₦airaland Forum

^
I've called people around to come and see dis kain fool's comedy, so early in the morning. Dude, we are laughing at you like crazy!!!
What a funny guy you are, like an adult child! Vex go make blood spray from your eyes o! Ilorin miracle!

^
Teenage girl? You bera dodge before the guy finds something to throw from his gutter. After Lawrence Anini, na oyb!

oyb:
better get back to spamming the board with atiku threads

maybe that will hide your shame

bush eejit

better go and get your friends on thewillnigeria to do a bakare hatchet job

saharareportes really did you in. did you hear what bakare said - yinkas article is an accurate rendition of what happened

olodo rabata

no wonder you are a die hard gej fan

oya tell us how much posting money, generator allowance, isp allowance, hardship allowance, double id allownace, banned by bl allowance , oybisdissingme allowance that gej remits to you - we know its not a bribe, but payment for services rendered

Chei! Wetin fit make pesin pikin krase like dis for morning?!!! Kai! Ozuzu!
Beaf must be a very strong guy o!

oyb:
what a blithering hypocrite it is due an customary to give four people 7.5 million in dollars as accomodation and lodging for a single day trip

so WHY were you running you mouth about ibbs 10 million to journalists - or is it customary when it is gej and bribery when it is ibb

no wonder the country is broke - gej is giving out $50,000 like its no mans business





abeg , fresh air is blowing the smell of sheet away


your money ke? i think you mean OUR money , Nigeria's money

So early in the morning in Ilorin and you're already foaming at the mouth like this?
Beaf, you don really wound one pesin o!

Atiku is going "dan!"

^
The judge simply repeated PDP's official position. So Nwodo and co's views on zoning are now reinforced by the law of the land. Now thats a big deal!

fstranger2:
Although, it is called the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigeria is not a true republic. What we practice is democracy, at least we pretend to. In America , which is Republic,
the popular vote dictates the electoral vote but the electoral vote ensures a more balanced representation for less densely populated regions. In Nigeria, the presidential elction  is determined via the popular vote. And since there is nothing like the electoral college, and without zoning, less densely populated regions are simply cheated out of the national cake. And as long as the different ethnic groups continue to vote along ethnic lines, the North will inevitably continue to hold on to power. Because, it is easier for the north to rally around a candidate, than for the south to do so.

Remember Awo, the greatest politician ever produced in Nigeria, could not rule the country because he could not get others, especially the Igbos, to support his cause. Same thing happened to Azikiwe. Northerners understand this quite well, and are always looking for the slightest opportunity to exploit that crack.

But with zoning, everyone is eventually given the opportunity to rule the country by presenting their best candidate, at different times.

Don't waste your time with fairy tales and make believe, nothing above is based on fact; its more like wishes and dreams. Population is very secondary to vote spread in winning any election in Nigeria, and vote spread gains overwhelming importance in Presidential elections.

Read section 132 of the Nigerian constitution and come back to reality. You will find an online version of the constitution here: http://www.nigeria-law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm

^
I don't understand your argument that we should look backwards, insead of racing ahead. IBB "stepped aside," in 1993, for the uninitiate that means he has been ruling in the background by proxy since 1993. Shine your eyes:

[list]
[li]IBB left Abacha in place to safeguard things, in his own words[/li]
[li]Abacha ran things after intimidating Shonekan out of Aso Rock[/li]
[li]Abdulsalami Abubakar (IBB's cousin) took over from Abachs[/li]
[li]IBB chose Obj to run the show in 1999 (what you unknowingly attribute to "zoning"[/li]
[/list]

If you ain't tired of IBB, the vast majority are.
One last thing, the North cannot rule for the next 40 years. How did you come to believe such an impossibility?

^
GEJ was picked to pacify the ND, not because of zoning. The only interests protected by zoning were those of the majority.

It is time for Nigerians, old and young, female and male to choose the path of merit over region or ethnicity and say bye bye the stone age politics of ethnicity and religion.
Let those who cannot hear the call be left standing while others race ahead. . . Next target, NASS.

“In this case, the constitution of the first defendant simply recognises zoning and rotation. It has not stated that any part of the country would hold the position of the president or any other party or public elective office for any specified period of time.

