt acts.

He said, “Corruption in the National Assembly also includes what they call constituency projects which they give to their agents to execute but invariably, full payment is made with little or no job done.

“In all this, if the executive is not absolutely above board, the offending members of the National Assembly resort to subtle or open threat, intimidation and blackmail. When the executive pay the huge money, normally in millions of dollars, all is quiet in form of whitewashed reports that fail to deal effectively with the issues investigated.”

The former president insisted that over the years, the National Assembly never singled out any corrupt lawmaker except where the executive led in the indictment of a member.

He listed some of the cases where the executive led in exposing corruption in the National Assembly to include those of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari, and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara.

He maintained that majority of the members of the National Assembly live above the law in both misconduct and corruption and cannot in good conscience carry out oversight duties on any government ministry or department.

Mr. Obasanjo, however, noted that there are still some honourable and distinguished men and women in the National Assembly, who would not do anything to soil their hands.

He said with a largely corrupt legislature, Nigeria is doomed.

“When the guard is the thief, only God can keep the house safe and secure,” he said. “But I am optimistic that sooner than later, we will overcome.

“God will give us guards of integrity and honesty with the fear of God and genuine love of their people and their country.

“Today, there is no institution of government that is not riddled with corruption, not even the military. As the people cry out, where then is the salvation.”

The former president also drew attention to the growing level of youth unemployment in the country, warning that unless urgent steps are taken to address the situation, the country could implode.

Mr. Obasanjo provided figures suggesting that out of the country’s estimated 178.5 million population, 70 per cent are below 30 years, with 54 per cent being unemployed.

“I have no doubt in my mind that youth unemployment, youth dissatisfaction and youth frustration were part of the causes of the so-called Arab Spring from which Libya and Egypt have not yet fully come out and which caused insecurity and instability in the whole of the Arab world.

“We must learn the right lessons and put in place, programmes that will address youth empowerment and youth employment, youth discontent and youth dissatisfaction and youth frustration to avoid youth anger and explosion generated there from,” Mr. Obasanjo said.

Jonathan Responds To Obasanjo: I am The Best Leader Nigeria Has Ever Produced,yes jonathan we know all this is in ur bad fake administration,we get corruption, jobless, poverty,bad administration,abuse of law, terrorism,kidnappings 289 human being,21b dollars miss just like that; right now that ur are said that three state in ur country terrorist are control it 12 local in borno state, 8 local in yobe state, 6 local adamawa state, i don't what is importance of the Nigeria army,just beaten innocent people in maiduguri capital of BORNO STATE.ohohoh Jonathan its vry gud 4 ur fake administration,but dis is bad luck 2 Nigeria and Nigerian.

ok GOD of mercy,dis is vry shameful 4 Nigeria person

this is really bad,its child abuse pls,

sorry baba

yes, lion Nigeria sai amaechi IN SHA ALLAH

yes FG we need know why..

Here in ghana we are in fasting

Being speech of General Ibrahim Babangida on June 26, 1993, confirming the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Election.

FELLOW Nigerians, I address you today with a deep sense of world history and particularly of the history of our great country. In the aftermath of the recently annulled Presidential Election, I feel, as I believe you yourself feel, a profound sense of disappointment at the outcome of our last efforts at laying the foundation of a viable democratic system of government in Nigeria.

I therefore wish, on behalf of myself and members of the National Defence and Security Council and indeed of my entire administration, to feel with my fellow countrymen and women for the cancellation of the election. It was a rather disappointing experience in the course of carrying through the last election of the transition to civil rule programme.

Nigeria has come a long way since this administration assumed power and leadership about eight years ago. In the attempt to grapple with the critical and monumental problems and challenges of national existence and social progress, this administration inaugurated and pursued sound and justifiable policies and programmes of reform.

These policies and programmes have touched virtually all aspects of our national life — the economy, political process, social structures, external relations, bureaucracy and even the family system. I believe strongly that in understanding, conception,
formulation and articulation, these policies and programmes are not only sound, but also comparatively unassailable. I believe, too, that history, with the passage of time, would certainly score the administration high in its governance of our country.

