₦airaland Forum

[size=14pt]After the Yar Adua accident, my eye fell on 2011. . .[/size]

Is he hale, is he hearty?

www.nairaland.com/attachments/323693_AP_Nigeria_Election_Goodluck_Jonathan_10Jun2010_480_jpg93cb16b7beac78add6cbace58d2cb3ae

But President Jonathan, through the Head Media Department of his Campaign Organisation, Mr Sully Abu, said Atiku was merely celebrating rumour.

In a statement on Thursday, the president’s campaign organisation said Atiku could not prove the allegations he was celebrating.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! A constant problem with IBB and Atiku supporters they just love their rumours and beer palour gist.

@JustCash

Brilliant analysis. It is long range calculations like you have laid out that have made me such an ardent Jonathan supporter. What we are witnessing in this country is is a wave of fundamental change and there is only one direction it will end in. . . I'll leave you guys guessing, but it is obvious and circumstances have been fortuitous.

9ijaMan:
@ Debosky,
You need not argue with Beaf. It's typical of him to come up with ill-informed opinion and irrelevant internet quotes in support of his view of GEJ against every other candidate; and when you point out his folly, he'll simply stoop low into the gutters and rain abuses on you. I would expect him to come up with some vituperation against me for even pointing out this fact.

Back to the GEJ's candidacy, he (GEJ) should show us (9jans) his precise achievements for the past 11 years since he's been in government. Taking a quick look at GEJ's campaign website, you'll not find any distinctive achievement in Bayelsa let alone 9ja as a whole. Yet highlights a couple of issues and also pointing out possible solutions. I can't stop asking myself which of these problems has he been able to deal with in his 11 years in governance?

Perhaps all GEJ's mouthpieces on this thread can inform him of the need to include on his web page what he's done for 9ja (and in Bayelsa State in particular) in the past which will be a way to convince skeptics like myself on how he really intends to forge ahead. Any smart high school kid can come up with the rhetoric he has on his issues page!

Another foolish attempt to deviate away from the slackness that is Buhari. You were caught pants down making a wacky comparison between Kwara, which was created in [size=14pt]1967 [/size] and Bayelsa, which was created in [size=14pt]1996[/size].
You went into hiding and have only reappeared after seeing debosky looking seemingly smart at first. But now that he has made a complete fool of himself, I guess it would be back into hiding for you.

Anyways, tell us about Buhari's involvement in the NNPC's missing $2.8billion which was allegedly traced to his Midland Bank account in London.

debosky:
By the same token, did the whole state have electricity in 1996? The folly of your reasoning is hereby exposed. If the 'whole of Nigeria' cannot be said to have electricity, will it suffice to claim that that 'Nigeria doesn't have electricity' till that happens?

Accept your gaffe and move on - sensationalism of this type (all in the name of 'promoting' a candidate) is what rubbishes many political debates in Nigeria. You don't have to make false claims to make the point that Bayelsa's creation has brought an appreciable level of development to the area covered by the state's boundaries.

How much of that development can be attributd to GEJ? Is it commensurate with the resources that have been provided for the state?

That should be the focus of your arguments, not trying to justify exaggerations at best or promote blatant falsehood at worst.

You don't use the word "lie," lightly, except your upbringing was poor. I would say, it would take a foolish man to claim that Nigeria has electricity, because one state alone has it, while some in the others might not even know what it is.

Bayelsa was a neglected piece of land without electricity. Period. It is only in Nigeria that you find heartless clowns making a meal off a power station supplied by another state that was servicing a few streets at best. Why don't you stretch the argument further and say they had batteries for their cars and torches too, therefore they had electricity. Daft.

As for attempting to move the argument to Jonathan, thats plain weird, cos this thread is about Buhari. Laf go go soon kill pesin wit NL desperado's sha.

debosky:
Melford Okilo was a Rivers state governor - what i's or t's are left?

This is ridiculous - the initial turbine installation was 2 x 20MW for POWER GENERATION by the GOVERNMENT - sufficient for needs at the time. One might as well go on to claim that Nigeria doesn't have electricity yet because the majority of the population still has no access to it.

They were generating below capacity when Bayelsa decided to revamp them, but that was the same story of neglect all over Nigeria.

To compare it to buying generators is highly disingenuous of you - admit your over-excited exaggerations and move on.

