₦airaland Forum

Thief.

[size=14pt]2 PDP Members Launch Legal Bid to Stop Atiku[/size]
•This is mockery of judiciary, says campaign organisation
From Tobi Soniyi in Abuja, 12.21.2010

A day after associates of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku went to court in a bid to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting in the 2011 elections, his own candidacy has also become a subject of judicial battle.

Two-time gubernatorial aspirants in Adamawa and Taraba States, Mr. Bala Takaya and Senator Abdullahi Kirim, respectively yesterday asked  an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama to issue an order stopping Atiku from contesting in the  presidential primary of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They are inviting the court to move in their favour on the grounds that  Atiku is disqualified by both the PDP’s constitution and the 1999 constitution to seek election into any elective office in the country on account of his alleged antecedents touching on corruption.

By the fresh timetable released by the secretariat of the ruling PDP last week, the presidential primary is scheduled for January 13, next year.

The two plaintiffs who want Atiku barred from presenting himself for the political party’s primary election alleged that the former vice-president was dismissed from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on account of corruption and the findings in February 2010 of the United States of America Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations/  Committee of Homeland Security and Government Affairs which investigated him on allegations of money laundering and other corrupt practices of some foreign officials in the US which indicted him.

They argued that his dismissal and the recent indictment by the US were enough grounds to disqualify him since both the nation’s constitution and the PDP constitution forbid anybody with such dirty record from contesting election into elective offices.

Besides, the two aggrieved politicians are also seeking a separate court order compelling PDP to probe and  verify the various allegations of dishonest practices including alleged receipt of $2 million bribe from Siemens AG through his wife.

They asked the court to come down heavily on him if found guilty of the allegations.Takaya and Kirim invoked the original jurisdiction of the Abuja court via a writ of summons.

Although the case is yet to be assigned to any judge for hearing, the plaintiffs have, in the interim, filed a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction restraining the PDP from screening or clearing  Abubakar to contest the PDP’s presidential primary.

They are also asking the court to issue another interlocutory injunction restraining Abubakar from presenting himself for screening or clearance for the presidential primary.

In the suit, only the PDP and Abubakar were named as defendants.Detailing the reasons why they were involving the court to stop Abubakar from contesting the poll in a 31-point affidavit, they said his emergence as a president in the country would draw the nation backward.

[size=14pt]For instance, the plaintiffs averred that “between 1969 and 1989, Atiku Abubakar rose to become the Deputy Director of Customs and was dismissed following the findings of a panel of inquiry that recommended his dismissal.[/size]

“That in February 2010, the USA Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigation Committee of Homeland Security and Government Affairs carried out investigation on the money laundering and other corrupt practices of some foreign officials in the USA in line with the strict moral code and integrity within which that country operates.

“That the findings of the said Senate Committee showed clearly that Atiku Abubakar was the source of the over 440m dollars brought into the USA over a period of 8 years (2000-2008) through more than 30 accounts and both questioned the nature and source of Atiku’s wealth as well as found that the allegation by the SEC that Ms Douglas received over $2 million in bribe payments from Siemen AG intended part for her husband cannot be dismissed.

“That the report showed how Atiku along with his fourth wife, one Ms Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, an American citizen , engaged in acts which have thoroughly embarrassed Nigeria as a country.

“That Atiku was invited by the Senate Committee for questioning but that he declined the invitation.[size=14pt]“That since he was invited for questioning by the said US Senate Committee, he has never set his foot in the USA for fear of being arrested.

"And that Atiku Abubakar’s spouse, Jennifer Douglas-Atiku has also relocated to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and has not set foot in the USA since she appeared before the US Senate Committee."[/size]

Meanwhile, the Atiku Campaign Organisation told THISDAY on phone last night that the case was "ridiculous". A spokesman of the organisation said the court case "is a mockery of judiciary. We know where this is coming from and we are surprised that President Jonathan will lend himself to an abuse of court process.”
Atiku has consistently denied allegations of corruption, insisting that they are politically motivated.

http://www.thisdayonline.info/nview.php?id=190421

I have just read through several pages and its been entertaining in a dark way.

So bigots are openly running rings around the mods? . . .When we complained about the likes of bkbabe, no one did anything, maybe the mockery on this thread is the logical result.