Let me also express my deep conviction that the core strategy and structures of our reform policies and programmes, as enunciated in 1986/87 would, for a very long time, remain relevant and durable in the course of changing our country positively. I believe that at the exit of the Administration from power, we would leave behind for
prosperity, a country with an economy, the structures of which have been turned around for good.

The average Nigerian person has come to reconcile himself with the fact that his or her social progress remains essentially in his or her hands in collaboration with other fellow Nigerians and not merely relying on what government alone could provide for him or her. The days are gone for good, when men and women trooped to government establishments for employment and for benevolence.

This Administration has built the foundation that would take Nigerians away from their previous colonially-induced motivations and the encumbrances of colonialism. We have laid the foundation for self-reliant economic development and social justice. We have established a new basis in our country in which economic liberalisation would continue to flourish alongside democratic forces and deregulated power structure. In all these, the average Nigerian person has more than ever before this administration imbibed and assimilated the values of hard work, resilience and self-confidence.

It is true that in the course of implementing our reform policies and programmes and especially because of the visionary zeal with which we approached the assignment and responded to incidental pressures of governance, we engendered a number of social forces in the country.

This is so because we sought to challenge and transform extant social forces, which had in the past impeded growth and development of our country.

We also sought to deal with the new forces to which our programmes of action gave rise. Thus, in dealing with the dynamics of both the old and new social forces, we ran into certain difficulties. In particular, during the course of handling the interlocking relationships between the old and new political forces and institutions, some problems had arisen leading us into a number of difficulties and thereby necessitating our having to tamper with the
rules and regulations laid down in the political programme.

As a result, the administration unwittingly attracted enormous public suspicions of its intentions and objectives. Accordingly, we have experienced certain shortfalls and conflicting responses to the pulls and pushes of governance in the course of policy implementation.

I believe that areas of difficulties with the transition programme, especially from the last quarter of 1992 to the recent cancelled presidential election, derived primarily from the shortfalls in implementing the programmes of actions, which, though objectively taken, may have caused a deviation from the original framework and
structure of the programme.

Fellow Nigerians, it is true that by the cancelled presidential election, we all found the nation at a peculiar bar of history which was neither bargained for, nor was it envisaged in the reform programmes of transition as enunciated in 1986/87. In the
circumstance, the administration had no option than to respond appropriately to the unfortunate experience of terminating the presidential election.

Our actions are in full conformity with the original objectives of the transition to civil programme. It was also
in conformity with the avowed commitment of the administration to advance the cause of national unity, stability, and democracy.

In annulling the presidential election, this administration was keenly aware of its promise in November 1992 that it would disengage and institute a return to democracy on August 27, 1993. We are
determined to keep the promise. Since this transition, and indeed any transition, must have an end, I believe that our transition programme should and must come to an end, honestly and honourably.

History will bear witness that as an administration, we have always striven, in all our policy decisions, to build the foundation of lasting democracy. Lasting democracy is not a temporary show of excitement and manipulation by an over-articulate section of the elite and its captive audience; lasting democracy is a permanent diet to nurture the soul of the whole nation and the political process.

Therefore, it is logical, as we have always insisted upon, that lasting democracy must be equated with political stability.

Informed by our sad experience of history, we require nothing short of a foundation for lasting democracy. As an administration, we cannot afford to leave Nigerian into a Third Republic with epileptic convulsions in its democratic health. Nigeria must therefore confront her own reality; she must solve her problems notwithstanding
other existing models of democracy in other parts of the world.

In my address to the nation in October 1992, when the first presidential primaries were cancelled, I had cause to remind our country men and women that there is nowhere in the world in which the practice of democracy is the same, even if the principles are similar and even for countries sharing the same intellectual
tradition and cultural foundation.

The history of our country is not the history of any other country in the world, which is either practicing advanced democracy or struggling to lay the foundation for democracy. Yet, in spite of the uniqueness and peculiarities of Nigeria, there are certain prerequisites, which constitute an
irreducible minimum for democracy. Such essential factors include:

A. Free and fair elections;
B. Uncoerced expression of voters preference in election;
C. Respect for electorate as unfettered final arbiter on elections;
D. Decorum and fairness on the part of the electoral umpires;
E. Absolute respect for the rule of law.

