BestGovernance:
NIGERIA: A NATION IN THE WOOD WITH HER PRESIDENT ON TRANSIT

Since emergence of our President as number one citizen, he has left no one in doubt that charity should begin from abroad not home. Thus he deems it fit to tour the globe in his quest for providing solution to Nigeria’s problem. From all indications, it seems he is comfortable in communicating his policies via this platform.

Surprisingly, this style of governance is alien to our nation and many keep wondering why the President should choose such a path. To make the matter worse his spin’s doctors are going to any length in defending this unbecoming act. Their defence have changed from during or after trip to before trip, what a government?

To be candid, there is nothing bad in attending international affairs outside the shore of his country but the situation in our country deserve full attention and time from its leaders. According to a Norway's proverb that says necessity teaches naked woman how to knit.

It would have been better if Mr President has strong affinity for delegation of responsibilities but he has not, considering outcome of the presented 2016 Budget to NASS. It is now clear to all and sundry that the current government is unprepared for governance. Even Buhari himself has admitted this by saying he came at the wrong time to govern. Buhari and APC are doing more of politicking than governance and this is affecting all their outings. From TSA commission fee to inconclusive elections to budget of change that turned to fraud, in fact the list is becoming endless.

We expected the government to salvage the nation from global economy downturn with appreciable policies but what we are having now is a government that is bent on passing buck to past government, political vendettas and always fail to admit when it errs.

How could a government that promise change will steal, replace and later disown its budget? Till now, no apology has been rendered instead it keeps bringing webminster words like mafia, saboteurs to defend a national embarrassment. Our advice for this government is to withdraw this profligacy entourage called budget of change and present a reasonable one. If not the sacking spree will justify our earlier claim that this government is only replacing them to reward its sponsors' list.

At this juncture, we don't need any rocket scientist to discern the state of our economy and Mr Buhari should stop thinking that as a retired Army General he will know it all. If Financial Times and Bloomberg are enemies to our nation, we don't think our economists like Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Pat Utomi who are ardent supporters of this government will toe same path with these foreign analysts.

What benefit will "I will not kill Naira" do to the innocent public that 98% of their daily transactions reflect happenings from parallel market of foreign exchange? No matter how good an intention sounds without facts and figures of reality it will remain a harmful substance in economics.

It is high time we stopped these stringent policies that keep widening the gap between official and parallel markets' rates.

It is high time we stopped passing bucks and face reality.

It is high time we stopped having 4 media aides to a President of prudence and leaned cabinet when no Chief Economy Adviser has been appointed.

It is high time we stopped thinking that melodrama from EFCC, DSS and fifth columnist media outfits can replace policies for good governance.

It is high time we stopped thinking that foreign aids will come without consequences as no country is a father xmas.

We are saying it again, the vacuum created by the wasted first six months cannot be underscored with the charade of shame in 2016 budget and this government should desist from justifying what is alien to our style of governance.

Good Governance Advocates is saying to Mr President to listen less to his inner caucus and praise singers but give more attention to his critics.
Nigeria belongs to all and our patriotism should be to it than any political parties or groups


Ifedayo Obi,
GGA

(Good Governance Advocates is a partner of Shadow Cabinet of Nigeria and we are synonymous to governance par excellence with mandate to bring government to their toes in discharge of their duties for the governed to smile)

BestGovernance:
WHY HOLDING BRIEF FOR SUPREME COURT?

According to Coretta Scott King that “Freedom and justice cannot be parcelled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for group of people and deny it to others.”

It is on the above premise we will be standing to address judicial ignorance of many people denigrating verdict of Supreme Court on Rivers Governorship election.

We were surprised that a verdict that its statement has not been made public will gather such condemnation. In fact, we are still wondering where on earth will a court of public opinion be greater than Supreme Court. Why should our patriotism to a party be greater than to our nation?

To make it worse, some quarters posited that the verdict was made to prevent crisis that might occur if a rerun election should be conducted. Why should people be holding brief for the highest court of law in the land? If it is to avert crisis then any politician can be getting votes by all means to win election without electoral guidelines.