EzeUche0:
Beaf,

What are you talking about?

I have no need to do so. EzeUche has remained my only name.

Hmmm. Ochi Agha talks just like you; same sort of 5 word sentences and "warrior" outlook.
Maybe he's your identical twin.

FL Gators:
It was a moment in time.
So you guys knew how bad it was before I retaliated? I knew I could be more awful than these useless simpletons here.
But I have decided to stop, so really, my apology to you


You dey mind Uche and his multiple IDs?

Yes, please stop. It doesn't fit you and it wouldn't do any good, abeg. Remain sweet and nice.

FL Gators:
God's time is the best

Why have you turned bad like this?

At 77 Ojukwu is still young. It looks bleak, but I pray he comes through this.

EzeUche0:
Ojukwu will always remain an Igbo leader!

God please give him long life!

Why start a thread and then reply yourself under a different logon like becomerich?

[size=14pt]A Christmas nightmare averted: lessons from 2009 ‘underwear bomber’[/size]
Font size:   John Campbell 22/12/2010 00:30:00
Abdulmutallab

Last Christmas, a young Muslim from Northern Nigeria, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, tried to destroy Northwest Flight 253 over Detroit, ostensibly on behalf of al-Qaeda. If he had succeeded, the result would have been the greatest loss of life from a terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11. For this pious, even fanatic Muslim, the discontinuity between revivalist preaching, [b]Northern Nigeria’s crushing poverty and the lavish lifestyle of the wealthy establishment that included his own family likely played a role in his radicalisation.

Abdulmutallab’s story provides a convincing reason for Americans to understand religion in Nigeria. What happens there can affect us here. And what is happening is the concurrent revival of both Islam and Christianity, albeit refracted through an African prism. Both ‘world religions’ include about half of Nigeria’s population and the two faiths intersect in the middle, an area referred to as the Middle Belt. The fault line runs from East to West across the country and recalls other “10th parallel” demarcations between the two religions, though each religion also has substantial minorities in the heartland of the other. In addition, the country is divided among 250-350 ethnic groups. Especially in the Middle Belt, religious boundaries often correspond to ethnic and economic cleavages. For example, on-going bloody violence around the city of Jos in Plateau state in the Middle Belt involves a struggle between Muslim Hausa-Fulani pastoralists and Christian Berom agriculturalists[/b].

Recognising the potential tinderbox, the interlocking networks of competing and cooperating elites that run Nigeria have long sought to exclude religion and ethnicity from presidential politics. Since the restoration of civilian government in 1999, they have largely achieved this goal through informal power sharing within the ruling party, called “zoning.” Every eight years the governing party nominee for the president shifts from the Christian South to the Muslim North and then back again. Hence, the southern Christian Olusegun Obasanjo served as president from 1999 to 2007, with his vice president Atiku Abubakar, a Muslim from the North. In 2007, Obasanjo was succeeded by Umaru Yar’Adua, a Muslim from the North; his vice president was Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian.

However, Yar’Adua’s death in office in May 2010, which made Jonathan president, has upset this arrangement. For many in the North, it remains their region’s turn at the presidency. Hence their chagrin that Goodluck Jonathan has decided to run for the presidency in 2011 rather than stepping aside and waiting until 2015. Since Jonathan’s decision, northern powerbrokers have sought a consensus candidate to oppose him in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries. For the time being, at least, the most likely consensus candidate appears to be the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

The concern must be that a presidential contest between a southern Christian and a northern Muslim will let the ethnic and religious genie out of the bottle, as politicians compete for control of the state. There is already anecdotal evidence that a few of Jonathan’s supporters are trying to rally support for his candidacy among the Christian minority in the North on the basis of shared religious identity. On the other hand, many northern Muslims fear marginalisation by a Christian government drawn from the more prosperous South. This concern may translate into support for radical Islamic organisations, such as Boko Haram, a radical Islamic sect that has been attacking police, government officials and religious leaders in the North. Further, Pew Global Attitudes Project polling data released in December 2010 showed that about half of Nigeria’s Muslims have a favorable view of Hezbollah, Hamas and al-Qaeda, though none of the three are significantly present.

Nigeria has held presidential elections in 2007, 2003 and 1999. Each was worse than its predecessor. The ruling party always ensures it wins at the presidential level, though small, opposition parties may be successful at the state and local levels. “Zoned” presidential elections combined with exclusion of religion and ethnicity—the two issues the Nigerian man in the street most cares about—resulted in declining electoral participation and indifference to their largely rigged outcomes.

The elections of 2011, absent “zoning” and with likely appeals to religion and ethnicity, are likely to generate more public excitement. An awakened electorate is also likely to be less tolerant of the rigging characteristic of the past. The stage is thus set for possible violence similar to that of Kenya following its 2007 elections. In Nigeria, the army likely will step in to prevent a threat to the fundamental integrity of the state. It will probably restore order quickly and with a heavy hand. However, it is unlikely to address Nigeria’s deep-seated challenges associated with poverty and division. Indeed, under that scenario, reversion to military rule, even with a possible civilian “face,” will be a major setback for African democracy.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/columnist/22439.html

Kobojunkie:
Oh Please, tell us something we have never heard before. Jeezz!!!

Slap yourself, the kneel down, face the wall and repeat one hundred times; "Kobojunkie will stop being NL's village hidiot!"

@topic
We hear you jare Mr Fashola! Maybe one day, your voice will be heard on the national stage along with all other young Turks.

[size=14pt]FG defends presence of military men at PHCN power stations [/size]
Written by Soji-Eze Fagbemi, Abuja
Tuesday, 21 December 2010

The Federal Government, on Monday, defended the presence of military personnel at all Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) power stations across the country, saying that their presence was to safeguard government properties and Nigerian citizens.

The government made the clarification as the workers in the electricity sector demanded that the military personnel be pulled out urgently to stop the molestation of their members by the military officers.

The Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, the Minister of State for Power, Nuhu Wya and the leaders of the electricity workers spoke at a meeting between government representatives and labour in Abuja on Monday.

However, the labour minister assured the workers that the issue of molestation of PHCN workers would be addressed by the government, adding, “if such thing exists, it is regrettable.”

Chief Wogu said: “Government is serious about respecting the rule of law, which is among the seven- point agenda plus security of lives and properties. The presence of military, at the PHCN plants is to protect lives and properties.

“Security is one of the most important aspect of the seven-point agenda, and rule of law and security are interface. So, the issue of security all over the country is very important.

“From Maiduguri to Aba, we have problem of securities and that is why in the Niger Delta, former President Umaru Yar’Adua and by extension President Jonathan are tackling it, and there had not been a serious confrontation with anybody except when they have armed conflict. But PHCN staff are not in any combat with Nigeria security agents.

“On my own, I think the main reason was to safeguard government properties and Nigerian citizens who work under PHCN. But the issue of molestation of PHCN workers, government will address that. If such thing exists it is regrettable”

Speaking during a meeting, the President, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Company (SSAEAC), Comrade Bede Opara, said the workers were protesting the way and manner government was carrying out its reform.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/15013-fg-defends-presence-of-military-men-at-phcn-power-stations

[size=14pt]RMAFC discards revenue allocation formula •Says it is outdated; proposes new one [/size]
Written by Gbola Subair, Abuja
Tuesday, 21 December 2010

THE Federal Government, states and the local government councils in the country will soon have a new revenue allocation formula, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has disclosed.

The newly appointed chairman of the commission, Mr Elias Mbam, disclosed this on Monday, in Abuja, in his maiden address to members of the commission and the media.

Mr Mbam disclosed that the present revenue allocation formula, which was bequeathed to Nigeria by the military, was old, inadequate and out of tune with economic realities.

To underscore the imperative of new revenue allocation formula to the nation, the new chairman said one of the tasks that would be performed by his administration was giving the nation a new revenue allocation formula.

In the next few days, he said a standing committee would be set up to look at all the determinant indices with a view to coming out with reliable and acceptable revenue allocation formula, which would then be submitted to the president for onward transmission to the National Assembly.

On the issue of the controversial jumbo pay to political office holders, the RMAFC chairman said the commission would look at it holistically and come out with a position soon.

Rather than laying emphasis on revenue sharing, Mr Mbam said the task of the commission would be how to increase the revenue base of the country through diversification.