Fellow Nigerians, you would recall that it was precisely because the presidential primaries of last year did not meet the basic requirements of free and fair election that the Armed Forces Ruling Council, then, had good reason to cancel those primaries. The recently annulled presidential election was similarly afflicted by
these problems.

Even before the presidential elections, and indeed at the party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and regulations of democracy elections. But because we were determined to keep faith with the deadline of 27th August 1993 for the return of civil rule, we overlooked the reported breaches. Unfortunately, these breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12, 1993, on an even greater proportion.

There were allegations of irregularities and other acts of bad conduct leveled against the presidential candidates but NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as well as documented evidence of widespread use of money during the party primaries as well as the presidential election. These were the same bad conduct
for which the party presidential primaries of 1992 were cancelled.

Evidence available to government put the total amount of money spent by the presidential candidates as over two billion, one hundred million naira (N2.1 billion). The use of money was again the major source of undermining the electoral process.

Both these allegations and evidence were known to the National Defence and Security Council before the holding of the June 12, 1993 election, the National Defence and Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its determination to fulfill the promise to hand over to an elected president on due date.

Apart from the tremendous negative use of money during the party primaries and presidential elections, there were moral issues, which were also overlooked by the Defence and National Security Council. There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of interest between the government and both presidential aspirants, which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become
president.

We believe that politics and government are not ends in themselves. Rather, service and effective amelioration of the condition of our people must remain the true purpose of politics.

It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful. However, there was in fact a huge array of election malpractices virtually in all the states of the federation before the actual voting began. There were authenticated reports of the election malpractices against party agents, officials of the National Electoral Commission and also some members of the electorate.

If all of these were clear violations of the electoral law, there were proofs of manipulations through offer and acceptance of money and other forms of inducement against officials of the National Electoral Commission and members of the electorate. There were also evidence of conflict in the process of authentication and clearance of credentials of the presidential candidates. Indeed, up to the last few hours to the election, we continued in our earnest steadfastness with our transition deadline, to overlook vital facts.

For example, following the council’s deliberation, which followed the court injunction suspending the election, majority of members of the National Defence and Security Council supported postponement of the election by one week. This was to allow NEC enough time to reach all the voters, especially in the rural areas, about the postponement.

But persuaded by NEC that it was capable of relaying the information to the entire electorate within the few hours left before the election, the council, unfortunately, dropped the idea of shifting the voting day. Now, we know better. The conduct of the election, the behaviour of the candidates and post-election responses continued to elicit signals, which the nation can only ignore at its peril.

It is against the foregoing background that the administration became highly concerned when these political conflicts and breaches were carried to the court.

It must be acknowledged that the performance of the judiciary on this occasion was less than satisfactory. The judiciary has been the bastion of the hopes and liberties of our citizens.

Therefore, when it became clear that the courts had become intimidated and subjected to the manipulation of the political process, and vested interests, then the entire political system was in clear dangers.

This administration could not continue to watch the various high courts carry on their long drawn-out processes and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into chaos.

It was under this circumstance that the National Defence and Security Council decided that it is in the supreme interest of law and order, political stability and peace that the presidential election be annulled.

As an administration, we have had special interest and concern not only for the immediate needs of our society, but also in laying the foundation for generations to come.

To continue action on the basis of the June 12, 1993 election, and to proclaim and swear in a president who encouraged a campaign of divide and rule among our ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival of the Third Republic. Our need is for peace, stability and continuity of politics in the interest of all our people.

Fellow countrymen and women, although the National Electoral Commission and the Centre for Democratic Studies officially invited foreign observers for the presidential elections, the administration also considered it as important as a democratic society, that our activities and electoral conduct must be open not only to the citizenry of our country but also to the rest of the world.

In spite of this commitment, the administration did not and cannot accept that foreign countries should interfere in our internal affairs and undermine our sovereignty. The presidential election was not an exercise imposed on Nigerians by the United Nations or by the wishes of some global policemen of democracy. It was a decision embarked upon independently by the government of our country and for the interest of our country.

