₦airaland Forum

safari SA:
yeswecan,

can you trust yourself, the new generation if you taste power? i am sure you will steal more money than Obj, IBB, and abacha combined.

@beaf

Keep posting lies. Saraki investigated! calling that name kills your position. NPN senate leader? the Leader of the corrupt version of the Senate NPN of those days. it's like saying Omisore tried Abacha for killing Kudirat! look for another thing to say. read between the lines of every article you read and make constructive conclusion my friend.

Do you believe in fairies and fantasy? Your arguments are not connected to easily verifiable reality. It is very easy to find out what went on the Shagari's Senate, records abound. There was also a successful court case brought by Vera Ifudu over her sacking by Buhari for announcing the Senate Committees finding on NTA news, she was reinstated and paid damages - another easily verifiable fact.

You could have at least checked the above before making stupeed comments in support of a religious fanatic. It is easy to conclude that under a Buhari govt, Boko haram would become yesterdays joke as Nigeria will become a full fledged terrorist state, led by a man with disregard for rule of law and anything that isn't on the fanatical religious right wing.

safari SA:
And Jonathan will fight corruption? Beaf, your guys is worse than Ribadu or Buhari, he is corrupt, easily influenced, does not have balls of his own. at this Buhari and Ribadu has proven that they can go for the kill. What about your man, only Ibori since May last year.

Are you from Atiku's village?
Dude, this agbero style politics of just plucking labels from thin air failed woefully. Why can't a lot of Nigerians be sophisticated in their politics?
Please give us facts, proofs and things we can chew on, this gutter style, street corner rumour politics will never cut it again. The political scenery has changed forever with GEJ, those who cannot see this get left behind, practising the same old useless politics and expecting new results.

Dude please, come at me with facts and facts only.

Interesting debate! The all conquering (albeit mistaken) corruption killer, Ribadu cannot fight corruption in high places!
What then are his credentials for the presidency? His experience is Nil and like Atiku, he will not even carry his own local government in an election. What are the credentials being preached? How can a man who is unknown in is home state be pushed at Nigerians? There's something fundamentally wrong there.

Ribadu, no doubt is a relatively good man as far as the Nigerian political scene is concerned, but his archilles hill is that he has zero experience of life outside a uniform.
He would do well to gain some experience in the diplomacy, patience and wisdom that are required to socialise and sell ideas in a civilian setting.

The man is so unprepared it is shocking anyone would devote a second to his already marooned dreams. Some might consider that statement harsh, but picture the following:

[list]
[li]By some miracle of tectonic proportions, Ribadu wins the election[/li]
[li]The House of Reps is 90% PDP[/li]
[li]The Senate is 90% PDP[/li]
[li]26 governors are PDP[/li]
[li]Ribadu storms in and begins ordering everyone about. . . 2 and a half weeks later, Ribadu is impeached[/li]
[li]Or, Ribadu smells the coffee, and since he cannot investigate corruption in high places, he simply joins in and pops champagne[/li]
[/list]

Reality check. . .

Pointblanknews.com learnt that at his briefing with select media chiefs in Abuja on Thursday, Ribadu said he would not bother himself with the integrity of politicians who elect to sponsor his campaign.

When asked at the Wuse , Abuja briefing to justify his alliance with Tinubu who has been accused by his EFCC of laundering about N20 Billion of state's cash, Ribadu said “ I won't bother myself with the integrity of politicians that will sponsor my campaign as long as they won't keep their stolen money in my pocket”

http://www.modernghana.com/news/296644/1/2011-i-wont-bother-myself-with-the-integrity-of-po.html

Nigeria needs a cool, wise head like Jonathans, not boxer and wrestler types who have not given due consideration to the responsibilities they so casually propose to bear.

Jonathans quiet way is what the anti-corruption battle requires, the recent PDP primaries is an example. Compared to all other parties, it was a showpiece of excellence. We all counted the votes out of the transparent ballot boxes together. Way to go!

[size=21pt]Fresh Air 2011![/size]

KBrown:
Everyone seems to have fallen for your smart move to be silent about this dark spot during Buhari's time. 2.8 billion Naira may not look much this day but there was so much uproar when Buhari mismanaged it. He is no saint as you want Nigerians to believe. One wonders whether it is from the proceeds he made from that deal that he has been prosecuting his many failed bids to be president.

Or could it be that the 2.8 Billion is getting to finish, hence the desperation to get back to get more.

It may also interest you that during his sojourn at PTF, it was clear to many that the distribution of intervention projects especially in roads was unjustly tilted in favour of Katsina and the other Northern States.