“To kick-start our operations, we shall fine-tune existing policies and strategies and evolve new ones aimed at ensuring a federal revenue system that will increase overall volume of the national financial resources available for distribution to the three tiers of government. We shall be concerned more on how to increase the size of the national cake rather than dissipate all our energy on how to share a shrinking cake,” he said.

Stressing that his commission’s assignment was a very sensitive and challenging one that had serious implications for national unity, Mr Mbam enjoined all the members of the commission to live above board and put the national interest first .

“We should work as a team and take advantage of our varied background and experiences. You are not here to solely represent the interest of your states but to contribute towards building a virile economically stable fiscal regime for the socio-economic development of Nigeria,” he said.

Noting that RMAFC has some challenges, Mbam said the commission would consistently tackle the challenges by evaluating the institutional and human resource capacities at the commission and focusing on repositioning the organisation for the task of revenue mobilisation, allocation and fiscal efficiency.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/15037-rmafc-discards-revenue-allocation-formula-says-it-is-outdated-proposes-new-one

Ivory Coast needs to be invaded. We can't have blood suckers like Gbagbo running around like it is normal. It isn't.

appletango:
it didnt turn out too well for you the last time you tried to deny a SR story.

anyway, i'm gonna stop arguing with you; you're man is finished.

Why do Atiku people have such low IQ's? Did it go badly for me like this?

Sahara Reporters is best known for fake news these days.

[size=14pt]The fake pic below too is courtesy Sahara Reporters[/size]. Shame.
http://saharareporters.com/photo/photonews-jonathans-declaration-when-jonathan-women-met-goodluck-men

www.nairaland.com/attachments/324341_SaharaReportersFakePicture_jpg69a0b6e4ad1c8831fa731bd73bb022d2

I de laf oooooooooo!!!!!

Saharareporters has obtained a confidential report which might a major role in the trial that details calls made to Okah by several key Jonathan aides the night after the bomb blasts, at a time MEND was claiming responsibility for them.   Those named in the secret report include Jonathan's former

Who gave them confidential reports in South Africa?

Have Sahara Reporters carried their Dugbe market fake news and rumour mongering to SA now?
Na wa o!

I de laf oooooooooooooo!!!!!!

appletango:
i can tell by your tone that you know it's over

Yes, it is over for the tribalists, vultures and neanderthal cabals that have been holding Nigeria back.
You have been outflanked, outmaneuvered and within a month, you will be binned.

Lets see what you've got and who owns what.

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

appletango:
i actually don't believe its possible for him to recover from this. [size=14pt]the north are barely on speaking terms with him[/size] at the best of times and now this

GEJ: RIP 21st of December 2010. He came, he saw, he bungled.

Who gives a flying fck about Ciroma like creatures? "North" this, "North" that! You bloody scarecrows do not represent Northerners, neither do you control fck all. Bring it on, lets know who feeds who and how many weeks you can last.

Fcking ethnically bigoted bastar'ds.

[size=14pt]Bomb blasts: Court denies Charles Okah, 3 others bail[/size]
News Dec 21, 2010

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
A Federal High Court in Abuja, Tuesday, refused to release Charles Okah, the younger brother to the embattled ex-leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Henry Okah, on bail, even as it equally ordered the State Security Service, SSS, to within 72 hours, transfer him alongside three other accused person to Kuje prison.

Others remanded in prison custody yesterday were Obi Nwabueze, Edmund Ebiware, and Tiemkemfa Francis Osvwo, a.k.a General Gbokos.

They are facing trial following alleged acts of terrorism and other treasonable offences they committed against the Federal Republic of Nigeria at different times.

Trial Justice Gabriel Kolawole ordered their remand shortly after he dismissed three separate bail applications filed before him by the 1st, 3rd and 4th accused person in the matter, just as he fixed January 11, 2011, to hear the bail application of the 2nd accused persons, Obi Nwabueze.

The accused persons had in their separate applications, pleaded Justice Kolawole to consider the provisions of 36(5) and 36(b) and (c) of the 1999 constitution as well as section 118 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, and grant them temporary freedom pending the hearing and determination of the substantive criminal case initiated against them by the Federal Government.