This is because, we believe, just like other countries, that democracy and democratisation are primary values which Nigerians should cultivate, sustain and consolidate so as to enhance freedom, liberties and social development of the citizenry.

The actions of these foreign countries are most unfortunate and highly regrettable.

There is nowhere in the history of our country or indeed of the Third World where these countries can be said to love Nigeria or Nigerians any more than the love we have for ourselves and for our country. Neither can they claim to love Nigeria any more than this administration loves our country.

Accordingly, I wish to state that this administration will take necessary action against any interest groups that seek to interfere in our internal affairs. In this vein, I wish to place on record the appreciation of this administration for the patience and understanding of Nigerians, the French, the Germans, the Russians and Irish governments in the current situation.

I appeal to our fellow countrymen and women and indeed our foreign detractors that they should cultivate proper understanding and appreciation of the peculiar historic circumstances in the development of our country and the determination not only of this administration, but indeed of all Nigerians to resolve the current crises.

Fellow Nigerians, the National Security and Defence Council have met several times since the June 12, 1993 election. The council has fully deliberated not only on our avowed commitment, but also to bequeathing to posterity, a sound economic and political base in our country and we shall do so with honour.

In our deliberations, we have also taken note of several extensive consultations with other members of this administration, with officers and men of the Armed Forces and well-meaning Nigerian leaders of thought. We are committed to handing over power on 27th August 1993.

Accordingly, the National Defence and Security Council has decided that by the end of July 1993, the two political parties, under the supervision of a recomposed National Electoral Commission, will put in place the necessary process for the emergence of two presidential candidates.

This shall be conducted according to the rules and regulations governing the election of the president of the country. In this connection, government will, in consultation with the two political parties and National Electoral Commission, agree as to the best and quickest process of conducting the election.

In the light of our recent experience, and given the mood of the nation, the National Defence and Security Council has imposed additional conditions as a way of widening and deepening the base of electing the president and sanitising the electoral process. Accordingly, the candidates for the coming election must:

(1) Not be less than 50 years old.
(2) Have not been convicted of any crime; (3) Believe, by act of faith and practice, in the corporate existence of Nigerians;
(4) Posses(sic) records of personal, corporate and business interests, which do not conflict with the national interests;
(5) Have been registered members of either of the two political parties for at least one year to this election.

All those previously banned from participating in the transition process other than those with criminal records, are hereby unbanned. They can all henceforth participate in the electoral process. This is with a view to enriching the quality of candidature for the election and at the same time tap the leadership resources of our country to the fullest. The decree to this effect will be promulgated.

Fellow Nigerians, I wish to finally acknowledge the tremendous value of your patience and understanding, especially in the face of national provocation.

I urge you to keep faith with the commitment of this administration.

I enjoin you to keep faith with the unity, peace and stability of our country for this is the only country that you and I can call our own. Nowhere in the world, no matter the prompting and inducements of foreign countries, can Nigerians ever be regarded as first class citizens. Nigeria is the only country that we have. We must therefore renew our hope in Nigeria, and faith and confidence in ourselves for continued growth, development and progress.

Thank you all, and God bless you.