STOP DECEIVING NIGERIANS, BUHARI IS NOT A SAINT!

That money was actually traced to his Midland bank fixed deposit account in London by a Senate committee headed by (Olusola saraki) during Shagari's time, that is the real reason Buhari disdainfully smashed that lawfully elected govt and siezed power. As soon as Decree 4 that made reporting any embarrassing news about a serious crime (even if it was the truth) and all hands that could implicate him were sacked or jailed (including Fela and Vera Ifudu - for airing the news on NTA), Buhari stunned the nation by publicly announcing that he was ready to resign. Job done, tracks covered, documents shredded!
Buhari's shock announcement, after just a couple of months in power shook the nation and saw Idiagbon rise and take his place; Buhari became a figurehead with a junior ranking officer in Idiagbon manning all executive powers of state; that is the reason IBB had to wait for Idiagbon to leave the country before striking, Buhari was well and truly in Nigeria and powerless as any figurehead when the IBB palace coup took place.

ALL Buhari's claimed achievement are entirely due to Idiagbon ALONE.

Now, add the above to the mans religious radicalisation after leaving power and you get the picture of an exceedingly dangerous man a bit on the crazed side.
Who wants a wild-eyed president that would neglect the non-Muslim population and spend his time issuing sharia fatuahs? He would even alienate the vast majority of Nigerian Muslims who are moderate.
Anyone that wishes to be president of Nigeria must be religiously moderate and tolerant.

Decree 4 was designed to shield Buhari and his minions from being accountable to the Nigerian people. The intent of the decree was clear -- to silence opinion, speculation and even the truth.

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/carticles/confessions_of_a_prosecutor.htm

safari SA:
I can't believe Beaf posted this bunch of lies and i am impressed with the way Buhari has handled this matter ever since. he has come out openly deny this, quoting exactly what he said at the book launch which government-sponsored media men misquoted and propagated. Despite all this, the man has only talked about issues since he started contesting elections in this country, he has even refused to be joined on the zoning or pro-zoning issues. Beaf, (and the GEJ Campaign team will soon start) has resurrected this wrong perception on the unblemished, corruption-scared personality called Buhari. it is such an act of cowardise to use this in your campaign, and if i were Buhari, you and your co-horts should be charged for defamation of character. because you cannot trace corruption to this man, you begin to tag him an islamist. anybody that falls for your image slander is intellectually down, because Nigeria is too diverse for a religion to prevail. even Osama Bin Laden or Omar of Sudan could not impose Islam on the Southern Sudan. Buhari is more wise and old enough to know that no single religion can dominate this country, this is not the time of Othman Dan Fodio when we had no national army. Maybe it is the Nigerian army, which is filled with xtians, atheist, muslims, traditionalists, that will lead this agenda for him. Look for something else to say Mister and stop playing religious game, like your GEJ who blocked all roads just to attend Redemption and take personal picture with Pastor Adeboye, a place he has not been to in 13 years.

Buhari has been to all the bishops in the country, wrote them personal letters in 2007 on this matter, hence we have not lived up to our christian values to hear and believe his side of the story. It is sickening to be a christian in this fold, i confess as a christian. Is it GEJ that refused to arrest Uduaghan (when removed by court) who was mentioned in the case that jailed ibori'S wife in UK, gave akala, sylva of all people automatic tickets, is frollicking with Anenih who threatened delegates from SOUTH SOUTH in the presence of GEJ, is backed by Obasanjo, offered SNG $50,000 transport money in Aso Rock, spend NGN 10 billion on October 1 celebration, continue to grapple with security challenges Jos and even Abuja, makes confusing statements on critical national matters, blatantly denied zoning when he was part of the arrangement, has a wife who is using her NGO to fund her husbands' campaign (backed with facts i can't put on this thread), agreed for speaker and senate president to buy their official residence, made a useless Gbenga Daniel a campaign coordinator, set up more federal universities when the ones we have have not been fully built to their capacity in almost average 20 years of creation. released a senate leader on murder charges in less than 24 hrs and flew him on a chartered plane from ibadan to abuja. is this your messiah? someone who has commited more errors in less than one year than any president we ever had!

Continue to live in that gentle mien of an inept, corrupt president, who offered $7000 to each delegates for votes. I wonder whether it was he or atiku that offered someone who lost a brown envelop containing foreign currency at the eagles square event. CPC , ACN other parties did their elections, exchange rate did not falter. PDP did theres and the exchange rate went gaga! theives,

Dude, if you want to say something about Beaf, go ahead and do it. Whats the crap about the GEJ campaign team? I don't work for anybody.
if you had a single fact, you would have been kind enough to tell us of what transpired at the sharia book launch you assumed he made the comments.

For your information, he didn't make the comments my article reported at a book launch, rather they were made at a sharia seminar, please learn to read:

Buhari made the latest comments at a seminar organised by the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, a newly set up body attended by northern state governments and Islamic scholars.

The rest of your post is just more of the same sort of rumours and untruths. Deal with it dude, Buhari is a religious crackpot that has no business attempting to represent all Nigerians. He is a bigot of the worst sort.

Gbawe:
Those who are insecure in their own candidate , because he has no decent record to run on (GEJ) , will focus entirely on defaming the character of everyone else in the race. I am prepared to see an article 'quoting' that Ribadu was an evil, drug-taking cult leader while he was at University in the past.

Are you saying Buhari never made the statements? Are you claiming Buhari isn't a religious bigot? If so, prove it.
Or is it that you are just being dishonest as usual?

Atiku tried the lying route and got routed, you should learn a lot from that.

Jakumo:
All in favor of Ayatollah Buhari being handed an election LOSER'S consolation prize of being assigned to dog-catcher duties in his village, please say AYE !

AYE!

Lagosboy:
@Beaf

Wha you fail to realise is that even GEJ wuld not play this kin of politics as he would be playing the reliious card and alienating the whole of the north. He would be saying he wants only votes from christians by attacking Buhari from a religious angle.

Common sense will tell us this kind of religius card is simply divisive, wake buddie wake up!

You surely know that sharia is not the definition of Islam, so you are the one playing the riligious card.
Abeg, keep quiet. Buhari was at the forefront of a crusade to install sharia across the whole country. His words are indelibly cast in stone.
I am neither a Christian nor a Muslim, but I value my freedom desperately, so I couldn't give a hoot about a wild eyed, fanatic president.

Abagworo:
This article is 10 years old.Even a criminal 2 years ago could be a Pastor today.So it is bullsh*t to discuss it or even use it as a reference.

Pure foolishness.

Would you commit murder, get caught 100 years later and expect to be declared innocent? You can take your crap pseudo religious nonsense to the unintelligent, perhaps you don't know how blood has flowed in the country.

You should be careful before voicing idiotic opinions. These are headlines from 2001, the year Buhari made his speech:

Nigeria Releases Casualty Figures from Kaduna Riots
Sunday, August 26, 2001 (12:00 am)

by Obed Minchakpu

KADUNA, Nigeria (Compass) -- Nigerian police authorities reported that 123 churches were burned and 55 mosques razed during the Kaduna religious riots in late February that involved violent clashes between Christians and Muslims over the implementation of sharia (Islamic legal system) in northern Nigeria.

The police command in Kaduna made the disclosure through its commissioner, Alhaji Hamisu Isa, who submitted the report to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which was established in early March to investigate causes of the Kaduna riots. The Commission is headed by Justice Dalhatu Ja'afaru, a Muslim attorney.

The police said 609 persons were killed, including four policemen, and more than 100 persons were injured. In addition, 1,944 houses and 746 vehicles were burned. . .

http://www.worthynews.com/2253-nigeria-releases-casualty-figures-from-kaduna-riots

'Allah will decide if I die for adultery'

A Nigerian woman facing death by stoning speaks for the first time after being sentenced under Islamic law: 'They have made so much politics out of sharia that it is denting Nigeria's image'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/dec/09/religion.islam

Religious hatred sparks Nigerian riots

By Glenn Mckenzie, AP


Sunday, 14 October 2001

Bands of Muslims and Christians rioted yesterday in the streets of Kano, northern Nigeria. More than a dozen people were killed, according to witnesses and police, and places of worship were set alight.


Bands of Muslims and Christians rioted yesterday in the streets of Kano, northern Nigeria. More than a dozen people were killed, according to witnesses and police, and places of worship were set alight.

This was the latest outbreak of religious violence in an area where Muslim-Christian fighting has killed thousands since last year.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/religious-hatred-sparks-nigerian-riots-631341.html

ode remo:
beaf common grow up that article was written in 2001.
dont come as if yor man is saint jonathan.

I've never heard a more incredible excuse for religious fanatism and bigotry.

[size=14pt]Calls for 'total' Sharia in Nigeria[/size]
2001-08-27 21:32

Lagos - A former military ruler of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has called for the introduction of 'total' Islamic law across the country, reports said on Monday.

Buhari, who ruled Nigeria from a coup in December 1983 to his ouster in 1985, told a seminar in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, at the weekend that the strict Islamic law code known as the Sharia should be introduced in full across Nigeria.

"I will continue to show openly and inside me the total commitment to the Sharia movement that is sweeping all over Nigeria," Buhari said, quoted in press reports.

"God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of the Sharia in the country," Buhari said.

Northern Nigeria is mainly Muslim but southern Nigeria is mainly Christian and has led criticism of the introduction of Islamic law in a dozen northern states in the past 18 months.

Africa's most populous country has been shaken repeatedly in the past by religious unrest. In February 2000 between 2 000 and 3 000 people were killed by Christian-Muslim riots in Kaduna over the introduction of Sharia.

Call for Sharia across the country

Buhari's comments were interpreted by the southern-based papers as a call for the imposition of Sharia all across the country, even in the mainly Christian south.

"Buhari calls for Sharia in all states," was the headline of the respected newspaper The Guardian.

Buhari's comments were defended by supporters as simply a call for the full implementation of Sharia in areas where Muslims predominated.

But the comments are the second by Buhari that have courted controversy after he called earlier this year for Muslims to vote at the next presidential elections only for someone who would defend their faith.

This was criticised by the press as a call for voting along religious lines, as well as an attack on the current president, Olusegun Obasanjo, who is a Christian.

Buhari made the latest comments at a seminar organised by the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, a newly set up body attended by northern state governments and Islamic scholars.

"It is a legal responsibility which God has given us, within the context of one Nigeria, to continue to uphold the practice of Sharia wholeheartedly ,  and to educate non-Muslims that they have nothing to fear," he said.

"What remains for Muslims in Nigeria is for them to redouble their efforts, educate Muslims on the need to promote the full implementation of Sharia law," he went on. - AFP

- SAPA

http://www.news24.com/xArchive/Archive/Calls-for-total-Sharia-in-Nigeria-20010827

How can "progressives" be led by a drug baron?
Please lets not abuse the word.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/139268_BolaTinubuHeroinforfeiture_jpgb084d334c74cec7150ee9588a3aed2fc

www.nairaland.com/attachments/319908_Tinubu1_jpg3c37d5b8f7c4dab1d6a1bf770692c404

The scourge of almajiri is a blight on the landscape of Nigerian cities. It is a problem of immense proportions that has been spiralling out of control for decades, but deliberately ignored by previous govts, since the almajiri form a ready army for political thuggery. Today, the almajiri population has been reliably estimated at 10 million. The almajiri problem has long become an issue of national security and future economic wellbeing.
Please read the words of a Sokoto dweller below:

The Curse of Democracy in Northern Nigeria (2): By Abdullahi Usman

Contrived perpetual illiteracy remains a tool of domination by politicians in Northern Nigeria

If anyone is ever in doubt as to the level of nuisance and immense threat to life and property that can result from the unchecked criminal activities of these miscreants, that person only needs to pay a visit to the hitherto peaceful North Western State of Sokoto. One often hears series of sad tales about the unrestrained activities of the so-called Area Boys in that state, but recent visits to Sokoto afforded me the unwelcomed opportunity of coming face to face with the stark reality of just how bad the situation has been allowed to degenerate. A combination of personal observations and several discussions with long standing friends and school mates revealed that Sokoto has indeed changed from what it used to be back in our days at Government College (now Nagarta College) Sokoto.

. . .

Rather than coming together to jointly address the serious issues bedeviling the region such as the problem of excruciating poverty arising from mass unemployment, massive infrastructural gaps, increasing decay in our educational system, the perennial almajiri syndrome and emerging youthful restiveness, our political leaders are busy compounding the problem by promoting the excesses of political thugs.

As a result, there exists  many of such miscreants in virtually every state of the North: from the dreaded ‘Yan Kalare of Gombe, to the so-called ‘ECOMOG’ in Borno, Sara Suka in Bauchi, ‘Yan Daba in the Kano/Jigawa axis, ‘Yan Shinko in Adamawa, ‘Yan Banga in Kebbi, ‘Yan Kaura in Katsina, and so on
."

In his wise and quiet style, Goodluck Jonathan has been able to cross boundaries and reach out to the almajiri's where all others couldn't. With his diplomatic and accommodating approach, he has been able both offer govt help to standardise the almajiri system and include basic Western education in their curriculum! Bullseye!!
It is a masterstroke that will produce more rounded individuals that are employable and a positive part of society, it also cuts out child abuse and improves the future economic prospects of Northern Nigeria as well as the wider country; above all, it reduces the risks they pose to national security and cohesion.
We have a thougthful, forward thinking President who reaches out to the common man in very effective ways, please read the detail below:

[size=14pt]Jonathan - Basic Education for Almajiri 'Will Improve Development'
[/size]
President Goodluck Jonathan has said the curriculum of the Almajiri educational system would be made to include basic education to empower them to play the needed roles in the development of the country.

He said the addition of basic western education to the curriculum of the Almajiri School would better assist in the skills development and enhancement of the competences of children who pass through the system. Jonathan said this while receiving in audience the 20,000-member strong Almajiri Education Association in State House, Abuja, that he was impressed by their ability to recite the Koran in 20 different ways, which implies they were imbued with extraordinary abilities.

He therefore assured them that he would be present at the foundation laying ceremony of their education system in the third week of January 2011 in Sokoto, Sokoto State and charged them to always embrace peace in all their dealings.

According to him,  "Our country is like the human body; you cannot develop one part and leave the other, that is why I believe the nation's resources should be spread to develop the entire country.

We must train our young people if our nation must develop. Your presence here and your prayers encourages us to do more especially when we know that you are appreciative of our efforts to improve the Almajiri education system". Speaking at the occasion, leader of the delegation, Sheik Gwani Lawi said they had been operation in the past 50 years though informally. He also stressed the need to correct the impression that the system was about using children for street begging, pointing out that it was about teaching and preaching core Islamic religious values usually from place to place.

http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/201101050622.html

Almajiri's
https://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/WORLD/africa/01/07/nigeria.children.radicalization/t1larg.jpg

[size=14pt]Fresh Air 2011![/size]

Gbawe:
@GEJ fans.

The main problem with you guys is that , like the candidate you support , you all do not have an enduring commitment to things being done in the right and proper way. You all don't have the personal integrity to appreciate that , for an almost lawless nation , adherrence to the rule of law is paramount if Nigeria is not to become a failed State. No one should be more symbolic of total dedication to the rule of law than our President.

In Jonathan , we have a President ready to behave like an uncouth gangster at every stage with his tacit endorsement of lawlessness and criminality . Sometimes , when desperation is high , Jonathan will be seen unequivocally and overtly using the office of the Presidency to thwart the need for democracy and the rule of law to take their course. We saw this with how he wanted his political appointees to be made voting PDP delegates . When that failed his minions at the Senate and house of reps decided that they must urgently pass into law statutes that will allow them to become voting delegates of their political Parties. Mind boggling when one considers that these same indolent f.uckers did not attempt to expedite the passage of bills that can have drastic effects in moving Nigeria forward yet , come election time , they are pontificating that their right to vote in , and thus influence, an election is sacrosanct. That is classic proof that our national woes , under rudderless and unprincipled GEJ, will continue.


No fan of Jonathan has ever , on NL, responded with any measure of integrity when I have asked why our fully empowered C-in-C has , till date , not reacted effectively to bring order to Ogun State over the impeachment debacle instigated by his coordinator for the SW region . If at all Jonahan appreciates that dangerous precedences will be set that will , at the very least, move us closer to a scenario where local "strong men" are encouraged to do as they please Somalia-style we will not see him ignoring gansterism everywhere. A very dangerous leader indeed as the many rabidly incompetent leaders who deliberately stoked the fire that has breeded the Somalia and Sudan we see today. I wait for any GEJ fan to explain Mr. President's dangerous descent , with Senator Folarin's impromptu'acquittal' of a murder charge, into the realm of recklessly setting precedents of judical lawlessness more associated with nations where law and order has broken down irretrievably:

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5663479-146/police_withdraw_murder_charges_against_folarin.csp

I recall Atiku emplying similar dirty and dishonest tactics to the above. It didn't get him very far.
If this is how you hope to campaign for Ribadu, we can only stand back and laugh.

yakoyo1:
Ribadu all the way

Ribadu will probably win in Lagos, but that will be about it.
Just like Atiku, he will lose his home state, Adamawa to GEJ. He will also win absolutely nothing in the core North, despite being Fulani.
Winning a single state doesn't a president make.

IBB's words have proven that there will be no mass ethnically bigoted exodus.
Luckily too, we have a gentleman President whose tent is all-encompassing, wise and forgiving.

In this new day, we have bade farewell to ethnically driven politics. Let the best step forward!

[quote author=ndu_chucks link=topic=585949.msg7536066#msg7536066 date=1295058312]We don’t need the kind of reprehensible pomposity exhibited in the bolded part above if we are going to have a fruitful discussion or debate. Many readers have no idea what the items Eziachi asked about are, or who or what government implemented the policies.

I humbly request once more, that Eziachi or anyone else who can spell out what those items (particularly the 2 acts mentioned) are or provide us with links to where we can find the information, should do so as soon as possible. Stating that people who are unaware of the items don’t need to be here is a bit condescending.

Please posts the 2 acts in question  for all to see. It would be helpful if you all tell us which specific provisions of the acts you like or don't like.[/quote]My apologies.
The line the bolded refers to was mistyped and has been corrected. I was talking strictly about campaigners.

jason123:
Pls, remember that your GJ is the product of these same cabals that has impoverished our people for so long. He is a product of this same zoning that he has now jettisoned, pls, do not trust him. He has spent A WHOLE YEAR in power and what has he done? Has the country not been worse off? Were we not all talking about splitting the country 24/7 on this site? Is this the same person you want to reward with 4 years? Remember that his wife, our first lady was caught with a bag filled with money while travelling to the USA. PLS, LET'S GET THIS RIGHT!!! Vote RIBADU!!!

How is it possible for you to campaign for Ribadu while calling him a liar at the same time?
Ribadu has said it clearly and loudly, over and over, that the story you have told above was spread by rumour mongers, no-gooders and dirty smearers.

I for one, do not believe Ribadu to be a liar and demand that you make an unreserved apology right here and now to both the man and his supporters.

[quote author=jay_getta link=topic=585949.msg7535950#msg7535950 date=1295055646]Kobojunkie, if Jesus was to reappera today, would argue him to a standstill the fact that the Bible claimed he was crucified on a cross. . . Unable to win against Kobo, Jesus would probably flee back to heaven into the warm, loving hands of his father. . . That said; give me a man whose tenures as Governor, Minister, Head of State and head of PTF was devoid of the usual stories of corruption; a man performed admirably as head of Nigeria's Anti-Graft Agency (and also refused a whooping $15million bribe); and one whose wife was involved in a $3million bribe scandal, depleted the National Reserve just to serve his own agenda to the detriment of Nigerians, surrounds himself with the very people that have been destroying Nigeria since its birth and you should know who my choice would be. . . And it definitely isn't the third individual described. While I won't castigate Mallam Ribadu (his sincerity and love for Nigeria is not in doubt), I do not believe he is the one to deliver Nigerians from hell. Simply put: the corrupt do not fear him AS MUCH!!!!! The name BUHARI strikes fear in the evil minds of Nigerians who aim to turn the country into their own personal fiefdom through the depletion on the Nation's coffers. Buhari might be see as being brutish(mostly by those who wish to continue "business as usual"in the country), but, if 'brutish' is what we need in order to eradicate corruption and set this great nation onto the path of glory, then give me it. Because, I will accept 'brutish', anyday, anytime, over 'silent works' and handing over control of the Nation's affairs to known crooks and pilferers. For this reason, amongst others, I say:Muhammadu Buhari is the man we need to set Nigeria back on the right track.[/quote]You might have poted the above in error:

Everybody in Nigeria knew that Abacha was an usurper, and that he was uncontrollably corrupt and was also involved in state sponsored murder, but Buhari who you paint in such glowing colours, still agreed to serve under such a man as the chairman of PTF. As chairman of PTF, he made his own cousin the sole consultant for monitoring and assessing the value of contracts. Afriproject consortium was so corrupt that at the inception of Abdulsalami's regime, fearful of exposure, Buhari's cousin committed suicide in his office. When the books of PTF were opened, the can of worms was so much that Haruna Adamu said he felt sickened by it. One body determined the contracts to be awarded, the payments to be made and whether the contracts had been satisfied.

http://www.dawodu.com/omokri1.htm

ola olabiy:
But, you will never put on the elbow grease nii.

Me?!

Dude, check my signature get shocked. . . and then tell me again that I can't apply elbow grease.

ola olabiy: I would have loved to engage you Beaf. But I won't. I don't want it to descend to JEGbashing thread.

I have nothing against the man. Nor you.

You are basically doing what any Nigerian would do.

That's why I have never condemned you.

It isn't about JEG, bro.

No, forget about GEJ for now. This isn't a GEJ campaign thread and the horrible politics of the period has been soundly defeated, so my boxing gloves have been put away.
I asked the question because, I am an optimist and just wondered why you are so persimistic. I'm positive that Nigeria can get it right if we put on the elbow grease.

[quote author=ndu_chucks link=topic=585949.msg7535774#msg7535774 date=1295052851]Please give us a brief description of each of the items you listed. Don't assume that the commentators understand or even are aware of the items.

Thanks.[/quote]Any campaigner unaware of each and every item on Ezeachi's list really shouldn't be here.
I have posted arguments for the gradual move of the ship of state toward true federalism. In every federal system, the rights of communities and individuals are sacred; they are upheld and resolutely defended.

A community or an individuals rights to property and land as an asset must be held as sacred, land should not be siezed by govt for any reason. A man from Zamfara should not be split from his kinsmen, because there are fears that his gold bearing land will make him more powerful than the nation (think Ayo Irikefe here), neither should economically unviable states be created for ethnic nationalism reasons. With true federalism, such primitive ethnically bigoted politics would be gone forever.
We need a Nigerian system that revolves around merit and individual enterprise.

The revenue formula will need to be renegotiated around a basket of policies, funding and frameworks that would span over an agreed period.

As always, these are my personal thoughts.

--EDITED--

ola olabiy:
You won't get away with the corrupt sales anyway.
The next government will probe you just to re-sell it to their own cronies.

Ok?

I'm at a loss as to your direction. My interest peaked when you mentioned the way power generation worked in the Western World. I expected a summary of points one could digest and compare with our own road map. But you seemed to have argued against privatisation instead (cos plants would be sold to govt cronies who in turn would simply not invest because the next govt would sieze them anyway; and now that seems to have gone full circle with the argument that the next govt would probe sales. It all seems incredibly involved.

How do we compare what obtains in the West to what is in GEJ's power road map? The answer might straighten my confusion with the above.

Gbawe:
All this "Horse before the Cart " pontifications is naive, dishonest, uninformed and especially unrealistic when your man , confronted with several critical tests of leadership, has not even shown he is capable of grappling with basic issues talk less of him being a leader who can talk of , let alone sustain the difficult and sincerity-dependent effort to effect true federalism. Jonathan has chosen political expediency , while shunning integrity, every time he has faced stern tests of his leadership. Commical you posit that this simplistic opportunist is the saviour of Nigeria. Anyway, it is hardly surprising considering that conferring qualities and achievements on Jonathan he does not have is the favourite pastime of his supporters who have nothing real or tangible to work with. Go back to dreaming about true federalism without understanding that folks far more intelligent than you and far more involved with influential Nigerian public office , all across our nation, do not speak of it because they understand the historical evolution of nations enough to know we are not even close , as a nation , to begin broaching the issues of true federalism with any realistic level of sincerity.

I am at a loss for what you are attempting to say. Is the above an argument for Ribadu?
These are new times in Nigeria and attempting to escape replying to intellectual reasoning with such dross just doesn't cut it anymore.

You declare true federalism a mere dream to be dismissed, but I will let you know that it is the dream of all Nigerians. A dream for the day of equity, justice, true representation, rule of law, self actualisation, a sense of belonging, healthy competion, development and industrialisation.
To not understand or key into the above, is to not bond with the yearning of the everyday Nigerian. Thankfully, in Jonathan, we have a listener who is down to earth and every bit like the man on the street; he understands what we cry about.

My friend, the days of koboko politics are gone. The days of beating Nigerians into line are gone, the country is like an egg that needs Jonathans sure hand and his wise and patient head; we do not need wrestlers and boxers with their barrack style politics (military or police).

Sagamite:
No 1, it is not about structure, it is about process checks which can be achieved under present structure.

No 2, and you honestly think there will be no ethnicity or regional domination in geo-political regions?

No 3, what stops one from seeing their rep at present? You think it is structure?

No 4, you think federal structure is the reason why we have thieves, scoundrels and murderers in politics? So how come countries like USA, Korea, UK don't produce the same?

We do not have a federal structure, we only call it that. Nigeria's architecture is unitary. There is no developed country with any degree of our diversity that practises the unitary system of govt. A country like the US especially, practices true federalism and cannot in any way be compared to the Nigeria. Unitary govt is suited to small or ethnically homogenous countries.

Process checks have been built already under the present  with varying degrees of success, but none can be ever be satisfactorily successful if the people are not carried along. I agree that leadership matters, but leaders are confined and to a large extent, defined by the system.
As for not being able to see my rep, it is because he couldn't care less to see me. The reason for this is simple, he owes Abuja everything and me, nothing; again, its the system.

If we didn't have the ugliness of our federal system where all money is located in Abuja, society would be more equitable and just. That aside, sources of wealth would be diversified and we would be spared the do or die pull Abuja exerts on our politics and national life. Politicians would think twice before embezzeling wealth that is generated locally by business or tax payers.

Don't get me wrong, the system is not all, but it goes a very long way to providing the solution.

Sagamite:
And you think Dele can not summon people at local level to beat you?

So explain to me why the NURTW is not corruption free? Are the leaders also summoning people from Abuja to beat people or there are enough Alaayes in the motor parks? Are things there not strictly Motor park level? Has it eliminated corruption?

You conjectures are based on the exclusion of the posibilities that gangs will run the show at micro-levels where they can cower people?

The bolded is quite important. There might be gangs at micro-levels, but they will never be the same one immovable gang like we now have. Micro-gangs will be millions of times easier to kick into the bin than the Abuja parade.

ola olabiy:
But, Dele will still be able to call on the boss at LG level, innit?

And, in a structured country where there is Rule of Law, you are not allowed to beat Dele.
Ok?

But this time, because there is a truly representational system, the boss would have been truly voted in and will be removed by votes if he ventures into such behaviour.
Forget about physically beating Dele, that was a figure of speech.

Sagamite:
No 1, if this your response is premised on your entry post into the thread, I think you are wrong. In Nigeria, Governors are very powerful and do not need the president and don't have to kiss his arse to get allocations. Governors are not accountable to the people because the people are too dumb, too ignorant and/or too detached from governance due to lack of self-development to understand the power system of the nation. Most people do not know how much power state governors carry. An average Nigerian would even think the President can wake up one morning and sack a governor. Everything is blamed on President.

No 2, abolishing funds centrlisation will IN NO WAY eliminate corruption. Having good leaders is what eliminates corruption, not power structure except it is intentionally structured to tackle corruption with process checks.

The bolded is my exact point. Nigeria's current structure was put in place for ethnic domination, therefore we have to tear ethnicity out of governance in order tackle the problems that spiral out of our "federal" monster. We need a representative structure for every citizen to be built from ground up. In a place like the UK, a constituent can set up a meeting with David Cameron; in the US, we know the story of the rep that got shot at a meeting with her constituents.
In Nigeria, the only "constituent" is Abuja; we have a govt system that encourages thieves, scoundrels and murderers. Because of our govt system, good men cannot flourish in politics. The system can only provide leaders that rise through it.

ola olabiy:
@beaf

The problem has gone beyond that 'federalism talk' level. That alone can't solve the problem of corruption.

We breathe it.

The day the engine stops running in Abuja will be the day we all realise that we can beat up Dele in the next street for not issuing fully paid up tax reciepts without kola. Because, on that day, Dele will no longer be able to summon forces from either Abuja or state level, such things will be at strictly LG level, it will be all "me and you" stuff. Avenues of corruption will either be cut off completely, or would have been dilluted beyond easy reach as applies in developed countries. Right now, corruption is centralised in Abuja with 36 satellite centres.

So why do you think we have had historical problems with Electricity?

Secondly, why do you think billions spent to revive it failed?

Thirdly, why do you think we have struggled so far in privatising it?

The summary of the answers to your three questions is, our devide and chop federalism. We are only beginning to fix our federal weaknesses and install accountability, along the way there will be resistance from beneficiaries of the old ways.

On the day we fix the federal system, corruption will fizzle away. Until that day though, any battle with corruption will be a fight with the wind, because we will keep plugging holes and applying plasters to a raging torrent driven by a faulty federal engine.

Concluding that corruption is Nigeria's main problem is just ignorant. The fact is, corruption is a mere symptom of Nigeria's federal ugliness.
The factor at the root of our problems is a wonky "federal" structure; we will continue to have dramatic levels of corruption as long as free money is shared monthly to all states and LG's from Abuja.

The long and short of our federal structure, is that the governors are beholden to the President, rather than being accountable to their people. He who pays the piper. . .
Nigerian presidents in turn, are accountable only to themselves like mini gods. There is a natural trickle down that corrupts the rest of society and makes govt patronage the holy grail for all.
It is only natural that a system like ours rewards the slimy manipulated and punishes merit. The system is the problem, not corruption.

While we go round in circles blaming the symptom for the disease, the national purse suffers, communal morality is drained and the talented flee to greener pastures for self realisation.