Unless Yenagoa is not part of Bayelsa, your arguments are pointless.

So, you supply electricity to parts of a town and voila! The whole state can be said to have electricity?
You are right that this is ridiculous.

MaziUche0:
Throwing around the word tribalist too loosely. If because I think the Igbo need a better stake in Nigeria, then I will proudly say I am a tribalist if that means the same thing. Don't see how I can be considered a tribalist when my own heritage is mixed. That is like calling Obama a racist.

GJ should not be leaving a country in  which there is so many problems occurring. No true leader would do that. The Chinese Premier did not go to a meeting a couple of months ago, because of the floods in Southern China. On other hand, the Pakistani president left when his country needed him and the people are angry with him. You can tell the quality of a leader who is bringing a 150 entourage with him to New York. Including his wife. That is money wasted.



Ileke-Idi. . . Must you always turn up when I am debating? It seems like enjoy this nonsense.

You cannot blame me for seeing you through very tinted lenses. I am quite sure that is the perception of 90% of NL as well, you just can't carry on like that. There are many others (including Udezue who has chipped in) who carry the same torch as you and make a lot more sense. They do not come across like they would kill the next man in a riot as you do.

So yes, I see your views firmly from that perspective.

@Udezue
I am judging EzeUche strictly from his own words and utterances. He has said more than enough violent things to myself and my ethnic group for me not to have a firm opinion of where he stands. His is ok with the Ibibio, Annang etc, but hates everything on the other side of the Niger, which is totally unfortunate.

[size=33pt]Bukola Saraki AKA "Abubakar" for president of Kwara![/size]

[size=33pt]Bukola Saraki AKA "Abubakar" is a known thief!

Societe Generale Bank were una?

Only fraudsters change their names.[/size]

Delta007:
@Beaf, thank you!
. . .

No probs.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/323693_AP_Nigeria_Election_Goodluck_Jonathan_10Jun2010_480_jpg93cb16b7beac78add6cbace58d2cb3ae

[size=21pt]IBB: [/size][size=14pt]"My political message is tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, tribalism, ZONING OR MAYHEM. . . FCK UP THE PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What will I do for Nigeria? . . .Tribalism, religious strife, Boko Haram!!

The North will secede and mayhem will be unleashed, if I don't become the PDP flagbearer!"[/size]

. . .Cry baby! 

Everybody, please feel free to plagiarise this document. . .

www.nairaland.com/attachments/324375_IBBYouthStupid_jpgbbe9db14c8fe5550aba9d91fd1c5a07d

Ribadu is a good man, but. . .

[size=21pt]ACN = Drugs[/size]

www.nairaland.com/attachments/139268_BolaTinubuHeroinforfeiture_jpgb084d334c74cec7150ee9588a3aed2fc

Gbawe:
Done.

Gbawe. Doesn't this document bother you?

www.nairaland.com/attachments/139268_BolaTinubuHeroinforfeiture_jpgb084d334c74cec7150ee9588a3aed2fc

mbulela:
I was only alluding to the fact that someone else had noted the distortion of facts in your comment.
Earlier you said Bayelsa had no electricity, now you say it was only parts of Yenegoa and its surroundings.
Keep it up. you are making progress.

If parts of Yenegoa has electricity, does that equate to Bayelsa having electricity? This is embarrassing.
. . .Of course, you missed the salient point that Bayelsa cannot be compared to Kwara, didn't you? All because you wanted to score a silly, cheap point, only to get burnt for lack of knowledge. Pity.

[quote author=kola_yusuf link=topic=519065.msg6810597#msg6810597 date=1285273781]@Beaf: Now you are offended, since you see how easy it is to manufacture allegations. I am sorry, when you open your mouth and words fly out, on which legal authority do you base your opinions. No matter how much ranting tou do, your man Jonathan is a midget who has no vision, and who is is the poorest in terms of leadership ability among the whole bunch of contestants.

He is better advised to conduct free and fair elections, and leave the field for people who are his betters in terms of leadership ability. Bloody mediocrity wanting to keep us in the same place for the next for years - not bloody good enough.[/quote]Thank God you have aknowledged the fact that you were lying about Patience Jonathan.
I wonder why I'm even wasting time with you, the thief Bukola Saraki (AKA "Abubakar" isn't even known outside Kwara!
As soon as me and na_so leave this thread, it will sink into oblivion (except something in it catches becomerich's beady eye ).

