₦airaland Forum

NgeneUkwenu:
they resemble me anyway!

softmind24:
Smile


Money is good





Tonye jumping from one to politicians to another

Colourich:
Ogburu ya egbu o.

maestroferddi:
Insult is deadly when rendered in Igbo...

SolutionMee:
Or even sanction them sef

LabUdegbe:
That Igbo version na MAD... lol

A human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to let the courts decide what constitutes a threat to national security instead of allowing security agencies to disobey court judgments under the guise of national security.

Falana, who was a discussant at the 58th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Abuja on Tuesday, said this while responding to a question posed by another senior advocate, Chief Mike Ozekhome.

Ozekhome had questioned Buhari’s speech at the opening of the conference wherein the President said human rights could be suspended with regards to national security.

Ozekhome had also asked Falana if the Supreme Court ruling on Asari Dokubo vs. Federal Government gave the Buhari government the right to detain people indefinitely under the guise of national security

Speaking on the topic, ‘Rule of Law and Security,’ Falana said civil liberties could be put in abeyance with respect to national security.

He, however, argued that only the courts should be made to determine what constitutes a national security threat.

Falana added, “The point made by the President has long been captured in the Latin maxim, ‘Salus Populi Supremalex’ which means the law of the society will take precedence over individual liberty. Where we can depart from the President is the attempt by whoever wrote the speech to use the case of Dokubo Asari vs. the Federal Republic of Nigeria to justify disobedience to court orders.

“In that case, Justice Tanko made the point that it is only when you have peace that you can talk of your individual liberty. But if the country is in pieces, you cannot talk of human rights and nobody can dispute that.

“But who defines national insecurity? It is the court; Section 45 of the constitution has provided that many of those rights in Chapter 4 can be suspended. So, the law is very clear on this.”

Falana also agreed with Ozekhome that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation must be separated from that of the Minister of Justice.

The activist said the AGF is not supposed to be a politician. As for the office of the attorney general and minister of justice, I have always argued that both have to be separated. One is a politician, one is a professional. We have not been able to draw a line of dichotomy,” he said.

Speaking at one of the sessions on strengthening the fight against corruption, the Chairman-designate of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, said the NBA was not doing enough to curb corruption.

Owasanoye, who is the Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, said, “My humble view is that the NBA as presently designed and its mindset is not in a position to fight corruption unless you want to deceive yourself.”

He said the funds being recovered from politically-exposed persons were being kept in an asset recovery account and would not be stolen.

Ozekhome, however, knocked the Federal Government for not revealing what recovered funds were being used for.

The senior advocate said he had invoked the Freedom of Information Act, demanding to know how the funds were being used but over a year after writing the letter, he had yet to receive a response.

adewumiopeyemi:
Make person no talk too much for here make person no go talk wetin go hang his mouth

MISEDUCATIONS:
an insult is something like "Fvck You". when i say "Nigerian women are not usually beautiful" its not an insult but an observation. ever asked yourself why there are more foreign women marrying nigerian men than foreign men marrying nigerian women food for thought.
nigerian women are not desired as much as nigerian men.

adewumiopeyemi:

adewumiopeyemi:
How. Much did they pay in that skype bank and what the target involve..

osazsky:
its not a laughing matter o,it happened in 2006, I still have their I D card and some other materials,Nigeria nor b country my guy,the best tin to do is to have ur personal biz ,but god has been faithful, it took me time to move on

osazsky:
my first job as a marketer in afribank, I ran and left my salaries with them when they told me I was d one owing them cuz I couldn't meet my target ,I wept for almost 3 months

Generaloluseye:
DSA at Skye bank

Nigerian government officials have ordered thousands of displaced people to return to an unsafe area as pressure mounts to show progress in the war against Islamist groups ahead of a presidential election, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Those who have gone back say they only did so because the officials told them they would get no more aid if they remained in refugee camps. Returnees say their home area of Guzamala in the northeast is not safe and they cannot earn a living there.

At issue is the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general who won power in 2015 on a promise to restore security to the northeast and end the Islamist Boko Haram insurgency, now in its tenth year.

Western diplomats and aid officials have expressed concern that sending displaced people back to their home regions is part of Buhari's political agenda, and that of the ruling party as local elections are also being held.

"Pushing these people back just to make a point when the security situation remains tenuous is a terrible idea," one diplomat told Reuters.

The government and the election commission have met to discuss how to expedite returns as the election early next year nears, according to a person with direct knowledge of those talks.

Officials have told people their home areas are safe and they can go back to their livelihoods. That is a tempting proposition for people who have lived in camps for years, dependent on handouts.