They contended that their continued stay in SSS custody amounted to a gross infringement of their fundamental human rights.

In opposition to their bail applications, government prosecutor, Mr Alex Iziyon, SAN, filed a 29-paragraph counter-affidavit wherein he urged the court to take cognizance of the seriousness of the offence and the possibility that the accused persons may likely jump bail and decline their request.

Iziyon equally asked the high court to take a look at four different exhibits he attached to the counter_affidavit and confirm that there is a subsisting nexus linking all the accused persons to various terrorist organizations, stressing that they each have overwhelming criminal records.

Ruling on the matter yesterday, the trial Judge maintained that the accused persons failed to convince him of their readiness to face trial if granted bail, adding that it would be more judicious to refuse their applications considering the nature of the criminal charges filed against them.

According to the judge, “The accused persons have failed to produce sufficient facts to warrant the court to exercise its discretion to their favour. I am not convinced that they will return for trial if released.

“The offence of treason upon which the accused persons are standing trial is the highest offence in the statue book and it attracts death penalty upon conviction. Accused persons standing trial over this kind of charges are more likely to jump bail.

“However, this case is one that ought to be given accelerated hearing to enable the accused persons to know their fate on reasonable time. By January 6, 2011, the 30 days period earlier granted to the SSS to complete its investigations into the matter will expire; it is therefore more judicious to refuse the bail applications as I have found no merit in them”.

Immediately after the ruling, counsel to Okah, Mr Oghenovo Otemu pleaded the court to transfer his client from the SSS detention cell where he said he was being manhandled at will by SSS investigators. His oral application was quickly adopted by all the other defence counsels in the matter.

While conceding to their request, Justice Kolawole however held that “in view of the serious nature of the offence, I don’t want to speculate attempt to rescue the accused persons by those who are sympathetic to their plight, I do not know the state of security in Nigerian prisons but it is important that the court do not operate in a way that it may seem like the prosecution is having an upper hand, in balancing the interest of both parties, I hereby order the Attorney General of the Federation to liaise with the superintendent of prisons in Kuje to ensure that all the accused persons are transferred to prison custody within the next 72-hours.

“They should be reproduced to court from prison custody on the next adjourned date” he added.

The case was further adjourned to January 11, 12 and 18, 2011 for accelerated hearing.

Charles and his alleged co-terrorists were arraigned on December 7, for allegedly endangering the life of President Goodluck Jonathan while Nigeria celebrated its 50th independence anniversary in Abuja.

Apart from a 1-count charge with 22-particulars of overt acts of treason instituted them; FG subsequently re_arraigned them again over an 8-count criminal charge relating to the October 1 twin bomb blasts that killed about 12 persons in Abuja.

There are equally two other criminal cases pending against them before an Abuja Chief Magistrate court sitting at Wuse Zone 2.

In the instant case before the high court, they were accused of conspiring with Henry Okah and one Emmanuel Allison to make a direct attempt to endanger the life of President Jonathan by seeking to drive two motor vehicles wired with time_regulated explosive devices to the Eagle Square where the Independence celebration was taking place.

FG also alleged that the accused persons between January 2 and March 15, 2010, within Port-Harcourt Rivers State and diverse places, conspired with Henry Okah, Chima Orlu, at large, and persons unknown, to make a direct attempt to endanger the lives of the Governor of Delta state, Edo state and Imo state by seeking to drive two motors vehicles wired with time regulated explosive devices into government house annex, Warri, Delta State, the venue of the Vanguard Post Amnesty Dialogue, where the said governors were in attendance, in order to cause a bomb blast for the purpose of levying war against the state.

It was alleged that a man lost his life as a result of that explosion.

Charles was specifically alleged among other offences, to have engaged the services of one Bassey Umoren, a welder, and paid him N50, 000, to construct hidden compartments into four motor cars, two of which were subsequently loaded with explosive devices at Port-Harcourt by Obi Nwabueze and Chima Orlu, at large, and positioned on 1st October at 0830 hours near the venue of the anniversary for the purpose of levying war against the state.

He was also accused of sending two consignments of army camouflage torches, bullet proof vests and boots to Allison for onward transmission to one Segun Llori alias Stone face, at large, for use by terrorists recruited by Henry Okah in the creeks of Niger Delta.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/bomb-blasts-court-denies-charles-okah-3-others-bail/

blacksta:
BRF can never be part of this SHAM - I am sure BRF would suggested using an helicoptet. you obviously have been to Lagos to understand the hardship one can cause if you close all the main road from Eko hotel to the airport.

You are sure?
Dude, I don't do rumours and guesswork. Leave that to mama Iyabo and her moi moi customers.

blacksta:
What an idiooooooooot -


So it is ok to be locked down in one's car for endless hours because the President wants use the road for 15 mins.   Can you imagine the chaos  - Closing the entire stretch of the road from Eko hotel all the way to the airport. One of main routes of the entire Lagos state.  where the bleep was BRF when this id iot was in town causing untold hardship. 

And the Information Minister thanked GEJ for bring facebook to Nigeria.  What a bunch of losers.


GEJ blacksta can fu kk  off.

It will never occur to dunces that their beloved BRF and 100% of Lagos states protocol officers were involved neck deep in GEJ's security arrangements. Some Nigerians and their very low IQ's! Ignorance = Foolishness.

Continue airing your stupidity, its entertaining.

blacksta:
what a dumb excuse from a sycophant so Jonathan has to cause major chaos because he wants to see the deplorable state of the road / Just listen to yourself.

Even as another year is ending, you are still a fool.

^
Agreed, it isn't nice to cause inconvenience without reason, especially if it causes loss of money, business etc to the populace. However, if GEJ wishes to see things for himself, there is no choice but to drive.

The unnecessarily dangerous political situation and our infrastructural backwardness in Nigeria are to blame. If Nigeria was developed, there would be no reason why GEJ couldn't have gone by train instead, for example; he would have been able to see things for himself and roads wouldn't have needed to be closed down.

Someone should do some research on the the seriously low IQ levels displayed on this thread.
IQ's so low, they are painful to read. This is the politics section for goodness sake and posts are expected to at least display rudimentary levels of logic.

So, that is why Mr. President, you won’t get my vote. (But you can take solace in the knowledge that neither will your opponents since they are not any better). You can count on it.

Why rant if you are a mere spectator of the events that shape your future?
There is a huge problem in the way many Nigerians reason. We set logic aside and blast emotions to high heavens. The Presidents security arrangements annoyed you, therefore, you are not going to vote? Dude, be reasonable and look for an aspirant to vote for; if you don't like the major ones, then go for Utomi, Chris Okotie etc.

Personally, I see nothing wrong in the lock down, since a drive from Ikoyi to the airport would have given the President the opportunity to actually see the streets himself and get a feel for what is going on at ground level.

It is a really beautiful document if all members will stick to it.

The document contains the solutions to Nigeria's fundamental issues and shows that PDP's issues can be traced directly to some of its members, not the foundations of the party.
The most salient points are:

i. make fundamental break with past mistakes in order to realize the optimum potentials of the Country;

ii. build a qualitatively better society based on the principles of democracy, human rights and social justice under the rule of law;

Committed to;

i. restructuring Nigeria in the spirit of true federalism and responsible tiers of government, so as to achieve a just and equitable society;

ii. Resolving such fundamental issues as proper devolution of powers between the three tiers of government;

2. Supremacy Of The Constitution

We affirm our belief in the supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation and its people. We hereby affirm our commitment to strict observance and enforcement of the provisions. As a political party, we shall conform to the spirit and the letter of the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party.

3. Economy

At the root of Nigeria's political and social problems is poverty and low access to economic opportunities. The improvement in the well-being of Nigerians is the ultimate objective of the PDP’s economic policy, and makes accessible to every Nigerian the basic needs of life. The focus would be to create a market-based economy driven by small and medium scale businesses and regulated by a reformed public sector.

At the very foundation of the above objective of the party is the pursuit of a strong, virile and diversified economy built to stm rural urban migration through investment in modern agricultural methods. PDP's economic policy is centered on people and seeks to realize the Millennium Development Goals while aiming to:

i. Develop a middle class driven by small business owners, professional class with access to credit.

ii. Create easy access to transferable property rights in urban and rural areas.

iii. Protect the weak and poor through initiatives that is designed to integrate them in the economy.

iv. Improve investment in physical and social infrastructure.

The PDP aims, altogether, at establishing the leading economy in Africa and one of the 20 leading and largest economies in the World by 2020; an economy that experiences rapid and sustained growth of not less than 10% per annum.

4. The Judiciary and The Administration Of Justice

The Party shall:

i. At all times uphold and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

ii. Uphold the principles of separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution;

iii. Uphold the Independence of the Judiciary;

iv. Ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians

It is now some time since IBB made his Olympian threat to walk out of his party with his millions of supporters if another candidate from what he considers the wrong part of the country wasn't summarily expelled.
It is puzzling that his threat has not been carried out, rather there have been news headlines advertising the drift of his supporters to the camp of his opponent from the wrong part of the country; perhaps there just isn't anyone whom he can lead out of his party like a political Moses. No, we have a General marooned; IBB is still firmly in PDP.

It is noteworthy that IBB had fancied himself a formidable presidential candidate and an unstoppable political battleship; he was expected by many to awe, bamboozle and intellectually bushwhack his opponents. Instead, what we got was a pitiable whisper, a woeful anti-climax.
Here was a General who lacked the charisma to marshal his troops and instead begged and incited the violent aid of mere kids and urchins in exchange for useless clannish and religious laurels. Here was a General who had no legs to stand on, who instead desperately clutched, grasped and gasped for primordial succour in sectionalism and ethnic bigotry.

IBB is also not a man too shy to reel out his military experience to the extent that most people can complete a sentence he started, his words are that predictable. But where were his intellectual battle tanks, his strategic dive bombers? His show was like a candle wilting in the hot sun, like a muscle man that could not get it up to pleasure his beau on the hot steamy night he had planned.

Such is the power of confrontation. It turns perceived rocky mountains into tiny heaps the foot can flatten.

There is a new politics being born in Nigeria, it is not yet the Promised Land, but sure first steps have been taken. The bold, the brave, the intelligent and the self confident have seized the baton and are racing forward with it. It falls on ever youth to sweep away the cobwebs of old, the thieves, “Generals” and cabals who have held us back for decades. It is a journey we must embark on; gird your loins, it will be long and arduous, and the fight back by the dark forces will always be unprincipled and below the belt.

Nigeria is ours, let’s seize it. There's a job to be done.

- Beaf

Atiku is a dunce.

The man represents all that is bad in Nigerian politics and we, the masses demand a change from those who consider our very lives to be a cheap commodity that they can trade for their personal gain.

[size=14pt]Atiku Abubakar's call to arms[/size]
By Nonso Ikea
December 20, 2010 01:10AM

Last Wednesday, a former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar made what might well be the defining speech of the campaign by an ill-tempered calls to arms, apparently if he did not win the PDP primaries ticket. In a statement said to have lasted no more than five minutes, Atiku managed to lay bare a lot of what is wrong with the politics of the country and some of those practising it. In an address to his supporters from across the country at an event in Abuja, with the alluring title of: ‘Building a national consensus for national unity,' Atiku Abubakar warned that a violent change might be inevitable in the country if the present crops of leaders fail to encourage peaceful change.

‘‘Let me again send another message to the leadership of our country, especially our political leadership - those who make peaceful change impossible, make violent change inevitable.,'' Mr. Abubakar said, add-ing, almost as an after-thought, that ‘‘But this is not what we want for our country.''

This is a speech that would do a university student trying to impress his teen colleagues proud. But it is hardly appropriate for a national figure of Mr Abubakar's calibre. It is also particularly damaging when this statement is coming at a crucial stage when political parties are gearing up for their national primaries, one in which Mr. Abubakar is participating.

Cut it any which way, and it is not hard to surmise that the statement is directed at the man who is Mr. Abubakar's main opponent for the presidential ticket of the PDP, President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr Abubakar and his supporters have long sought to deny legitimacy to the goal of Mr. Jonathan to contest the presidential ticket on the dubious premise that the part of the country he came from cannot produce a presidential candidate for next year's election. In fact, the fulcrum of Mr. Abubakar's candidacy has been based on the notion of his being a candidate of a section of the country which he says should be the one to produce the next president of the country.

But that is fair; after all what is politics if not a game where people try to maximize their perceived strengths to win political office. What should not be acceptable are people making petulant calls for a breakdown of the system on their perception that it might not be favourable to them. Which raises the pertinent question regarding Mr. Abubakar's call to arms: who particularly is making change impossible and what particular change does Mr Abubakar want? And how in the name of all that is good can this life-long politician believe that violence would bring about the kind of change that is good for himself or the country?

To all intents and purpose, the race for next year's election is on. It is even safe to assume that the electoral programme has not been this good for some time in the past. INEC has a respectable leadership that appears determined to curb the excesses of the past; the political parties are working on their programmes and candidates have taken to the air to sell their virtue to the electorate. The system has been able to check excesses by some political players, including a power grabbing attempt by lawmakers. No one has proclaimed any law stopping anyone from contesting - except if you count the attempt to stop Jonathan - and the race appears open in several instances. It is possible that Mr. Abubakar was clumsily trying to head off attempts to rig the primaries and or the general election. But even that would appear rash.

Until the result of the primaries and the general election is out, no one could really plead that the system did not work. In any case, it is debatable if a resort to violence would be the best response even if there was fraud in the process. As Mr. Abubakar should have learnt from his former associates in the Action Congress of Nigeria, the legal system is actually quite capable of correcting electoral theft.

Although Mr. Abubakar left the party for the PDP before the court ruled on electoral cases in Edo, Ekiti and Osun states, the Action Congress (and Labour Party in Ondo and APGA in Anambra State) has shown that politicians need not waste the lives of others before they get restitution for wrong declaration of results. It will be good if he and other politicians would take the moral of this court judgment to heart. Like in any other race, only one person can win a political contest and the default by politicians to claim they were robbed of victory is a bane of the growth of democracy in weak democracies. It would help all of us if politicians real-ised that it is possible to come short in a race and that does not necessarily mean the end of the world.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Opinion/5655615-148/atiku_abubakars_call_to_arms_.csp

jaygetta:
Kobojunkie, u are an hypocrite: until u tell me your stance on Atiku being forced down our throat by the one-eyed Gargoyle, Ciroma!

Chineke me e!

[quote author=ndu_chucks link=topic=571072.msg7367277#msg7367277 date=1292768778]Zoning got your brother GEJ to power, without zoning he'll be quite irrelevant in Nigeria political arena. Greed and power hunger has now caused you PDP members from GEJ's ethnic group and others, to call the process neanderthal politics. Quite hypocritical.[/quote]Lie. Niger Delta agitation did. GEJ was brought in as an attempt placate the ND, cos the powers that be were scared that oil would stop flowing.
Zoning is for neanderthals and I am not in PDP.

egift:
^^^
There have always been provision till now for other posts - such that a particular ethnic group don't occupy all the top positions.

But if we discard it just to please Goodluck, that means any ethnic group to comes to power will keep everything to itself. Which is not good for a complex nation like Nigeria.

In other words, you believe in ethnic bigotry.

That is the exact thing modern, progressive and thinking Nigerians are trying to overcome and the first steps include binning zoning and introducing merit.
Belief in zoning could only produce an aspirant that is at best clown. Atiku is an internationally known thief and the very definition of mediocrity, need I say more?

Zoning is neanderthal politics for neanderthal consumption.

^
E be like say you know de read well again! Who is supporting Obj's arguments? Surely not me! How could you have missed the following?

Two distinct fulcrums arise around both the sincererity of the messengers of true federalism and the desperate need for its unadulterated practice in Nigeria.
On the issue of the messengers, some have been wholly unexpected, from previous dictators like Babangida and Obasanjo to the likes of Tunde Bakare vouching for Buhari (of the draconian Decree 4 fame):

. . .

The question is, do these people really grasp the concept of federalism or is it just the latest fad to pay it lip service, because the heavily burdened masses are weeping? We have to be alert that the argument and definitions are not snatched from us and bastardised. True federalism must never ever be twisted to mean the balkanisation of Nigeria into personal fiefdoms; that direction must be robustly resisted with the force of sincere logic and the purifying strength of spilt blood.

Abeg, read again jare and stop seeing other peoples arguments through a clannish veil.

Atiku is a dunce.

John Togo is a fcker that will soon be dead.