To be candid, It seems all these commentators are aliens to politics in Rivers State. Here is the gospel truth, Amaechi lost his relevance in the State when he joined APC. The Riverians saw him as a betrayal trying to plant his stooge as Governor after spent 8years as Speaker and 8years as Governor.

Amaechi left governance for over a year to pursue APC project, he locked up Judiciary for same period.
If Amaechi had his people in mind he wouldn't have exhausted N1bn monthly savings he gathered for 8 years, just to punish his successor.

For those who failed to follow previous judgements on Rivers State election, the 1st instance was rejection of incident forms and acceptance of only ECR's output. But in Lagos both components were joyfully accepted by tribunal.

You were told it was violence all through the State but only witnesses from 12 polling units out of 4,442 came to court. To further cover up rejection of Amaechi by the people of Rivers State, some arranged observers claimed it was violence all through but failed to give percentage of the affected areas.

It will be wrong for anyone to claim the judgement was to make peace reign in the canals.
If we can recall that the CJN, made it known to the public his reservation about outcomes of Election Tribunals and Appeal Courts.

We hereby congratulate the Judiciary for repairing its tainted image.
In the same vein, we appreciate Mr President for the bills sent to NASS in the quest of taming the monster called corruption. Although we should have these in the 1st 6months before commencing the ongoing prosecutions. In addition to these bills, we will suggest a bill that will make looters return same amount looted.

Also, to those boasting to use impeachment as their next tool in Rivers State, must we force ourselves on the innocent public to exercise power drunkenness.

Once again congratulation to our Judicial system.


Ifedayo Obi,
Good Governance Advocates

BestGovernance:
50TH YEAR OF MILITARY JUBILEE IN OUR NATIONAL LIFE.

Today 15th January makes it 50years our brothers in UNIFORM struck to be part of our national life. They truncated our nascent democracy with the hope of taking us to a greater level of prosperity. The event that happened on 15th January, 1966 did not end easily as it led to counter coup and later resulted to civil war.
Many said we don't need to look back since we cannot reinvent the past. But it is a common saying that those who fails to understand the past will be doomed to relive it.
Before anybody get us wrong, we are not praying for the military to come back.

Our Uniformed brothers came to power when Nigeria was just 5years and few months. We cannot but mention them in our history as they have accounted for 50% of our national life. They created States to polarise our diversity and put up constitution for us.
Many are saying Military era was better than civilian days. Let us ask from India and Pakistan who became independence same day to tell us their stories. Till today the latter has not recovered from impact of the military. One thing is certain, if our democracy has been allowed to grow we would have been better than this.

Here is the big question, who are the military? They are Nigerians like everyone of us so why are we referring to them as aliens.

Surprisingly, since 1999 those people we are referring to as Military have dropped their kakhi for Agbada. They are stakeholders in our today politics that many are celebrating. Thus, they still dominate our politics from Local to Federal levels.
Since 1999 we have been having retired military officers as Chairmen, Governors and Presidents with the current one being of one of the beneficiaries. So what has changed? They are just changing faces.

Here is our stand, since they have come back in another regalia they should take us back to true federalism and stop this feeding bottle system.

Happy Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Good Governance Advocates

BestGovernance:
Sambo Dasuki's gate and Buhari's anti-corruption war: A tale of many wrongs

We got mails from some of our readers on why we kept muted on Dasuki's gate despite all evidences circulating with whirlwind. Our response to them was simple, we don't take facts and figures from trial made on pages of newspapers, social media and court of public opinions. We told them we are expecting the case to be brought before a competent court so as to ascertain the true figures.

This is because APC lacks numerical acumen. We are still waiting for N6trillion. We were told that it'll trek from foreign lands and when 1million barrels of oil stolen daily by Jonathan's administration will stop.
Our take is that, corruption should not be fought with kids gloves and its approach must be holistic.

Now to Dasuki and his co-travellers in the saga. Finally, the endless list has been summed up to N32billion against $2.1billion and N650billion fanning around. In sum 3.2% of total amount N1trillion budgeted for arms was diverted according to EFCC.