In June, government officials told some 2,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in Bakasi camp in the city of Maiduguri to go back to a town in the Guzamala region, according to interviews with returnees, a government official and others with knowledge of the matter.

"They said, 'If you refuse to return, you are on your own, the government will not help you anymore'," said Hassan, who, like other returnees, asked to be identified by his first name for fear of reprisals.

Guzamala is viewed by the United Nations and aid organizations as inaccessible or hard to reach. They do not deliver aid to a region under the sway of Islamic State West Africa. ISWA split from Boko Haram in 2016 and is now the bigger threat in Nigeria's northeast, security experts believe.

Earlier this month, Islamist militants killed at least 19 people, and possibly as many as 63, in an attack on a village in Guzamala.

Foreign governments, which provide aid and military support in the northeast, successfully lobbied Nigerian officials to pause the returns to dangerous areas like Guzamala, though the program is expected to resume after an assessment, said four people familiar with the matter.

FORCED TO LEAVE

Four returnees who spoke with Reuters said government officials ordered them to Guzamala. Three said those officials threatened to cut off their aid if they refused - a threat that was carried out, so even those who wanted to stay had to leave.

Interviewees identified Sugun Mai Meleh, the commissioner of land and survey for Borno state, and Lawan Umara Zanna, the chairman for Guzamala, as the officials who made the threats. They said Borno State House of Assembly Speaker Abdulkarim Lawan was also present.

Borno is at the center of the fight against Boko Haram and ISWA. Maiduguri and Guzamala both lie within the state.

Lawan told Reuters that he was at the gathering returnees had described, but he was not aware of any forced returns and no threats were made. "That is not true," he said.

The Nigerian presidency, military and Mai Meleh did not respond to requests for comment. Zanna declined to comment.

Bashir Garga Idris, northeast Nigeria coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency, said people were not being coerced to return, although he did not know about the reported threats because he was outside Nigeria at the time.

ELECTION PRESSURE

In meetings, the government has discussed how to return as many people as possible to their home regions in Borno in the run-up to the election, said a person with knowledge of those discussions.

Aid officials and Western diplomats also say the government's return program is geared towards elections.

The aim is to have as many people returned as possible so they can vote in primaries, which run from August to October, the person with knowledge of talks added.

In Nigeria, people can only vote in regions where they are registered, potentially making hundreds of thousands of people displaced to Maiduguri ineligible unless special arrangements are made for them.

Mikah Lakumna, an official with the Independent National Electoral Commission in Borno, said that the government was trying to close some IDP camps, and INEC was exploring ways to ensure those people's voting rights.

INEC is assessing security to see how it can send election officials into dangerous areas, and is also looking into instances where voters had been coerced into returning to regions they were registered, Lakumna said.

"WE WERE DECEIVED"

The roughly 2,000 Guzamala returnees are part of more than 7.7 million people in Nigeria's northeast who need aid to survive in one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises.

When they reached Guzamala, they found a wasteland.

Their town was in ruins. Many buildings were burned or collapsed, returnees told Reuters. There were so few houses that people took shelter in a school where rain had caved in the roof.

Pictures of the town, seen by Reuters, showed shattered structures and blackened streets littered with burnt-out debris.

There, some food and supplies - enough to feed a family of 10 for a day, according to one man - were distributed. Since then, the returnees have been left for weeks at a time to fend for themselves. Some soldiers took pity on them and handed over their own water rations.

"We were deceived," said Modu, a returnee. "There is nothing in Guzamala other than suffering."

Some in authority also had reservations.

"The place was not ready for the survival of people because there is no food, water is scarce," said a soldier in Guzamala, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"It is not only Guzamala that is in terrible state, but the whole of northern Borno - Boko Haram ruined the place and they are still there. Ordinarily, IDPs are not supposed to return now, but because our ogas (bosses) just want to make it look as if things are okay there."

Officials had promised Guzamala's returnees they could farm, but there was nothing to farm, nor anything to farm with, the returnees said. Much of the suitable land lies in the bush, where ISWA roams.

"They forced us to return and they did not keep their promises," said Mohammed, another returnee.

Of those who went to Guzamala, dozens have tried to return to the relative safety of Maiduguri. The city is guarded, and aid agencies provide food, shelter and medicine.

"We expected the government to provide us with food, but nothing was done. It is better to return back to Maiduguri than to die of hunger," said Kadai, another Guzamala returnee. "The government lied to us."

In Maiduguri, returnees found government officials had denied them access to aid, according to two people familiar with the camp management. Left with no choice, they returned to Guzamala.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday as assured the visiting United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Theresa May of his commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

He also welcomed UK’s support at strengthening democratic institutions in the country.

Speaking at a bilateral meeting with his guest, the president said: ‘‘I assure you that I’m all out for free, fair and credible elections.

I’m very pleased that my party is doing very well. The High Commissioner will brief you more. The recent successes in polls in Katsina, Bauchi, and Kogi have boosted our morale greatly.

A statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on media and publicity, after the meeting, quoted him as saying: ‘‘Nigeria has accepted multiparty democracy and that is putting politicians on their toes, forcing them to work harder,’’ he said.

On the anti-corruption campaign, the President applauded the British support to the country, noting that the success of the fight was very important to ordinary people in the country.

He added: “We had great opportunities and resources between 1999 and 2014, due to high oil prices. But when we came in 2015, oil prices plunged to as low as 37 dollars per barrel.

‘‘What we have been doing since 2015 is to focus on infrastructure development, despite low earnings. Work is ongoing in roads, rail, power, and many others.”

On Brexit, President Buhari noted that it provides an opportunity to strengthen the historic ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

‘‘We are nervously watching the development about Brexit because we know that the relationship had been on for a long time. I assure you that I am prepared to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.’’

The President also thanked the UK government for the support on security and the fight against insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, as well as the improved trade relations between both countries.

‘‘I am very grateful to the British government under your leadership for the help in security, particularly your training team that is in our institution in Kaduna,’’ he said.

Earlier, in remarks before the bilateral meeting, the Nigerian leader underscored the need for UK support on reviving of Lake Chad, which is a means of livelihood for millions of people.

The President told the visiting Prime Minister that Europe and China were already conducting an in-depth study on recharging the Lake through inter-basin transfer from the Central African Republic.

In her remarks, Prime Minister May, who welcomed the assurance by the Nigerian government on credible elections in 2019, said she was pleased to be in Abuja to continue the ‘‘excellent discussions’’ she started with President Buhari in London in April, this year, particularly on security, trade, asset recovery and the fight against corruption.

‘‘Security and defence cooperation are very important steps to address Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa,’’ May said.

On asset recovery, the Prime Minister told President Buhari: ‘‘we do not want to hold anything that belongs to Nigeria people, but we follow the judicial process, which can be slow.’’

The Prime Minister appealed to President Buhari to use his position as ECOWAS Chair to keep the issue of human trafficking on the front burner in the sub-region.

President Buhari and Prime Minister May witnessed the signing of two agreements: Security and Defence Partnership and Economic Development Forum Agreement.

The APC government’s style of fighting corruption and poverty is what attracted former Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio to the party, the lawmaker says.

Describing the two as twins, Mr Akpabio, after an APC caucus meeting late Tuesday night, praised President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership style in tackling corruption and poverty..

“The first thing you need to know about the APC, from the point of view of leadership, I am quite impressed.

The president has kept his integrity intact. He has been able to improve the image of Nigeria and restore a lot of respect to Nigeria from the international community. I can assure you that he alone can attract millions of people, he is that infectious.

Of course his stance on corruption and that Nigerians have food on their table is something is applauded all over the world. I have also advocated that he also fights the twin brother of corruption, that is poverty.

“I am joining the APC as a government to stabilise the government and to assist the government to create employment opportunities for Nigerians so that we can fight the twin brother to corruption, which is poverty.

Poverty creates corruption and corruption deepens poverty, so we need to fight the two together. And that is one of the things I find attractive with the APC and believe me with my people in Akwa Ibom State, with my presence in the APC my people in South South have now seen the light and they say APC is the party to vote for come 2019.”

On what was discussed, Mr Akpabio said the meeting deliberated on topical issues in the interest of the country.

“The meeting went very well and a lot of topical issues were discussed bothering on the interests of the Nation.

The resolutions are fantastic and I believe that resolutions will not only move the party forward but will help to alleviate the situation in the country today and Nigerians will be happy for it.”

Mr Akpabio left the opposition party, PDP, to join the ruling APC last month.

The stage appears set for a major confrontation between key power brokers in the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the mode of primaries to adopt for the selection of its candidates for the 2019 general election.

Party top shots are divided on whether to adopt the direct or indirect primary system in the exercise scheduled for next month.

Both side, THISDAY gathered, have perfected plans on how to prevail at a series of decision-making meetings that started last night with the national caucus hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), THISDAY gathered that governors elected on the APC platform and the party’s National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu were pitted against each other with the later insisting on his preference for direct primary.

The state governors were said to be pushing for the adoption of indirect method and had already made their position known to the party.

It was learnt that while the Buhari has not uttered any word on which of the sides to support, yesterday’s meeting of the national caucus provided the opportunity for him to weigh the two options and to try to pull the opposing sides together in other to avoid crisis.

Prior to the caucus meeting at the Villa, the former Lagos State governor and the governors were engaged in strong lobby to ensure that they have their way.

For most of the governors, the idea of using direct primary is not an easy pill to swallow as they are afraid of what it portends.

The governors were said to be suspicious of the intentions of those pushing the direct primary method over what used to be the practice.

On the hand, those who support Tinubu were saying that the direct primary would help give the average party member a sense of belonging and also to force some unpopular state chief executives to begin to reckon with people’s power at the grassroots.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is a known Tinubu ally was spotted at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday evening where he visited the National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

Meanwhile the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC met yesterday to fine-tune the agenda for the NEC meeting.

Among the issues likely to dominate the agenda are the method of primary to adopt, dates and fixtures as well as cost of nomination forms for elective offices in the 2019 elections.

Finally Uduaghan Joins APC

Meanwhile, former governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, embattled former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu-Sheriff, and Senator Godswill Akpabio were among the first callers at the APC caucus meeting, which held in Presidential Villa last night.

Last night caucus’ meeting was the first to be presided over by President Buhari after the defections of several prominent members of the party to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in recent times.

The appearance of Uduaghan who has not formerly defected to APC at the meeting was accompanied by excitement from other members of the caucus.

There was no opening session of the meeting as it dissolved into a closed-door forum immediately after the opening prayer.

In attendance at the meeting were the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, former Lagos State governor, Tinubu, former interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.

Also in attendance were governors of Borno, Jigawa, Niger, Plateau, Kogi, Adamawa, Ondo, Kano, Ogun, Oyo, Katsina, Osun, Yobe, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Imo and Lagos States.

Also present were former Deputy National Chairman of APC, Segun Oni, House of Representatives’ Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, former Ebonyi State governor, Martin Elechi, former Lagos State military governor, Buba Marwa, Lawrence Onoja, Jim Nwobodo, Kabiru Gaya, former APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, and former Enugu State governor, Sullivan Chime.

Others were former Edo State governor, Osarheimen Osunbor, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, Deputy National Chairman of the party, Niyi Adebayo, former Bayelsa governor, Timipre Sylva, Don Etiebet and serving ministers and senators.

Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Ita Enang and former governor of Anambra State, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, among others.

Ekez:
Minister of petroleum that does not know anything about the office he occupy ,no tangible acheivement.
Nothin to write home about !

Firefire:
.

President Yemi Osinbajo has said rather than being restricted by a single economic ideology, the government is using common sense approach in addressing the economic challenges of the country.

He spoke yesterday at the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) 2018 Annual General Conference in Abuja with the theme “Transition, Transformation, Sustainable Institution” where Professor Olukonyisola Ajayi (SAN) engaged him on Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

Ajayi had told the VP that while the government says it wants to ensure transition from a mono economy to a diversified economy among other transition plans, an ideological bent to what was being done was not apparent.

Responding, Osinbajo said ideology is no longer central to planning and that what has succeeded was a mix of sometimes a state intervention or basically allowing markets to work. “So, basically, we are concerned about ensuring that the market works; that the price mechanism is the basis for determining how value moves. But also whenever state intervention is required, the state must intervene, for example the social investment programme we have is a state intervention.”

He said the old concept of capitalism as it was known could no longer work because, “you can’t have these numbers of poor people that we have and expect that industries, manufacturing and others will develop faster to cater for everyone, so there must be social safety nets. So for us, it is a common sense approach and we are looking at the happiness of the greatest number of our people, how the bulk of our people can live prosperously.”

The Vice President, who is also the chairman of the federal government’s Economic Management Team (EMT), said one of the reasons the government was being careful in aligning with any of the ideological underpinnings was that “we’ve seen that there is a lot that works.”

He said “Everyone knows that at some point, there was SAP (Structural Adjustment Policy) and all of the different models of the Washington Consensus, but today every one of those things have been proved wrong in one way or the other,” adding that the government was of the opinion that there was a need to be flexible in terms of economic policies and be ready to adapt as quickly as possible.

When Osinbajo announced that interest rates were reducing though still relatively high, Ajayi chipped in that,

“Mr. Vice President, we borrow. You don’t borrow, Sir.”
Responding however, the VP said, “Don’t be under the impression that I don’t borrow. The truth of the matter is that we are all leveraged one way or the other and we are paying back debt one way or the other.”

He said while interest rate was 18% about a year ago but has now dropped to 13% because inflation has been going down month by month.

Firefire:
We don hear am ooo.

Firefire:
Members of the terrorist organization again?

Airforce1:
Nice jamz




Please Nobody should call me out on this thread