I created an anti-Buhari thread here https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-518968.0.html
It has some really hard hitting and revealling points, I'm just wondering why the Buhari lovers here chose to dodge it.

MaziUche0:
As I said before, stop throwing around red herrings. What does my "supposed" personal beliefs have anything to do with anything? And you said I hate "South-South" minorities? Why would I hate myself, since I am child of the "South-South." My mother is a full blooded Ibibio and I speak the Ibibio language so why would I hate myself.

There hasn't been a president from my area since the 1960s, so it is no biggie to me. No president from my group in my lifetime.

But like I said, what does that have anything to do with it?

When you are a tribalist, your words will always be taken in that context, especially if you have expressed willingness to wipe out South South minorities on several occassions. It takes a tribalist to stretch things so much as to ask why the President is at the UN when he should be back home investigating a murder that the local police can resolve.
I don't know if you hate yourself, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised.

[quote author=kola_yusuf link=topic=519065.msg6810416#msg6810416 date=1285271924]@Beaf. i will answer your inane question after you show me facts that show that GEJ has more leadership ability than Bukola Saraki, and that his wife was not arrested by EFCC for being in possession of hard currency that she could not account for.[/quote]Even after Ribadu, the EFCC boss has told you pointedly that he never indicted Patience Jonathan, folk like you would just go right on lying and spreading false rumours, cos the thieves you represent have nothing on Jonathan.

Ribadu said that the falsehoods you folk recite was manufactured to smear both his name and Jonathans before the 2007 elections.

Your battery has now been declared officially dead. Take Panadol.

[size=21pt]On the other hand; Bukola Saraki (AKA "Abubakar" is a thief. [/size]

mbulela:
I just saw Debosky comments after posting.
Bayelsa State did not begin to enjoy electricity in 1996.
That is not true.
As a matter of fact, the light in Bayelsa was more stable than most parts of the country before 1996.
While comparing Kwara and Bayelsa, remember to compare the federal allocations to both states since 1996.

So you have no mind of your own?
Everything you've written above is false, because Kolo Creek has only ever served parts of Yenegoa and its sorroundings.

Next time, have your own knowledge at hand, before jumping in and firing duds.

mbulela:
stop clutching at straws and distorting history.

Dude, you have a way of arguing emptily these days. If you have the "real" history, spill it or shut it.

debosky:
Leave out emotive lies when making your comments - Melford Okilo provided electricity to Bayelsa through the Kolo Creek gas turbine facility over 25 years ago. It was a connection to the national grid (pointless IMO) that Bayelsa lacked, NOT electricity.

You would easily find that you are the liar here, talking about stuff beyond your level (as usual).

What was Melford Okilo again? You need to dot the i's and cross the t's.
On whether Bayelsa didn't have electricity, maybe we could stretch the argument further to say several people had generators and that somehow (strangely) negates the argument. How much electricity did the Kolo Creek supply at the time, was it enough to power a town? Even now that it has been upgraded, how much power does it provide?

My friend, go and sit down!

[quote author=kola_yusuf link=topic=519065.msg6810304#msg6810304 date=1285270758]@Beaf: You are beginning to sound like a broken record. It is either you believe that the closing down of SGBN was political or you don't. If you don't that's your problem. To go on from there to now try to link the issue of SGBN with the ability of Dr. Bukola Saraki to govern Nigeria is intellectually fraudulent.

It did not stop Dr. Bukola Saraki from performing as a state governor in Kwara State. Even being recognized internationally by the Kenneth kaunda Foundation. When we are talking of vision, passion, fresh ideas, and leadership ability GEJ is a midget where Bukola Saraki is concerned - take it or leave it. Bukola Saraki has more life and passion for Nigeria in his little finger than GEJ has in his whole family.[/quote]Oh! I thought you were even going to attempt to prove that the closing down of Societe Generale Bank was political! No?
[size=21pt]Dude, Saraki is a thief who wiped out peoples savings worth 2.5billa! I challenge you to disprove it.[/size]

My broda, make I helep you.