Looking at the direction of the funds and confessions of those involved as fed us by the media, it was clear that the money was diverted for re-election of Goodluck Jonathan. But APC and Buhari have failed to tell Nigerians where they got their campaign funds from. They have also failed to tell us what happened to 96.8% of the fund for arms deal. While we are not supporting criminality but both APC and PDP are guilty of spending public funds on election campaign.

If Buhari could not afford money to pick a form but resorted to loan then where did they get such huge fund to finance a flamboyant election campaign. A former governor from South West single handedly bought jet for Buhari's campaign, another one took loans on behalf of his State to fund same project. Likewise, another who took bonds on behalf of his State to fund Buhari's project. With countless of billboards, posters, radio and TV adverts, and newspapers adverts made by APC. Also, it will not be wrong to recall how much spent by APC to campaign outside the shore of Nigeria, they even spent days campaigning to foreigners in foreign lands.

Therefore, if what Buhari is doing is to fight campaign fraud of PDP in the last Presidential's election he should also remember that 99% of his campaign fund came from donations of commonwealth robbers. He should not forget that his kingmakers stole public treasury to enthrone him in Aso rock. So Buhari cannot benefit from a faulty system to gain power and challenging his co-defaulters of same wrong.

To sum it up, it has been stated clearly in the electoral act how much to be spent on election campaign. As a matter of necessity, it is a clarion call to our assigned institutions to stand up against election campaign spending impunity. It behoves on them to state sources where political parties get their funds from.

Ifedayo Obi

Good Governance Advocates
goodgovernanceadv@gmail.com

BestGovernance:
AT THE MARKET SQUARE OF CHANGE

"Ni ojueleja, enough excuses, enough blames oh oh oh,
Ani ni ojueleja oh, dem dey give us stories,
Ni ojueleja oh, enough propagandas and lies oh oh oh"

When it was time to elect market leader for a 4years term, the market people rejected their incumbent leader for not given them change at every point of purchase. While the major opponent promised change at every instant of transaction.

However, the market people failed to discern that the same power brokers who made the rejected leader to oversee them, also made one that promised change.

It is now about half a year as market leader, here are the change from the market square.

- At the orange juice corner,
Its scarcity has been twice with the second one yet to end as the inconsistency of the new market leader about subsidy on orange juice posing more danger. He once claimed it as a fraud and later called it untouchable. Despite making himself chief seller, there is no change to enjoy. As at today, oranges are still taking to another market square to be converted to juice as fruit crusher is under-performing.

- At the Cable stand
Cable tariff got hiked twice, July 1 and November 1. The body language that increase its supply is no more there and cable sellers are just rolling out outrageous bills day by day.

- Another popular stand in the market is the Fabric stand. But it is quite surprising that sellers are now using different tape rules to measure fabrics. When Lagoon and River approached the stand for same material, they returned with different sizes. When Tara and Benu did same, stories were different. In fact, on giving out naked fabrics for yam thieves, it was selective as friends of new leader were given tickets to lead their sub-markets.

- Market Night guards
Also, the night guards are no more strong enough to combat omo onile from invading the market. Despite having the new leader from their constituency, they are still using same bow and arrow that they condemned the former leader on.
Today, you can hardly hear about invasion of omo onile in the market papers yet death occurs daily.

- Loans to run imprest.
The same people that condemned every penny borrowed by the former leader have borrowed $3billion in five months with Ewa Agani and ogbonlo sellers taking lead. Beside, another loan request of N2.1trillion has been sent to market makers for approval. This is half of entire imprest for the year and same year is about to end.

These and more changes are now order of the day at the market square.

It is now important we ask for terms and conditions when ever we demand a CHANGE.

Ifedayo Obi

Good Governance Advocates

BestGovernance:
STILL ON TSA FRAUD

Sequel to accusations and counter accusations going on in the public arena concerning alleged contractual bill of about N60billion paid to e-collector for FG, we as a group synonymous to good governance, we will like all concerned stakeholders in this saga to come out and explain what exactly transpired instead of media propaganda.