haba is too much let if somebody dead let live everty is over

Senate Constitution Review Committee has barred President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo and all serving governors from contesting election for the six-year single term being proposed in the constitution under amendment.
The restriction contained in clause 12 of the committee’s report, seeking to alter section 137 of the constitution reads: “A person holding the office of the president or vice president immediately before the coming into force of the alterations of section 135 and 136 of this constitution shall not be eligible to contest for a single term of six years.”
Like the president, incumbent state governors, including those serving their first term are prohibited from seeking election for a six-year single term under the new law, according to clause 8 which seeks to alter section 180 of the constitution.
The National Assembly had set a July 2013 deadline to conclude work on the amendments to the constitution, so that the provisions will take effect ahead of the 2015 elections.
If the target is achieved therefore, the president and all the state governors will be bound by the new constitution.
Also, the committee bars President Jonathan from signing the amended constitution into law as it happened in 2010 when minor amendments were made to it.
With the new proposals the National Assembly will also not require simple majority to override the president’s veto on bills. Once a bill stays with the president for 30 days without him assenting to it or returning it to the legislature, it will automatically be considered to have been signed.
Clause 11 amending Section 136 disqualifies the vice president from contesting for the office of the president if he was sworn in after the death or impeachment of the president.
“Where the vice president-elect or vice president succeeds the president-elect or the president in accordance with subsection 1 of this section, he shall not be eligible to contest for the office of the president in any subsequent election.”
When the new provisions are passed, all former presiding officers of the National Assembly including former senate presidents and their deputies, former speakers of the House of Representatives and their deputies shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent officers,” according to clause 7 amending section 84.
Section 121 also granted financial autonomy to the 36 states Houses of Assembly, state Auditors- General, states’ judiciary and states’ Attorneys-General. The section provides that they derive their funding from the consolidated revenue fund of the state directly.
The proposed amendment also separates the office of the Attorney General of the Federation from that of the Minister of Justice, the same way it separates the office of the state Attorney- General and Commissioner of Justice.
Ekweremadu committee also proposed an amendment to Section 162 of the constitution abolishing the controversial Joint State/Local Government Account and stipulate that the monthly revenue allocation to the third tier of government be paid to them directly.
It also denies allocations to local governments that have no elected councils.
In Section 299, the FCT is granted a mayoral status, thereby scrapping the position of the Minister of the Federal Capital.
“The National Assembly shall make law to provide for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of the office of Mayor of the Federal Capital Territory,” the section states.
Section 300 scraps the FCT minister’s position and replaced it with that of a mayor.
The panel also recommended for the removal of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), Land Use Act and the National Securities Agencies Act from the constitution.
The committee further called for devolution of more powers to the 36 states by removing arbitration, aviation, environment, health care, land and agriculture, prisons, public complaints, railways, road safety, stamp duties, wages and youth matters from the exclusive legislative list putting it under the concurrent legislative list to allow states to establish and maintain prisons, railways, airports among others.
The committee however rejected the rotation of the office of the president between the north and south, saying it will disunite the country.
Similarly, the panel rejected proposal for the creation of state police as well as that for Nigerians in Daispora to vote during elections. It also rejected the clamour for increase in the derivation component of oil and gas sales by oil producing states of the Niger Delta from the present 13 percent to 20 percent.
The request for the conferment of “special status” on Lagos did not also scale through even though the legislators said they appreciated the challenges of Lagos.
On request by indigenes of the FCT to be given a ministerial slot the same with the 36 states of the federation, the senators opined that as desirable as it may be, “the provisions granting mayoral status for the FCT will go a long way in ensuring equitability and is sufficient to ensure efficient administration of the federal capital.”
Ekweremadu who took time to brief his colleagues on how the committee arrived at the decision on each of the clauses, however noted that on the 99 requests for states creation received, only 17 “attempted meeting the requirements” as stipulated in Section 8 (1) of the 1999 Constitution but they too failed.
Senate President David Mark said the upper legislative chamber will commence clause by clause consideration on June 25 when they resume from their mid-term recess. He called in all senators to consult widely with their constituents during the recess.

good

Posted: June 3, 2013 - 22:26
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau
By SaharaReporters, New York

The US authorities have declared Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah il-Da’awati wal-Jihad, better known as Boko Haram, a wanted man.

And they are placing a $7 million bet he will be found, to be given away to anyone who can provide information leading to his arrest.

Analysts say the placement of large sum of money as bounty by the United States government reflects a new dimension to US government involvement to hunt down Mr. Shekau and his close aides, and of Shekau’s connections.

The US seems confident it can narrow the corridors of safety for Shekau, as many international bounty hunters can activate their networks in other to collect the bounty.