[flash=480,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQuJihVkVHE?fs=1[/flash]

Goodluck Jonathan Yoruba
[flash=480,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYf-ibDOEDQ[/flash]

Goodluck Jonathan Igbo
[flash=480,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hztTUAGmpDU[/flash]

Goodluck Jonathan Ijaw
[flash=480,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENi4Bv1WWHA[/flash]

Goodluck Jonathan Hausa
[flash=480,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpZdfA78crM[/flash]

Saraki is a thief.
He stole 2.5billion worth of peoples savings at Societe Generale Bank and the bank was closed down.

9ijaMan:
Neither did I mention a particular country. Being uncomfortable with religion being mixed with politics should be no news at all, 'cos it's the norm the world over. That was my intention. The whole idea is for us to move forward as a nation. Supporters of GEJ have not told us in clear and concise terms why we should vote him into Aso Rock. GEJ has been in politics since 1999 we all need to know what his achievements have been. Similarly Buhari has been part of the Nigerian leadership history since the 1970s. A sound minded 9jan should be able to go back and check the antecedents of every contestant and make his own choice instead of being blinded by religious and/or ethnic sentiment.

To quote someone in another discussion forum, when comparing GEJ to Bukola Saraki, he stated thus:
"He (GEJ) has occupied that seat since 6th of May 2010, Acting President: 9 February 2010 – 6 May 2010 and not,  even a single thing has been thought of,

Governor of Bayelsa between 9th December 2005 and 28th May 2007,  have u seen Bayelsa state today,  do u know kwara sate (as bad as Saraki is) is a Dubai when compared to bayelsa (ajegunle) in any standard,  "

Despite my reservations against Bukola Saraki, I had to agree with the opinion, 'cos the evidences are clear for everyone to see. Go to Ilorin today and compare it with Yenagoa, yet Bayelsa's monthly revenue (at least since 1999) often times doubles and tripples the figures for Kwara state. You can visit http://www.fmf.gov.ng/FMF_Revenue_Alloc.aspx for details on how much goes to each state monthly. Simple choose the year and month you want to vies and you'll see for yourself.

If the above is what you base your decision on, it is really unfortunate. Bayelsa state was created on 1 October 1996 out of what might best be termed swamp land (no disrespect intended). Kwara state on the other hand was created on 27 May 1967. Bright minds will notice the huge disparity in age of both states.

Do you know that Bayelsa was so neglected that it only began to enjoy electricity in 1996? That was the year the Federal govt deemed it fit to accept that state as belonging in Nigeria (despite churning out vast amounts of oil) for the country.
It is stup!d, uncaring statements like yours that build into a situation where Niger Delta youths get frustrated enough to pick up weapons and fight for their rights.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200505230551.html
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5520230-146/story.csp

An explanation of the backdrop to the article by its author;

Reno Re: Buhari

Guys, this work was resurrected by NVS to give perspective to the interview done with Gen. Buhari. I wrote this in 2003 at the height of the attempt by the North to repudiate power shift and turn on Obasanjo. If you notice it is a rejoinder to three article I considered anti South and anti Christian. The articles I responded to were very heavy against CAN, Obj and the South particularly the SW and as a then very young man I was moved by righteous anger. At that time over 5,000 people had died as a result of Sharia riots, the Jos crisis was just taking shape, several Northern leaders including IBB, Atiku and the ACF were ganging up against Obj for not being as Pro North as they expected and much as today were attempting to split Nigeria into an US and Them divide. I wrote the truth after painstaking investigation and the article was not solely about Gen. Buhari. Please consider that this was written more than 7 years ago and under a very tense political atmosphere.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/of-obasanjo-babangida-buhari-and-misrepresentation.html

[size=14pt]Jonathan To Open Innoson Auto Plant, As Ghana Comes Pleading[/size]

The multi-billion naira Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM) plant built  by Nnewi industrialist, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, OON, will be commissioned by President  Goodluck Jonathan on 15 October, 2010.

The official commissioning of the Nnewi plant is expected to usher in a new phase in the  nation’s auto industry, which has had a not-too-successful trajectory, with a good number  of the auto assembly companies established by government between the 1970s and the 1980s,  either dead or gasping for breath.

Only last week, the Minister of State toured the new Nnewi plant, where, by her own  admission, she was amazed by the courage displayed by Chief Chukwuma, the huge   investment so far made by the entrepreneur and the volume of production activities within  the complex.

“I am highly impressed with what is available here. Chief Chukwuma is an individual, but  doing what the government is supposed to do. The auto plant is a big plus in terms of  employment generation. The Chairman said that this place is only producing at 30 per cent  of its actual capacity. One wonders what will happen when it starts operating fully”

The minister also remarked that if more auto plants like Innoson’s are established in   the country, “the youths would smile and forget about unemployment. Chief Chukwuma’s  initiative is amazing and I think he needs to be encouraged”.

Mrs Tapgun said her visit which came about three weeks ahead of the expected  commissioning of the plant by President Jonathan, was due to the urge to see things for  herself and seek ways of supporting the project. “The intervention fund available for  industries is a huge relief for people like him. And I expect him to benefit from it,”  she enthused.

And If recent developments at Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM) are a  foretaste of what the future holds for the Nnewi-based auto plant, then it is well on the  way to becoming the corporate version of the biblical prophet that is respected more  abroad than at home.

[b]Though production is yet to gather full momentum, the plant and the vehicles that have so far rolled off the production lines have been attracting attention from the ECOWAS sub-regional markets, particular Ghana which last week sent a top-level delegation to Nnewi, to discuss business with the management of Innoson.

Led by the Deputy Minister for Transport, Madam Dzifa Aku Attivor, the visitors toured various sections of the auto plant (and briefly watched production in progress), the plastic-manufacturing sister company in Emene, Enugu, which supplies some of the vehicles’ parts and accessories, as well as a new tyre manufacturing company, General Tyres and Tubes Limited, also a member of the Innoson Group.

The Deputy Minister who repeatedly expressed how “very, very impressed” she was during the tour of the auto plant, said she and her team were on a fact- finding mission. She disclosed that they were in Nigeria to explore the possibility of not just introducing some of Innoson Group’s products to the Ghanaian market, but also setting up a similar auto plant in Ghana.[/b]
http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2010/09/23/jonathan-to-open-innoson-auto-plant-as-ghana-comes-pleading/

Sahara Reporters is best known for fake news these days.
They and other desperate haters will only see ridicule when they are found out.

[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

This is a concise representation of who Buhari really is. Anyone with doubts can easily reach the author through his consultancy.
What a shame that this man at 69, is still struggling to be President.

chakula:
No INSULT pLEASE AND wE sHall LooK back And Discuss the TopiC OF DiscuSSION wHIch is IMpoRTANT Rather than engaging in tHRowing Insult among ourselves and the LEADERS inwhich we Fight FOR are NOt NL MemBers, what A SHame?

True. I said the very same thing you are saying here very early on in this thread https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-518557.0.html#msg6807901
People need to respect themselves and other NLer's trying to gain from a thread.

[size=14pt]Buhari's Other Side [/size]
Reno Omokri
September 01, 2010
More from this author
In the light of Gen. Buhari's interview on NVS, Here's an article I wrote in 2003 that shows Buhari's other side. I wrote this at the height of the attempt by some forces in the core North to deny Obasanjo his re-election ticket in 2003 and when calls were loud in the North for repudiating the power shift agreement (today's zoning).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[size=14pt]Of Obasanjo, Babangida, Buhari and Misrepresentation:[/size]
A Rejoinder to Dr. Abdulrahman Muhammad, Umar Bello, and Sesan Koyejo's



By Reno Omokri

When I read Dr. Muhammad's article on the invading forces in Aso rock, I was rather impressed at the obvious patriotism of this intellectual. He was not happy with the sorry state of the Nigerian nation, and sought to lay the blame for it's condition on certain individuals.

Rather than blame Obasanjo, CAN and the Yoruba as a race, what he should have done is to appraise the role of the other side of the power equation in Nigeria i.e. the Northwest/Hausa/Fulani hegemony played in bringing Nigeria to where it is today.

You forgot to mention that Northern, Muslim "generals" of Hausa Fulani descent, ruled this country called Nigeria for much of her existence. In that time, they did nothing to further the human development of the common people of northern Nigeria, but became stupendously wealthy and inhumanely repressive. In his Oct. 2000 Thisday interview, Mohammed Babangida, the first son of Babangida talked about the love he had for his horse, such that when it was ill he took it for treatment in Europe on a chartered flight. The sad thing is that not very far from his father's house, there are people who don't have Phensic or Paracetamol to swallow when they have a headache!

[size=14pt]Mohammed Abacha, who I personally interviewed in January 2000 at the Kiri-kiri prisons, is worth by virtue of being his father's heir over 1.5 billion dollars (if he can only get access to some of the billions of dollars of his late father's seized asset). He shamefully narrated to a Swiss legal practitioner how his father gave him a gift of $750 million in cash on a visit he paid to his father at the presidential villa. This from his very own mouth. Yet Kano, where he hails from has the 3rd highest infant mortality rate in Nigeria, and one of the lowest adult literacy rates.[/size]

Is it not shameful to you, that in his 1999 Africa magazine interview, Mallam Adamu Ciroma had to confess that the only time education particularly primary education (his emphasis not mine) flourished in the north was under Gen. Obasanjo's 1976-79 regime, a southerner?

How can you ignore that in Kebbi state, which is the most educationally backward state in Nigeria, the governor Adamu Aliero, spent over 100 million naira in providing limousines for Emirs, yet the only tertiary institution in his state, Kebbi Poly had it's teachers on strike for salary matters?
[b]
In a country desperately in need of education, Abacha's Minister of Education, Alhaji Birma Idris, accused southerners publicly of being "in a mad rush for education".

The people you respect in the northwest are people who never cared for the masses of beautiful talakawas and almajiris in the north or their sufferings, but exploited their ignorance and love for God, as evidenced by their blind following of these leaders because they are Muslims. You see this and fail to note it and then turn around to put the blame for Nigeria's sorry state on  President Olusegun Obasanjo, the man who has provided more infrastructure for the provision of water (which is the north's major problem after illiteracy). An area which has been ignored by his last four predecessors, all but one of whom where northerners. Dr. Muhammad, where was your pen then?

The problem in Nigeria is not with Obasanjo, or the Yoruba's (but I thank God I am not Yoruba, because you will reduce my reasoning to tribalism). The problem is that Northern leaders, particularly in the Hausa/Fulani Northwest, do not love their people enough to emancipate them from their terrible state, and then make it difficult for others to do so, by bringing religion into the matter, such that these lovely people become so suspicious of any non Muslim/southern leader.

How else can you explain that Ikeja LGA, uses more electricity than the entire states in the Northwest? That Ondo state, has more Professors than all the Northwestern and North Central states combined? That life expectancy, infant mortality, and adult literacy rates are much better in the south, yet according to the BBC (Check their website) the two richest dynasties in Africa, come from this same north (Abacha and Babangida families) and yet instead of intelligent men like yourself attacking these problems from the roots, you seek to lay the blame on the Obasanjo administration along with CAN and the Yorubas as a people in the Nigerian project.[/b]

One thing I know, is that only an unfair critic could have found nothing in  an Abacha, or a Babangida government, and yet seek to castigate an Obasanjo, who has more than tripled the revenues the northern states received from the last northern ruler (each state now receives at least twice the amount they previously did from the federation account). Yes! Obasanjo is bad because after all, he is first of all Obasanjo, a Yoruba, and finally a Christian, ingredients for what Dr. Muhammad agrees make for bad governance!!

And coming to Umar Bello's comparison of Babangida and Buhari (See Between Babangida and Buhari, Where Lies Statesmanship? By Umar Bello), I make bold to say that this is a very difficult exercise, because one is as good or bad as the other.

This Buhari who you now paint in such glorious terms may have appeared to you as an angel, may indeed be anything else but one. Let us look at this Buhari in an objective manner and see if he indeed is as rosy as you paint him.

In 1984, fresh from his coup against what you so call "Shagari's inept and corrupt regime" (and pray tell me which man made regime is free from ineptitude or corruption?) he introduced the War Against Indiscipline or "WAI" which Nigerians accepted with open hands. This man then went on to change the colouration of the currency, ostensibly to check economic saboteurs, and capital flight and he also directed that foreign currency could not be taken out of the country, except a very little sum approved by the CBN. [size=14pt]In that same year and at the height of his WAI, we all saw how the matter of an important emir and his 54 suitcases of money seized at Murtala Mohammed Airport was handled.[/size]

But what was even more curious was that around the time of this incidence, the maverick musician Fela who was traveling for a musical tour to Italy with his band boys was caught with less than a thousand pounds, and was subsequently arrested. Not only was he arrested and tried, [size=14pt]but another mysterious telephone call was made to Justice Okoro Idogu the trial judge by Buhari's deputy Tunde Idiagbon, ordering that Fela must be found guilty and given a stiff sentence. This coming from Justice Idogu's very own mouth.[/size]

Buhari and Idiagbon in their zeal to enhance discipline and curb economic waste, ordered that no underaged person cold go on Hajj to Mecca (under aged being under 18).The same Idiagbon, under Buhari then proceeded to take his own underaged son in the presidential jet to perform hajj.

[size=14pt]Buhari's government passed a law to the effect that if you publish anything that even if true was in the opinion of the chief of  staff supreme military council, capable of embarrassing any public official, then you had committed a crime. When the nation thought he was joking, he sent two journalist, and a cartoonist to jail for publishing materials which were TRUE, but which Buhari found uncomplimentary.

When asked by journalist when he was going to transit Nigeria into a democracy, this very man Buhari answered that he had no time for that.[/size]

You mention that Buhari paid half our national debt. That is a untrue! The fact is that Buhari repudiated all Nigeria's international financial commitments, and stopped all payments till debts could be verified. This ostensibly is a good policy, only that all international financial institution till today lost faith in Nigeria, and refused to give Nigeria credits for her imports. Nigeria from thence on had to always finance her imports before hand by guaranteeing them with her foreign reserves.

[size=14pt]Further on the economy, Buhari began to barter Nigeria's oil for goods Nigeria needed. Why? Because nobody would do business with the country based on credit, in other words Nigeria was no longer credit worthy, as such we became desperate and started going against our OPEC commitments by bartering our oil for goods far less than their value![/size]

In a religious and ethnically heterogeneous country as ours, Buhari saw no problem that both the head of state and his vice under his regime were of the same religion and ethnicity, Muslim Hausa Fulani (although many in the south erroneously believed that from his name, Idiagbon was Yoruba).

And while Buhari's tribunals which tried the civilian governors threw them in jail with terms ranging from 5 years to 250 years, it was on record that the cost of keeping the military governors he appointed was more than that of their civilian predecessors (A practice which continued into the Babangida years)

Everybody in Nigeria knew that Abacha was an usurper, and that he was uncontrollably corrupt and was also involved in state sponsored murder, [size=14pt]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 Salihijo Ahmad's Afriproject 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, the sole consultant 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.[/size]

[size=14pt]Do you know PTF estate in Wuse? The sweetheart deal that Buhari's PTF made with the contractor was so sweet. Not only would the contractor collect rent from PTF, but after 8 years, the place would be his to own!

Also, it is on record that though most of the monies which accrued to PTF was sourced from the south, a disproportionately large amount of projects were concentrated in the north, and particularly in Buhari's home state of Katsina, with little done in the east and Niger Delta which needed help more than ever!

Is Buhari a statesman? Please ask yourself and answer objectively. Here is man who called on Muslims to vote only Muslim candidates at the recent elections. As if that was not enough, when given the chance to deny the statement, he blurted that he only said Muslims should vote for those who would promote their religion! Is that not one and the same thing?

Here is a man who went on to say that Nigerians don't need "ordinary rubber" to justify their citizenship (in reference to the national ID card scheme). A man who labelled as subversives his opponents who were schemed out of the Abuja ANPP Presidential primaries. A man who when the flame were burning in the north over Sharia publicly denounced the Council of States decision to down play Sharia temporarily.

My dear Umar, please read these little notes of mine as dispassionately and objectively as you can, and ask yourself if a man who has such a pedigree can be said to have in your words "patriotic fervour" who ran a government "with a sense of purpose" and who was discipline and incorruptible? One thing you must know is that if a tribunal of the same bend as the one constituted by Buhari to try civilians after his coup should look into what this Buhari and his relations did in PTF, Buhari himself will get more than the 250 years jail term that was handed down on Jim Nwobodo.[/size]

I also read and had course to join issues with Sesan Koyejo's article "funny ideas of Prof. Omoruyi, " also to be found on the gamji website.

Permit me to present some facts, notorious facts, which when read along with your article might throw more light on your knowledge of Obasanjo.

Loyalty:

Sesan, you said in your article that Obasanjo is extremely devoid of loyalty to causes or persons and would sacrifice even his own child for his ambition. Let us see if facts support your assertion.

Obasanjo a Yoruba man, was the best friend of Chukwuma Nzeogwu, an Igbo. After Nzeogwu's failed coup, he feared poisoning and would only eat food prepared by Obasanjo. Before he died, he pleaded with OBJ to care for his family. It is on record that OBJ did this, and continues to do so till date. Nzeogwu's younger sister, who had a learning disability was sent to the best schools, including Mayflower Ikenne. His mother receives a pension from OBJ till date, and when he was released from prison, OBJ, went to visit Mrs. Nzeogwu in her village Okpanam.

Obasanjo was in Copenhagen in Denmark, when he was phoned up by Walter Carrington, then U.S. ambassador in Nigeria and told not to come back to Nigeria, because he would be arrested by Abacha for a phantom cop. He also got the same message from the current Chief of Staff in the presidency. Yet he came back. Why, because he knew that if he did, Yar' Adua and the other "coup plotters" would not be killed. Sesan you tried to stand reason on the head when you me and rejected this argument claiming instead that OBJ returned because he felt that Yar' adua's influence would save him. But what you did not know or may be conveniently forgot, was that Yar' adua was already in jail before OBJ returned. So the question you must answer Sesan, is how a man whose influence can not protect him can be expected to protect another?

In the year 2002, particularly in March, Arewa Consultative Forum, called on OBJ to fire his minister for works and housing Chief Anenih if he wanted their support for his second term. This warning was followed by a meeting in June, which was reported in Thisday, where IBB called for Anenih's sack before he would even discuss OBJ'S second term ambition. OBJ remained adamant and stuck with Anenih till this very day. Now Sesan, if that is not loyalty, I want you to define your own understanding of the word.

CONTROL OF PDP AND NIGERIA:

Sesan claims that Atiku Obasanjo's deputy is in fact his boss, and OBJ is merely a figure head. Can this be true?

It is an open secret that Atiku the vice president wanted OBJ to sack Anenih, because he felt threatened by the man, but rather than sack him, Anenih has remained the single most powerful man in Nigeria outside the president. Also recently, Atiku tried to make Bugaje his former political adviser speaker of the house, but he failed because OBJ wanted Masari who is now speaker. Aso Atiku lost in his constituency Jimeta-Yola to the ANPP, while OBJ won overwhelmingly in his.

From the above, any reasonable person would realise that while Atiku was very powerful during and after the events leading to the Presidential primaries, his power waned after that. Atiku himself saw this, which was why he orchestrated the governors from his zone to pay a solidarity visit to OBJ where they repeatedly begged him to ensure Atiku becomes president in 2007.If Obasanjo is as powerless as Sesan alleges, does it make sense that he can ensure the power that he does not have is passed to Atiku. According to this reasoning, Atiku only has to take what is his. But no. He comes appealing to OBJ. That tells unbiased minds who wears the crown.

CONCLUSION:

Many people have always made the hasty generalisation that Yoruba's are great betrayers, and love among other things to bring down their own. Sesan, your actions in twisting facts to suit your obvious hatred for Obasanjo lends some credence to this lie against the Yoruba. The Yorubas are purportedly the most enlightened tribe in Nigeria, and that being the case, other Nigerians look up to them to set the pace, not the lie. Sesan inclusion, it is the actions of a few that has led to this bad image of the Yoruba, please don't be among those few



Reno Omokri is now VP Africa at Joe Trippi and Associates a DC based Political Consultancy firm. He wrote this while working at British House of Commons in 2003.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/of-obasanjo-babangida-buhari-and-misrepresentation.html

monkeyleg:
@Beaf, dont despoil yourself mentally, because you have no clue. You really do not understand the basics of good governace, and I pity you more than anything, cos the likes of you have really not gained anything from education in Nigeria. What a pity

I see you have finally looked in the mirror, cos you're talking about yourself. . . Imagine a grown man that wants his President to leave a UN engagement to deal with a murder? Clueless?

How about Ugo who has been stealing mangos from the farm, should the Presido fly down to chase him too? I no fit laf!