Meanwhile, as we are waiting for their responses, let us ask those blindfolded followers of the current and past governments these questions;

After formulation of policy comes implementation, so if Sahara Reporters can be so ineptitude of public governance, why shifting the blame to immediate past government?

Under whose regime was TSA implemented or was the current government blind to the financial implication of involving a third party?

When accolades were coming from all quarters to the current government for implementing TSA nobody remembered the initiator, so why is this current government scares of taking responsibility for bloated bill paid to the consultant?

If some Nigerians are perpetually blind to the truth, few ones will not, so who paid owner of REMITA platform N25billion and later accumulated to N60billion, PMB or GEJ?

Finally, who blew the whistle, APC or PDP Senator?

If this is how the change we voted for will be treating us then we are in for more wrongs just like an accountant bossing over a Professor of Curriculum in Ministry of Education.

Good Governance Advocates

BestGovernance:
16YEARS OF PDP MESS: ANOTHER FLIMSY RANTING FROM HALLUCINATIONS

It is quite misleading for Buhari, APC and their gullible followers to keep ranting to our ears that PDP messed up 16years. It is high time we drew their ears to reality.

Since the rebirth of Democracy in 1999, Nigeria has not produced any political party with ideology. All we have had are politicians that jump ship at will when the tides refuse to blow in their favour.

Let us ask ourselves simple question, who is PDP and who is APC? If this misconstrued statement still continue after five months plus in power then these messengers must be schooled.

Foremost, Buhari's decision to join commonwealth robbers to mount Aso seat was a different ethical rules to his acclaimed integrity and gullible Nigerians had failed to discern it. If PDP had fielded a Northern candidate as tailored by their founding fathers, those who left for APC would not have done so and Buhari would not have neared Aso seat.

Those who made Jonathan were same kingmakers that made Buhari king over us. They did not only ordained him but supported him with stolen commonwealth. So why all these hullabaloos, if Buhari and his co-travellers are looking for excuse to cover up, it should not be this particular song.

Moreover, space will not permit us to state it letter by letter details of those constituents who are now saints in APC. However, we will encourage our readers to peruse details made available by Tonye Barcanista through this link, www.nairaland.com/2708570/why-it-illogical-claim-pdp/8#39633657

If Buhari's reference should be accepted then why all these people still living large in his camp;

Olusegun Obasanjo- 8years under PDP as President but now Buhari's navigator,

Atiku Abubakar- 8years as Vice President under PDP but committed money and Hilux buses to Buhari's campaign,

Barnabas Gemade and Audu Ogbeh- former chairmen of PDP but now Senator and Minister designate in APC,

Aminu Masari and Aminu Tambuwal- Speakers of House of Representative under PDP but now APC Governors in Katsina and Sokoto States

Amaechi- 8years as Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly and 7years as Governor in same State but now a sanctimonious Minister designate in APC.

Nasir El-Rufai and Samuel Ortom- once Ministers under PDP but now APC Governors in Kaduna and Benue States,

Rabiu Kwankwaso- once Minister and 7years as Governor of Kano States under PDP but now APC Senator,

Aliyu Wammako, 8years as Governor of Sokoto under PDP but now APC Senator.

George Akume, Bukola Saraki, Patricia Etteh, Farouk Lawan, Timipre Sylva, Chris Ngige, Oyinlola Olagunsoye, Segun Oni, and so on. These are the people that made Buhari President over us.

They were policies makers in the last 16years that Mr Buhari keep referring to as a mess. We put it to Buhari and his co-travellers to tell us who PDP is and who is APC?

For as many that are yet to know political landscape of Nigeria, Buhari only came to fulfil the yearning of the so called owner of YAM and KNIFE named Nigeria, that power must return to the North.

Mr Buhari! Mr Buhari!! Mr Buhari!!! Please face reality and stop fooling innocent Nigerians.

Finally, Nigerians have been bewitched by same politicians that meant no good for them so as to remain gullible forever. If not, they would have known their left from right.