Below is the flyer that is being distributed by the US Reward for Justice website:

Wanted Information leading to the location of Abubakar Shekau Up to $7 Million Reward
________________________________________


Dates of Birth Used : 1965, 1969, 1975
Place of Birth : Yobe, Nigeria
Sex : Male
Height : Tall
Build : Slim
Complexion : Dark
Ethnicity : Kanuri
Languages : Arabic, Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri
Aliases : Abu Bakr Skikwa, Imam Abu Bakr Shiku, Abu Muhammad Abu Bakr Bin Muhammad Al Shakwi Al Muslimi Bishku, Abubakar Shakkau
Abubakar Shekau is the leader of Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah il-Da’awati wal-Jihad, more commonly known as Boko Haram. Boko Haram, which means “Western education is forbidden,” is a Nigeria-based terrorist organization that seeks to overthrow the current Nigerian government and replace it with a regime based on Islamic law. The group has existed in various forms since the late 1990s. There are reported communications, training, and weapons links between Boko Haram, al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), al-Shabaab, and al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, which may strengthen Boko Haram’s capacity to conduct terrorist attacks.
Shekau was previously the group’s second-in-command. In July 2010, Shekau publicly claimed leadership of Boko Haram and threatened to attack Western interests in Nigeria. Later that month, Shekau issued a second statement expressing solidarity with al-Qaida and threatening the United States. Under Shekau’s leadership, Boko Haram’s operational capabilities have grown.
The group set off its first vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) in June 2011, and has increasingly utilized IEDs in attacks against soft targets. Boko Haram’s August 26, 2011 vehicle-bomb attack on the United Nations headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria marked the group’s first lethal operation against Western interests. At least 23 people were killed, and 80 more were injured, in the attack. A purported Boko Haram spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack and promised future targeting of U.S. and Nigerian government interests.
On May 1, 2012, less than one week after the group bombed a Nigerian newspaper building in Abuja, Boko Haram issued a video statement threatening more attacks on local and international news outlets, including the Voice of America and Sahara Reporters, a New York-based media service.
On June 21, 2012, the U.S. Department of State designated Shekau a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224.

Posted: June 1, 2013 - 23:59

With over 50 African heads of states and other international dignitaries in attendance, a call went out for President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria to address the special session of the African Union. You must have heard that President Goodluck Jonathan missed his speaking slot at the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa. But do you know what the president was doing when he missed his slot? Dr. Damages brings you video clips of what actually happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ElaiWGfKGn0

Posted: June 1, 2013 - 23:59

With over 50 African heads of states and other international dignitaries in attendance, a call went out for President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria to address the special session of the African Union. You must have heard that President Goodluck Jonathan missed his speaking slot at the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa. But do you know what the president was doing when he missed his slot? Dr. Damages brings you video clips of what actually happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ElaiWGfKGn0

A DIRECTIVE from the White House has cancelled outright the visit of United States’ (U.S.) President, Barack Obama, to Nigeria on his second trip to the continent, informed U.S. sources have confirmed.

While some middle level State Department officials had already intimated some U.S.-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on plans to include Nigeria on the U.S. President’s stops in Africa starting from next month, senior officials of the same department have hinted the Nigerian Government of the possibility of the nation’s exclusion due to some pressing, immediate and distant concerns of their government.

Apart from the Baga incident, which is seen as the immediate cause of the snub, it was disclosed that White House officials were also inundated with facts on how the President Goodluck Jonathan administration has abandoned the anti-corruption fight, especially by pardoning the former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Other instances the White House officials are said to be concerned about on matters of corruption include the controversial reports it had received regarding two important Federal Government ministries, the Petroleum Resources and Aviation.

The U.S. sources added that before last Monday’s announcement on the issue, the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S., Prof. Ade Adefuye, was invited to the State Department to be formally updated on the situation at a meeting with several U.S. officials, led by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Donald Yamamoto.

At the meeting, the American officials presented the Nigerian envoy with satellite photographs of the alleged Baga massacre, noting among other things that it made Nigeria’s inclusion in Obama’s visit very difficult.

Indeed, satellite pictures revealing damage to households in Baga had been made public by the Human Rights Watch earlier, but it was not immediately clear if the same pictures were the ones presented to the Nigerian envoy at the May 17 meeting the officials held with him.

However, it was learnt that Adefuye disputed the credibility of the photos since it claimed to be depicting more houses in Baga than actually existed. Also, there were persistent questions on the fact that the satellite-captured photos could not have revealed who was responsible for the damage in Baga.

Meanwhile, a U.S.-based Nigerian group, the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans (CANAN) had also made a statement earlier in the week that “President Obama’s visit would have benefitted the Nigerian people more than the Nigerian Government.”

CANAN noted that Obama went to Cairo “at a time dictators were all over the Middle East, and his critical speech provoked a major and productive societal revival, which democratic fervour is still very much in play in the Middle-East.”

It added: “A visit by President Obama, based on the widespread admiration he enjoys in Nigeria, would have served to mobilise the Nigerian people and push the country forward towards fulfilling its potential, the same fact for which the U.S. Government itself had described the country as its African anchor.”

However, State Department officials insisted that Nigeria’s exclusion from the presidential and high-level contact at this time had already been taken by the White House. In fact, after the meeting with Adefuye on May 17, the Secretary of State, John Kerry, issued a public statement that for the first time, the U.S. had in its custody “credible allegations” against the Nigerian security forces in the implementation of the emergency rule ordered by President Jonathan.

It noted: “We are also deeply concerned by credible allegations that Nigerian security forces are committing gross human rights violations, which, in turn, only escalate the violence and fuel extremism.

“The United States condemns Boko Haram’s campaign of terror in the strongest terms. We urge Nigeria’s security forces to apply disciplined use of force in all operations, protect civilians in any security response, and respect human rights and the rule of law.”

According to sources, the groundwork to exclude Nigeria from the presidential visit to Africa, which was announced by the White House on May 20, was perfected after that announcement.

Nevertheless, it is believed that Adefuye was still making last ditch effort to convince the White House on the need for a rethink. Last year, the Secretary of State had left out Nigeria on his stops on an African tour, until Adefuye’s efforts caused a change of plans to include a stop in Abuja.

BH-AMNESTY-COMMITTE-HEAD-Turaki

AS part of efforts to check insecurity, the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in northern Nigeria Sunday visited Boko Haram suspects and some survivors of bomb explosions in Kaduna.

The Chairman of the committee who is also the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki (SAN), at the weekend led other members of the panel to Armed Forces and Staff College (AFSC), Jaji, St. Andrew’s Protestant Church, located at Jaji Military Cantonment and St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Ungwan Yero, Kaduna.

The committee later met with Boko Haram suspects where they had a closed-door meeting with them. But journalists were barred from the meeting.

While at the AFSC Jaji, a mild drama ensued when an officer told the committee members that the Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Effiong Osim, was not going to see them because he was attending to a permanent secretary from the Ministry of Defence.

Although the visit was unscheduled, the chairman of the committee became furious at the information and ordered that the commandant must see them as they were on a presidential assignment.

Turaki said: “This is rubbish, how can he not see us because he is attending to a permanent secretary? I am a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we are on a presidential assignment. I have left my office and have not attended the Federal Executive Council meetings for five weeks now because of this assignment.”

The commandant later apologised for the earlier information from one of his officers, and immediately went into a closed-door meeting with the committee before visiting the sight of the bombed church, which is under construction.

At the bomb site, the chairman assured the victims that the President was particularly worried about the general insecurity across the country, and that he was committed to providing succour to the victims and families of dead persons in the bombings, just as he requested the commandant to quantify all the damage in the church in monetary terms and forward it to the committee.

“We are here to ascertain the volume of damage in terms of monetary value and recommend appropriate support programme to Mr. President,” he said.

At St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Ungwa Yero in the Kaduna metropolis, prayers were offered at the graves of the four victims on the church premises. They died following the blast that rocked the church in October last year.

The committee chairman said that the affected persons would be adequately compensated by the government.

Cisco has introduced new solutions under the Cisco Unified Access umbrella that simplifies network design by converging wired and wireless networks.

This, the firm said, will help simplify network operation issues.

Unveiling these technologies in Lagos on Thursday, the Head of Architectures and Enterprise, emerging markets, Cisco, Mr. Den Sullivan, said, “Our customers in Nigeria are looking for a simple, highly secure network with reduced total cost of ownership that allows them to address the demands that new access requirements such as BYOD and new innovative line of business applications bring.

“Cisco Unified Access allows customers to achieve these goals by moving away from individual vertical stacks of technology and disparate components and creating a single architecture for an intelligent network.”

As organisations in Nigeria face the ever-growing challenge of managing the growth of mobile devices and business applications across multiple networks, businesses are finding it difficult to consistently find time to address issues that are enabling innovation and agility, the firm explained.

With the increasing need to connect more people, data, processes and things to the network, the role of wireless and wired networks is growing and network operations and feature requirements are becoming more complex, it added.

According to Cisco Visual Networking Index, global mobile data traffic forecast for 2012 to 2017, in Middle East and Africa, will grow 17-fold from 2012 to 2017, a compound annual growth rate of 77 per cent.

The technologies include new Cisco Catalyst 3850 Unified Access Switch with built-in wireless LAN controller functionality; and new Cisco 5760 Unified Access WLAN Controller appliance featuring IOS-based software and 60Gbps performance.

These new enhancements to Cisco Unified Access will allow IT organisations in Nigeria to rapidly manage changing network demands and greater services innovations, the firm said.

According to Sullivan, the Cisco Unified Access is Cisco’s strategy to unify wired, wireless and virtual private networks into a single, highly secure network infrastructure based on one policy source and one management solution for the entire campus network.

The new Unified Access products deliver consistent simplicity and intelligence across the entire network, enabling IT organisations to shift the focus away from time-consuming operational activities to those that enable innovative smart /business processes, it explained.

It also includes features such as software-defined networking open interfaces, which offer greater investment protection through support of new features in the future. Previously, wireless networks have been built as overlays to the wired network, resulting in two logical networks to manage, and in increased complexity.

These problems have been increased as users have brought multiple devices onto the network, leading to difficulty within IT of implementing common access policies, enabling BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), securing the network and providing an uncompromised experience.

War On Terror: As jihadists bomb Boston, behead a soldier in London and firebomb police in Sweden, President Obama has decided America's actions have offended them and it's time to retreat.

In arguably the weakest national security speech by a commander in chief, Obama denied Thursday that our terrorist enemy is inspired by Islam — while at the same time appeasing Islamic critics by apologizing for drone strikes and agreeing to throttle back on such precision bombings, and close down the terrorist prison at Guantanamo.

He vowed to wind down further military actions in the war on terror, arguing he can protect America through law enforcement actions, instead, as if the threat comes from bank robbers or other common criminals.

His mea culpas and capitulations will only embolden the Islamist enemy. In case you missed the interminably long and rambling speech, here are some of its many pusillanimous lowlights:

• "Force alone cannot make us safe. We cannot use force everywhere that a radical ideology takes root; and in the absence of a strategy that reduces the wellspring of extremism, a perpetual war — through drones or Special Forces or troop deployments — will prove self-defeating."

• "So the next element of our strategy involves addressing the underlying grievances and conflicts that feed extremism."

• "In Iraq and Afghanistan ... thousands of civilians have been killed."

• "Much of the criticism about drone strikes understandably centers on reports of civilian casualties ... It is a hard fact that U.S. strikes have resulted in civilian casualties. And for the families of those civilians, no words or legal construct can justify their loss ... those deaths will haunt us as long as we live, just as we are haunted by the civilian casualties that have occurred throughout conventional fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq."

• "By the end of 2014, we will no longer have the same need for force protection (in the Afghanistan theater), and the progress we've made against core al-Qaida will reduce the need for unmanned strikes."

• "America does not take strikes when we have the ability to capture individual terrorists; our preference is always to detain, interrogate and prosecute."

• "America does not take (drone) strikes to punish individuals" for past terrorist acts; "we act against terrorists who pose a continuing and imminent threat to the American people."

• "Targeted action against terrorists, effective partnerships, diplomatic engagement and assistance — through such a comprehensive strategy we can significantly reduce the chances of large-scale attacks on the homeland."

By
BAMS