“For the court to, therefore, insist or order that only candidates from a particular zone should be sponsored, when the constitution of the 1st defendant has not so defined terms and conditions is an invitation for the court to enter into the political thicket. Self- restraint in matters such as this is a virtue the court must cultivate.

“Like the court, the ‘National Caucus’ or the ‘Enlarged National Caucus’ has no business with the internal policies of the party. If it did, it will be acting ultra vires and such an action is null and void. In all, the Constitution of the (PDP) does not even recognise the existence of an ‘Enlarged National Caucus’ and any decision taken by that legally non-existent body goes to naught.”

Pretty damning!

Sometimes people bring themselves to public ridicule. I don't think Sani Dutsinma who brought the case needed to go to court to get told the above. He would have got much the same answer from asking market men and women, or his driver and cook.

We have had enough funny politics in Nigeria, lets bury zoning and face the next target, the NASS.

At the time Atiku was stealing the 6 billion, did he blame anybody for making him steal it? This campaign season promises a lot of fun!

[size=14pt]US investigations: Atiku must face the music alone -Jonathan’s campaign organisation [/size]
Written by Taiwo Adisa, Abuja
Thursday, 02 December 2010

THE Goodluck Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation has asked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to face the charges levelled against him by the United States Senate alone, without attempting to politicise the issue.

The campaign organi-sation, in a statement in response to Atiku campaign organisation’s claims that Jonathan was behind the series of money laundering allegations levelled against the former vice-president by the US Senate and published in the Nigerian Tribune of November 29 and The News magazine of this week, said President Jonathan should not be dragged into the issue at all.

A statement by the organisation said Atiku must be told to face his charges alone and leave out politics from the issue.

“We are surprised by the lines credited to the Atiku Campaign Organisation, insinuating that President Goodluck Jonathan is responsible for some publications which gave details of offshore investigations of Atiku's financial dealings in The NEWS magazine and the Nigerian Tribune this week.

“The accusations of unwholesome financial activities reportedly engaged in by Atiku are the outcome of investigations outside the shores of Nigeria.

“The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security, which carried out the investigations as reported by the magazine and Nigerian Tribune is not an arm of the Nigerian government and its activities cannot be tainted by cries of political victimisation by a Nigerian politician.

“No amount of obfuscation can deny the reality in this case, which is that the US authorities have issues with transfers amounting to at least $40 million to Atiku’s wife, Jennifer.

“In the estimation of the US authorities, the rather murky transactions that run to tens of millions of dollars leave much to be desired in terms of transparency.

“Pray, where does President Jonathan figure in all these? Let Atiku face his music alone and leave President Jonathan out of it.”

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/14226-us-investigations-atiku-must-face-the-music-alone-jonathans-campaign-organisation

[size=14pt]Atiku back in stew[/size]
People & Politics Dec 2, 2010 By Ochereome Nnanna

ALHAJI Atiku Abubakar, the consensus candidate of the pro-zoning Northern elements of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was never allowed to savour his victory over Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Gusau and Governor Bukola Saraki.

If he thought his emergence would catapult him straight into a two-cornered fight for the PDP presidential ticket with President Goodluck Jonathan, he may now think again. Left to some elements in the party he many never get that opportunity.

The only thing that seems to have held up in his favour is that his pro-zoning former co-contestants appear to be going along with the deal. However, disciples of some of the strong contenders have already lost the appetite to soldier on as they have their own political headaches to worry over.

Atiku is still facing unbending challenges in his Adamawa home state, where Governor Murtala Nyako will have no earthly reason to embrace or support him. It is getting more and more difficult to know from which part of the North that the former Vice President will get his delegates from to defeat Jonathan.

As if his troubles were not tough enough, some elements in his party are now saying that the waiver he was granted for his presidential ambition would be re-examined. Left to these elements who are out to grease the President’s path, the pro-zoning Northern aspirant may be blocked if the party decides that the waiver was not properly granted. Alternatively, Atiku’s opponents are also mooting the idea of a “consensus presidential candidate”.

The simple meaning of annulling Atiku’s waiver or pushing for a consensus candidate is that some pro-Jonathan party members are looking for unfair and undemocratic means of ensuring the emergence of the President as the ruling party’s candidate. There will be many repercussions if this ignoble course of acting is pursued by the party.

In the first place, Atiku will definitely go to court to contest the annulment of his waiver. He will also sue all the way to the Supreme Court to block any move towards consensus candidacy. If this happens, the PDP might still be in court till after the presidential elections of next year. In the end, the courts might insist that political parties have a right to nominate their candidates, but I wonder if this old verdict will apply in the face of brazen assault on the rights of members.

Secondly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Professor Attahiru Jega, has made it clear that it will not accept any consensus candidature from any political party if anyone comes forward to complain about the process by which such a candidate emerged. After all, consensus means that the stakeholders of a group have agreed in unanimity that a course of action should be taken.

There is no consensus where there are dissenters. This will be an opportunity to see if Jega’s INEC will be different from that of Professor Maurice Iwu, who, after threatening not to recognise candidates who emerged from undemocratic processes still went ahead to field such candidates for the PDP.

The move by some elements in the party to block the waiver or go for consensus candidacy is an offshoot of the political desperation of the Olusegun Obasanjo era, which was defined by do-or-die antics. Many of the governors who are visible and audible in pushing for these undemocratic measures on Jonathan’s behalf are busy in their own states perpetrating worse evils to ensure their own re-election.

In some of these states, governorship aspirants who have declared their intention to challenge some of these governors have either had their relations and top supporters killed or kidnapped. This is what we are seeing in Governor Godswill Akpabio’s Akwa Ibom State, and Akpabio, as a means of ensuring his own return, is fanatical about returning Jonathan by all means.

The PDP will do well to realise that its current public perception woes are linked to its poor internal processes and external use of state agencies to impose leaders on Nigerians rather than allow democracy to take its natural course.

Even when the Party and its preferred candidates had clear advantages over their opponents, they still went for extreme measures to make assurance doubly sure. Why would the party consider blocking Atiku’s waiver or settling for a consensus candidate when most of the indices appear to be in the president’s favour?

The world is watching to see if President Jonathan’s often repeated pledge to ensure a free and fair election will be implemented, and this will start with free, fair, democratic and acceptable conduct of the ruling Party’s primaries.

Obasanjo’s do-or-die politics has led the party to lose five states – Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun states, with Rivers State given to Rotimi Amaechi, a candidate that the Party’s leaders had shoved aside undemocratically. Never in our history had a ruling party been so drubbed.

What this tells me is that the Judiciary, the final arbiter in our electoral matters, has decided to give justice to PDP’s opponents provided that the opposition presents strong and credible candidates.

In the South East, South-South and North where the Judiciary merely asked the candidates to return to the polls (which invariably resulted in the repeat victory of the PDP) it was because the opposition parties did not give the ruling party enough fight to enable them get sympathetic or benevolent judgement at the Court of Appeal.

In 2011 the situation will be markedly different, especially in the North, where General Muhammadu Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is waxing stronger by the day. PDP must walk the Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo reform talk or else through its undemocratic culture it may lose its commanding majority after 2011, a prospect, many Nigerians think, may not be a very bad idea at all.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/atiku-back-in-stew/

[size=14pt]2011: US investigations threaten Atiku’s chances[/size]
Written by Taiwo Adisa and Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare
Monday, 29 November 2010

ALLEGATIONS linking former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to money laundering and unwholesome financial practices that could be the albatross that would deny the former number two man the ambition of becoming Nigeria’s president in 2011 have been revealed by Lagos-based The NEWS magazine.

The magazine, in its current edition which hit the market on Sunday, quoted the details of the report of the US Committee on Homeland Security which indicted Abubakar as being responsible for the laundering of over $40 million (about N6 billion) into the United States illegally.

The magazine indicated that the investigations carried out on Abubakar and other African leaders by the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security in a report entitled “Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States” could serve as a hinderance to Abubakar’s ambition in 2011.

According to the magazine in the edition with the headline: “Atiku’s Chances: His problems with America,” dated December 6, 2010, the former vice-president was listed among the four case studies of persons who allegedly laundered “illicit” funds to the US.

The report which Executive Summary was initially made public after a public hearing by the US Senate Committee headed by Senator Carl Levin on February 4, 2010, listed Abubakar among the four persons tagged ‘Politically Exposed Persons’(PEP), who were used as case studies.

Others in the PEP category, including Atiku, are Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mange, sonof the president of Equitorial Guinea; president of Gabon, Omar Bongo and three PEPs from Angola.

The PEPs, according to the report, used US-based lawyers, lobbyists, escrow agents, real estate, bankers, as well as university workers to circumvent the US anti-corruption safe guards and launder funds into the country.

This act, the reprt claimed, had a corrosive effect on its rule of law, economic development and democratic principles.

On his part, Alhaji Abubakar was alleged to have, through his fourth wife, Ms Jennifer Douglas, a citizen of the US, moved $40 million in suspect funds to the United States between 2000 and 2008 through wire transfers sent by off shore corporations to US bank accounts.

In addition, the US Securities and Exchange Commission had received civil complaints in 2008, alleging that Douglas received “over $2.8 million in bribe payments in 2001 and 2002 from Siemens AG, a German firm, to bribe Nigerian officials.”

According to the report, another $2.1 million was transferred by wire through Edward Weirdenfeld, a US lawyer, who represented Douglas, Abubakar and the American University of Nigeria owned by the former vice-president.

Though, the lawyer claimed that the transaction was for the Abubakar family legal expenses for setting up the university and he assumed that the funds came from the former vice-president.

The list of money laundering allegations against the presidential aspirant included funds allegedly laundered through some American banks, including Citibank, Eagle bank, Chevy Chase, Suntrust Bank, and Wachovia Bank.

At Citibank in Maryland, Jennifer Atiku was alleged to have opened 18 different accounts, which included personal checking accounts, a home equity account, three accounts in the name of her organi-sation, Gede Foundation and two extra personal checking accounts that were later expanded for the AUN and Jennifer herself.

These accounts were said to be used to bring in $20 million suspect funds through the bank into the US.

In addition, she was said to have maintained three Citibank credit card accounts, three for herself and Abubakar and one for Gede Foundation.

The report alleged that Jennifer lived like a king, paying credit card bills and household expenses in the range of $10, 000 to $90,000 monthly, including hefty legal and financial fees.

The magazine further reported that when she was questioned, she claimed the wires she received were from her husband and were proceeds from his personal business in Nigeria, adding that she received income from Gede, in addition to an agreed yearly bonus of $50,000.

When allegations of a US inquiry on his person was recently published by the Saturday Tribune, his media manager, Mallam Garba Shehu, said such allegations were aimed at stopping the presidential ambition of Atiku.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/14037-2011-us-investigations-threaten-atikus-chances

Obituary.
May zoning RIP.

Another step in our long trek to redeeming the country has been taken.

[size=14pt]Jubilation as court knocks out zoning suit[/size] .
Thursday, 02 December 2010 00:00 Nigerian Compass .Share 0
Atiku’s consensus choice perfect, says Ciroma

Ayodele Adegbuyi & Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

THERE was wild jubilation in the premises of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Abuja, yesterday, when the court made a final pronouncement on the controversial zoning arrangement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The court said that although it is mandatory for members of the PDP to respect the zoning arrangement, as provided for in Article 7.2 (C) of the party’s constitution, it, however, cannot force the party leadership to zone the Presidency “to a certain area”.


Justice Lawal Gumi, in his judgement on the suit brought by a PDP member, Sani Dutsinma, said: “The provision of Article 7.2 (c) of the 1st defendant’s constitution 2009 as amended recognises the principle of zoning and rotation of party and public elective offices. The said article is subsisting and binding on the party, its organs and members. But, I am unable to make a declaration that the North is entitled to bear the presidential ticket of the 1st defendant for two consecutive terms, 2007 and 2011 respectively, as the South did in 1999 and 2003, same being a political question and, therefore, not justiciable.”

Justice Gumi also declined to make a declaration that the PDP will be in breach of its constitution, if it sponsors a Southern presidential aspirant where the North has not exhausted its two consecutive terms. This is because the party does not anywhere provide for such arrangements, where no such breach has occurred, he added.

Justice Gumi further held that “though Article 7.2(c) recognises zoning and rotation, it is an internal matter for the party to determine and decide how and where the zoning should be done”.

He also said that compelling a political party to sponsor a candidate from a particular zone is obviously an act of delving into the internal affairs of the party. On this note, Justice Gumi endorsed the general principle that the court should respect the independence of parties in matters that are strictly their internal affairs.

He held that “on the other hand, there is also the need to preserve the sanctity of institutions, and courts would not readily interfere, where it is found that the question the court is called to determine is one which borders on the internal arrangements of institutions.

“To the extent to which a court could interfere, it has been held that though the way a party conducts its affairs is not subject to the jurisdiction of a court of law, the court may interfere if a party breaches its constitution to enforce the breached provision.

“On the other hand, the court is not a regulatory commission. A court must distinguish itself from political institutions by limiting itself to the resolution of concrete cases and controversies according to the given standards of law.

“Consequently, though Art 7.2 (C) recognises zoning and rotation, it is an internal matter for the party to determine and decide how to and where the zoning is done. Forcing a political party to sponsor candidates from a certain zone in the country is clearly delving into the internal affairs of that party.

“In this case, the constitution of the first defendant simply recognises zoning and rotation. It has not stated that any part of the country would hold the position of the president or any other party or public elective office for any specified period of time.

“For the court to, therefore, insist or order that only candidates from a particular zone should be sponsored, when the constitution of the 1st defendant has not so defined terms and conditions is an invitation for the court to enter into the political thicket. Self- restraint in matters such as this is a virtue the court must cultivate.

“Like the court, the ‘National Caucus’ or the ‘Enlarged National Caucus’ has no business with the internal policies of the party. If it did, it will be acting ultra vires and such an action is null and void. In all, the Constitution of the (PDP) does not even recognise the existence of an ‘Enlarged National Caucus’ and any decision taken by that legally non-existent body goes to naught.”

The judge also said that if a party’s constitution makes a provision as to how its affairs should be run, it must be run in that direction.

He said the court is duty-bound to ensure that the party complies with its constitutional requirements.

In this instance, Justice Gumi said the PDP constitution recognises zoning and rotation, even though it has not proved how it should be carried out among members of the party.

The plaintiff brought the suit via an originating summon, asking the court to grant the following reliefs:

•A declaration that Article7.2(c) of the 1st defendant’s constitution 2009 as amended is subsisting and binding on the party, its organs and members.

•A declaration that the North is entitled to bear the presidential ticket of the 1st defendant for two consecutive terms, 2007 and 20011 respectively, as the South did in 1999 and 2003.

•And an order compelling the defendant, its organs and members to respect the provision of Article 7.2 (c) of the 1st defendant’s constitution as amended in 2009 by sponsoring a Northern presidential aspirant in the 2007 presidential election.

Some members of the party went into wild jubilation after the judgement, saying that they had been vindicated.

Meanwhile, weeks after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was picked as the candidate of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) to vie for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket, the Malam Adamu Ciroma-led NPLF leadership insisted yesterday that the choice was perfect.

Since Atiku’s name was announced as the favoured aspirant, supporters of former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd); former National Security Adviser (NSA), Lt-General Aliyu Gusau (rtd) and Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State have been kicking against the move, saying that the former Vice President between 1999 and 2007 “is not the best choice.”

But the Ciroma leadership yesterday described the criticism as subjective. In fact, it awarded itself a pass mark.

While regretting that in reaching out to stakeholders in the North, it omitted some individuals and groups before concluding its assignment, it, however, pleaded with such individuals, promising them that Atiku would reach out to them.

It explained why the consensus idea had no input from the PDP National leadership, saying that the party’s constitution has barred it and its officials from taking sides in a contest for elective posts among its members.

A statement signed by the Secretary of the Consensus Committee, Alhaji Bello Sabo Abdulkadir, revealed that the NPFL said it was using the opportunity to clarify some misconceptions that has trailed Atiku’s choice.

It said that despite these misconceptions, the decision was in the interest of the country as a whole.

“Let us seize this opportunity to, once again, reassure Nigerians that the consensus process has worked and will serve the best interest of Nigeria and its diverse peoples and cultures in both the short and long run.

“In particular, we note the complaint by some groups that they have not been contacted or consulted before the emergence of the Consensus Candidate. Although the Consensus Committee has consulted widely in the North and throughout the country, it has not been possible for the Committee to meet each and every individual and group before the conclusion of its assignment.

“Now that the Consensus Candidate has emerged, the consultation process will be even more intensive. We assure you that Atiku Abubakar will soon be in your neighborhood.”

On why the PDP and its leadership did not play any role, the NPFL said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the consensus process was not an initiative of any political party but of the aspirants themselves who were desirous of reducing their numbers from four to one in order to pool their political resources together as strategy to win the primary election of their party, the Peoples Democratic Party.

“The PDP was not part of the process because the constitution of the party has bared it and its officials from taking sides in a contest for elective posts between its members. The participation of the party would have prejudiced the interests of other contending members some of whom are probably yet to emerge,” the statement said.

http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70791:jubilation-as-court-knocks-out-zoning-suit&catid=43:news&Itemid=799

So the matter was a storm in a teacup afterall! Bakare puts the blame for the miscommunication on Uranta and Orubebe. He seems to be quite exercised about the reaction of govt officials, who must have seen SNG's strange rejection of cover of their costs as a set up; perhaps, both sides should have approached the press jointly on the issue.

Quite clearly, the govt invited SNG and an offer was made to cover their transport, hotel and other costs (as is due and customary); but the SNG has made it clear that they will always pay their costs. Its just crossed wires.

msaalli:
Note that the salaries are monthly salaries. this much was confirmed by Ayogu Eze who said " can assure you that if you are talking about the salary of a senator, I do not see any senator earning above N950, 000 a month."

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/20375.html

It is not the salaries that are the problem. It is the benefits, you can see from the figures you posted, that things like furniture and transportation are more than 3 times the salary of a senator or rep. The math can easily be done for the full list. The result is staggerring and unsustainable.

In places like the UK, you can meet elected top shots on trains, buses or even on bicycles. In Nigeria, they are in the 1st class section of flights and bullet prooof million Dollar SUV's. Yet, they are meant to represent the people. How can they represent us, when such huge wages (for nothing) separate them from us?

^
Dude, Fulani culture is not more developed than Yoruba culture. I am shocked you have said that.

DapoBear:
^-- It is not clear to me that this is true. I've noticed throughout history and in different parts of the world (Brazil, Cuba, parts of Sierra Leone, Benin, Togo, etc) that when people interact with Yoruba, they tend to get Yorubaized rather than vice versa. Do those Fulani feudal lords in Kwara even view themselves as Fulani still? I remember reading an article in which they interviewed some female relative of their Emir, and it made me wonder.

Perhaps Jarus (or someone else from Kwara) can shed some more insight into the matter.

You don't need to wait for Jarus. The Emir of Ilorin certainly doesn't claim to be Yoruba. In fact the Fulani's in Kwara have learnt to play a double game; whenever it suits them (where local leadership and money are for grabs), they claim Yoruba, yet on the national scene, they claim to be Fulani. For instance, that is how Bukola came to be "Abubakar."

How can a pastor be president of a secular country? It will never make sense, its best for Tunde Bakare to steer clear off politics, I've maintained this stand since the Yar Adua saga ended. Tunde Bakare will do well to emulate Desmond Tutu.

A pastor cannot be president of a secular country, or dabble into politics in a secular country.

All Nigerians need to think up ways to campaign against the wages of the NASS. We should set up chain emails, facebook pages etc.
These guys need to be uprooted.

Restructuring the NASS is a target that every Nigerian must have in their sights, if we are to march through to true federalism and an equitable society where values are sacred. We owe it to ourselves and our children.

This story just too many kinks and corners.
First there are claims from different sources where the so called money was given; in the hotel, at the meeting, at Aso Rock gates. As if that wasn't enough, there is now the addition that someone simply peeped into the envelope and and magically saw $50k in 5 $100 bill bundles!. . . What a peep that was!

^
Thanks for the advice. I noticed it doesn't pay to be cool and calm on NL, because even some mods feel you are fair game (you can ask the mods) and I have also found that reporting bad behaviour to the mods is a waste of time were the person involved is a mod (they start warning you about frivolities). So now I take no prisoners.

Blame NL.

Boboribo:
Is that all you can say? No more insults. Have you forgotten I live in beer parlour $ swim in pepper soup? Come dish it.

You got that right, you are a Liar.

Boboribo:
I am sure you are waiting for Bakare to say its $20000 then you'll go to town and say I TOLD YOU SO.

Like I said, you are a Liar.

Boboribo:
Did you ever believe money was doled out? Are you not disputing the figure now. Your insult means nothing. Face the fact

Like I said, you are a liar.

Any babe with manly features, hairy chest or k-leg will be lynched! All we want is orobo.
Up South-east geo-political zone babes, they will make the blind see!

Boboribo:
First Beaf never believed money was given out. Now he believes and disputes the amount and currency. What next?

As usual, everything you have said above is a lie plucked out of thin air. Why? A grown up?_{Abi, you don de work for Sahara Reporters ReLiars?}
Dude, i will keep praying fervently, that one day foolishness and dishonesty will depart from you.

debosky:
If the offer was nor 'rejected' till they got to the hotel, or after it was seen/counted, then of what value is this 'money never exchanged hands' mantra?

If you read what aisha2 just posted, that is a reasonable hypothesis of what happened. . . ,they saw the money in bundles, decided not to accept it and so the 'story' of 50k could still be valid.

Are you saying thenn, that Tunde Bakare and SNG are bribe takers, who probably counted some amount of money, misconstrued its puropse, felt it was too low for what they had in mind and then rejected it? That is the only logic that can come out of the above. You do not reject an offer after counting money and then claim holiness. In any event, I do not believe anything of the sort happened, they were offered money, not that they were in a negotiation that they had to count anything.

They could not have seen the money in bundles and magically "known" it was $50,000.00, except they have xray vision or are into serious jass; not just the amount, but the money being in $100 bills only and excluding other denominations; also, they wouldn't have been able to tell if currencies were mixed. In short, if na jass, then they need to patent it.

Your argument falls flat on every count. The whole story was made up.

Ibime:
Beware of cowboys like Atiku. This is the same man who oversaw many of the privatisation initiatives and kept the bulk of money for himself.

How will 10% tax attract overseas investment when the cost of doing business in Nigeria is incomparable to our competitors? Ireland at 14% are considered way too low, whilst ~35% is seen as norm. Does Nigeria have any infrastructure to attract companies despite the low tax? Instead of concentrating on how Naija can accurately capture revenues from the thousands of companies not currently paying the correct tax, he is here yarning megedefegede. It looks like Atiku is looking for a tax break for himself and his cronies. Nigeria will never be the African tiger even if it reduces tax to 0%. There is nothing on ground to attract anyone.

Poor Atiku!
Aganga really said it, dude doesn't even understand basic economics / development.

Kgdavid:
well there are so many loose ends on this story but i will draw the conclusions that since
1.sng has denied ever receiving any money, the amount beiong quoted might not be the actual amount offered.
2. sng might have misunderstood the offer of transport money as a bribe and thus misrepresented it to the media until that lawyer guy came up with the those embarrassing eight points coupled with the vehemnt denial from GEJ's people. this theory is supported by the fact that sng took days to clarify the fact that they did not ever collect any money nor did was the money offered a bribe.

it is therefore highly likely that sng were indeed offered some amount of cash as transport money(practically goodwill money) which, due to their misplaced sense of political relevance, they misconstrued to be a bribe.

You have a very reasonable take on the matter.

debosky:
Did Bakare explicitly say 'money never exchanged hands'?

If that is all he said - I don't see any mention of 'money not exchanging hands' in that brief comment.

We need to understand what exactly happened before examining whether it was $50,000 or 20 naira.

Except the definition of "offer" has changed, then money never exchanged hands. Its as simple as 2 + 2,

I posted this on another thread, but I think it is very relevant here as well:

Dude, you are damn funny! What a wretched peace of logic!
Tunde Bakare has stated very clearly that:
[list]
[li]they were only offered transport fare[/li]
[li]at no time did money exchange hands[/li]
[/list]

Charlie, if money never exchanged hands, how was it counted? Are you saying Tunde Bakare is a serious winsh that can count what he hasn't even seen? Dude, that puts the $50,000.00 figure in the realm of street corner, alaye style "deduction." Surely not something for the educated!

If the money was never seen or exchanged, how come it was "known" to be in 5 bundles of $100 dollar bills? Na wa! So you mean Tunde Bakare has some wicked okija style winshcraft that see visions of the unknown? Why didn't the visions show him Naira or Pound Sterling instead, why Dollars? Dude, its a mystery! Its a miracle!

All hail Sahara Reporters for supplying us with "details!" And all hail our wretched educational system for producing low quality goods that ain't fit for purpose.

I de laugh o!