Ifedayo Obi,
Good Governance Advocates

TonyeBarcanista:
Just yesterday, the Taraba state governorship election petition tribunal that sat in Abuja nullified the election of Governor Ishaku Darius of the PDP in favor of Hajia Aisha Alhassan of APC. The decision was based on the ground that Architect Ishaku Darius was not validly nominated by the PDP in contravention of Sections 78, 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act(EA 2010). Specifically, the tribunal held that the PDP never had legal candidate for the Taraba poll.

If we are to go by the judgement, then it will be fair for the Benue state election tribunal to nullify the election of Governor Samuel Orthom of APC because his nomination contravened S 78(b)(1)(2), 85(1) and 85(2) of the Electoral Act as well.

Governor Orthom's Illegitimate Nomination:
According to INEC's timetable for 2015 General election, primary election of candidate was slated for October 2 and December 11, 2014.

The APC Governorship primary election for Benue state was originally slated for December 4/5 2014, but it wasn't held. It was again shifted to December 11, 2014(deadline) but NO primary election was held on the said day. No report that any delegate participated in ANY primary election on that day. The party 'elders' settled for a consensus candidate before the midnight of the day. Even the pro-APC Nations Newspaper reported that;

"Chief Ortom emerged after other governorship aspirants stepped down for him at the end of a close door meeting brokered by the senate minority leader, Senator George Akume, in Makurdi."
www.thenationonlineng.net/benue-apc-settles-ortom-governorship-candidate/

In fact, the five other APC aspirants including, Emmanuel Jime, Mike Iordye, Akange Audu, Sen Joseph Waku and Prof Steve Ugbah released a statement on December 12, 2014 to REJECT the arrangement of the so-called party elders in Benue state (see here www.leadership.ng/news/394871/benue-apc-primaries-5-guber-aspirants-reject-ortom).

Further more, INEC was NOT present at the dead of the night to witness the illegitimate arrangement that was held inside somebody's parlour. Let us no forget that Goodluck Jonathan though a PDP consensus candidate, went through formal primaries to fulfill the Electoral Act.

APC Has No Legal Gubernatorial Candidate For Benue state:
Going by the above, the arrangement that brought Samuel Orthom as the APC candidate for Benue state governorship election contravenes sections 78(b)(1)(2) and85(1)(2) of the Electoral Act 2010.

Section 78 (b) (1)(2) of the Electoral Act states: In the case of nomination to the position of Governorship candidate, a political party shall where they intend to sponsor candidates:

(i) hold special congress in each of the Local Government Areas of the States with delegates voting for each of the aspirants at the congress to be held in designated centres on specified dates.

(ii) the aspirant with the highest number of vote at the end of the voting shall be declared the winner of the primaries of the party and aspirant’s name shall be forwarded to the commission as the candidate of the party, for the particular state.

The arrangement that brought Orthom never met the above condition. Hence, the APC technically has no candidate for Benue state governorship election 2015. There is no record that APC Benue delegates endorsed Samuel Orthom as candidate through voice votes or ballot box. There is also no record that INEC witnessed any Benue APC governorship primary election on or before December 11, 2014 which is in contravento to S85 of the Electoral Act.

The PDP candidate Terhemen Tarzor should have been declared as the legitimate winner of the election by INEC and the Tribunal.

INEC's and Judicial Glaring Hypocrisy:
The position of INEC on Taraba and Benue states reeks double standard. While they testified that they never witnessed ANY primary legitimate PDP primary for Taraba state governorship contest, the FAILED to testify same for Benue state. This issue though part of PDP's petition, must be seriously pursued by the PDP at the Court of Appeal to reclaim Benue state to the people.

The Petition tribunal in Benue state unfortunately dismissed the issue on "technical" ground in the rulling on September 21, 2015 in order to keep Orthom in power. This is double standard from the Judiciary. You can't nullify A and Uphold B when they bother on the same matter. I'm optimistic that the Court of Appeal will upturn the verdict.

What is good for Taraba should be good for Benue.!!!


May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria