₦airaland Forum

All we are saying, give us more private universities.  I don't care about the public ones!

-Security
-Medical
-Education
These 3 essential elements are the most important responsibilities of any sensible government.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in introducing more private universities, but we must also think about the ordinary citizens who find it extremely difficult to afford a meal per day.
Let us think broadly and recognize the fact that, just because few of us can afford private universities doesn't mean others could do the same; and it doesn't matter how little the fees may be.

Do not let us settle for less; it is still the responsibility of the federal government to ensure an unblemished education opportunities to the citizens.
Therefore, I say, public universities standard should be elevated to the next level and made reliable for the future of our great nation.
Anything less will result into selling the pride and the future of our nation at a very cheap price.

May God bless Nigeria.

If I were rich, I would not pack my money abroad because of all the excessive (40%+) tax i'd have to pay!

At the moment, it is obvious that Nigerian economy is far from being stable and one can never predict correctly when next the value of Naira will drop or when our president and his VP will fall out. Moreover, most of our leaders are also crack heads and just not competent enough for one to rely on their leadership styles.
I will rather pay excessive tax where my money is secure; instead of fooling around in an environment where constitution is being modified like latest cars.

Hence, it is always a sensible strategy not to heavily invest or save all your money in Nigerian banks; the wealthy old schools that made this mistake in the 80s can hardly afford a meal per day today.
Believe me, it is a total waste or extremely risky to heavily invest in a country where there isn't electric power supply for 2 weeks straight on a regular.
If you have the opportunity to invest your money in a perdurable and well established environment (country), please do not hesitate; you can never regret the move.

@Topic:
One could easily understand where you're coming from, but it is never appropriate to stereotype the entire nation.
Instead of calling your mother, father, brothers and sisters fools, why can't you divert your energy and exasperation toward the corrupt leaders and the common thieves e.g retired police officer (Ehindero)?
This group of people should be your main target, not the innocent Nigerians.

If I were you, I will simmer down, regroup and polish up this topic; it isn't too late.

What a disgraceful leader and a total bad example for the youths of this nation.

Even if you don't read Nigerian newspapers, as a leader, it should have been kept to yourself.
Regardless of what is wrong, Nigerian Newspapers still represent Nigeria. Instead of talking rubbish as usual, a decent leader should work toward discovering an effective strategy to make Nigerian newspapers a better and reliable source of communication mechanism.

This man is a big shame to man-kind; and Nigeria will never never move forward if he's not permanently sent to OTTA.

He represents everything that is wrong with Nigeria.

Plea Bargain is legal and absolutely acceptable under any circumstances. It has been around for ever; and when this deal takes place, everyone benefits from it.
It is simply striking a deal with the prosecutor by submitting and coming clean with an exchange for leniency.

The politicians will give up the stolen money and go free or do less time in jail (between 4 to 12 months)

This strategy will save government some money and headache.
The reason why government might accept this deal: these cases are very messy, will take too long to complete, will cost too much and will be very difficult to win. Why? Too many are too corrupt for too long, even the prosecutors, judges and lawyers are corrupt too.
These cases could further divide the nation and at the end of the day the losers will be the poor and innocent Nigerian citizens.

These cases could also negatively affect the focus of this new administration; instead of focusing on improving standard of living, discovering cure for disease, stabilizing the economy and so on; the attention of this new administration will unnecessarily be divided into various parts and at the end of the day, absolutely nothing is guaranteed.

Hence, striking a plea bargain might not be a bad idea.

More books:

1. Taking vindictiveness and greediness to the next level

2. Killing the career of your enemies

3. Tarnishing images of good names and good people just because!

4. Womanising at a very old age

5. Turning 20,000 (thousand) Naira into 10,000000000 (billion) Dollars in just 8 years

@Topic

Recommendation for you: You need to first brush up and educate yourself before pointing finger at the northerners.

Do I need to express to you that thesame baseless point you're trying to make also goes on in other states, towns or villages in Nigeria?

Have you been to Ijebu Waterside before?
Have you been to Oshogbo before?
Have you been to Iberekodo before?
Have you been to Idanre before?
Have you been to Shaki before?
Have you been to Irogun before?
Have you been to Ifo before?
Have you been to Ipokia before?
Have you been to Ewekoro?
Have you been to Yakurr?
Have you been to Odukpani?
Have you been to Boki?
Have you been to Odigbo?
Have you been to Ose?
Have you been to Ifedore?

My man you need to slow down a bit and deeply think about things before posting rubbish.
It is absolutely unfair, unrealistic, uncivilized and irresponsible to debase folks from north just like that; Do you know that these same people have ruled and continue to rule this country?
If this is the case, then something must be wrong with Nigerians in general.

My point:
This is a problem that belongs to Nigeria; not northerners or southerners. This is a major problem that needs to be addressed by the federal government. (Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and so on could be experienced everywhere in Nigeria) This is also called low standard of living; and it doesn't discriminate.

If we are serious about moving our nation forward effectively, efficiently and unitedly, there must not be any division under any circumstances.
We are one and connected directly/ indirectly. We must embrace each other and respect ourselves.

It should be one nation and one Nigeria; not Tasma and the northerners

Oh yes, absolutely perfection can exist at higher level in Nigeria; only if my people are willing to take their time, put their heart and soul in everything they do and understand that money is not everything.
Nigerians are powerful, talented and naturally brilliant; with embracement of perfection in our society, believe me sky is the limit.

GLO CAF award is a typical example of perfection at its best in Africa.

I truly believe that we can do it and our nation will tremendously benefit from it.

It won't take too long anymore before OBJ will be adviced to spend more time at the OTTA Farm.

Senator to Obasanjo: Leave Yar’Adua alone

Senator Musa Adede was committee chairman on transport at the inception of the Senate in 1999-2003. But beyond that, he was and even till now (as attested to in this interview) a man who does not care whose ox is gored once he is convinced about what he is doing. He is a man who takes on any erring establishment and that explains, perhaps, why he was not allowed another shot at the Senate. In this interview, Musa is as blunt as ever.


WHAT is your take on the proposed Government of National Unity?

First and foremost, you have to understand that this is a problem arising from the April general elections. There were some lapses in the way INEC conducted the elections in most of the states for which Nigerians, civil rights organizations and indeed the foreign observers that came to monitor the elections did clearly state that there were great lapses in the elections. And if that is so, I might as well take you back to President Yar’Adua’s statement when he was being sworn-in May 29, when he said that he admitted that things were not properly done during the elections. If we use that as a basis of our argument, then you can now see why he wants to set up the Government of National Unity. Don’t forget, even as a ruling party, if the PDP won all the seats in the states houses of assembly, governorship, National Assembly and the presidential, nothing stops the president from appointing whosoever he wishes to form his government. There is no provision in the constitution that says only those of our political party must form a government.


Some say having a GNU is a ploy to silence the opposition, do you agree?

Let me ask you a question. Since 1999 till date, have we had any opposition? We have never. Infact, in the Senate, we used to call ANPP; PDP 1, AD; PDP 2 and the PDP senators were PDP 3. Meanwhile, a lot of times we talk about opposition, we talk as if it is a case of two enemies.The essence of having multiple parties is to act as checks and balances to the ruling party.


What is the difference between this government and Obasanjo’s?

I do not think that is a fair comment. If President Yar’Adua was elected under the platform of ANPP or AC and you now make such comment, I can see where you are coming from but today, he is the president elected under the PDP platform.


This government is an offshoot of the previous. In terms of policies and programmes, it is not different.

I think what you are trying to say is that it would appear as if President Yar’Adua does not have a full hand in running his government today. If that is what you are implying, then, I will say yes. I agree with you and I think the former president, Chief Obasanjo, should quietly revert to his farm because he said come May 29, 2007, he was going to retire to his farm. And I think he would be doing Nigerians and, indeed, himself a world of good if he retires back to his farm and let President Yar’Adua carry on with governance of the Nigerian state. I say this for two reasons. In 1999, when Obasanjo was being sworn-in as president, he did say at the Eagle Square that he didn’t beg for the job and that all those that contributed to his election should see it as their own contribution to a worthy course and they should not come to him for favours or appointments and they should allow him concentrate on the job Nigerians have given him to do.


I expected him and I did say some thing to him in Geneva in 2000 when I was part of the delegation as led by the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo as the senate president and I had the opportunity of seeing him in his hotel and I told him that why don’t you emulate President Nelson Mandela? Have you heard that Mandela is the chairman of the ANC? No because he has left that to the younger generation. Look at over the world, who is the chairman of the Labour Party in Britain, or the Conservative Party? They are all young people. I think Obasanjo has done his best. If he thinks he has done his best, let him allow Nigerians to judge him. For now, I will plead with him to leave quietly back to his Ota Farm and he should allow Yar’Adua.


In the same way he advised Nigerians, I am advising him too to allow President Yar’Adua run his government, let him not interfere in the politics of the PDP and in the governance of the Nigerian state. President Yar’Adua did not beg for the job, he did not ask for any assistance from him, so whatever Obasanjo did for Yar’Adua, he should consider it same way others contributed to his becoming president. That I would say. So, I think the former president is creating problems, first for the PDP, secondly for the Nigerian state. The PDP constitution has been changed and the manner in which it was changed was wrong. He cannot impose himself as chairman of the Board of Trustees, BOT, it is undemocratic what he did.


Being elderly, don’t you think it is good to have him around as a guide?

What experience does he have? Did he go to any school before becoming a democrat in 1999. The answer is no. Did he go to any school to govern the Nigerian state? The answer is no. He learnt on the job. Just like former presidents Shagari, Buhari, Babangida, Abdusalami and others have retired to their homes, he should also retire to his home. These former presidents never forced themselves on him when he was president; in any case, he is a man that you can never force any thing on, it is whatever he believes in that he does. Have you seen President Bush Snr imposing himself on the Republican Party or his son? Don’t get me wrong. He may give advice to his son on national or international issues which his son may seek from time to time, either way, his son has the right to decide at the end of the day whether to accept his father’s advice or not. Obasanjo can still give advice from his Ota farm.


Distinguished Nigerian


If and when Yar’Adua needs his advice, he would call him or go to him just like he would go to any distinguished Nigerian who has something to contribute to the development of the country. It does not have to be a former president. It could be you if he thinks you have something important to contribute towards the development of the country. But for him to impose himself on the party and to dictate what goes on in the party and by extension what goes on in the country , it is totally unacceptable. And that is why we are having problems with Government of National Unity. President Yar’Adua has good intentions because he wanted to bring everybody on board but since Chief Obasanjo sneaked out to Jamaica and returned, things have changed. President Yar’Adua cannot be his boy because he was nobody’s boy when he was in government. Why should Yar’Adua become his boy at this age?


But it was through Obasanjo’s influence he became president?

I see. So through whose influence did Obasanjo become president? Though the influence of General T.Y Danjuma, General Babangida, General Abdusalami and assistance of people like Alhaji Atiku and a good number of people. Did they impose themselves on him? The answer is no.


Are you still a member of PDP?

Of course.


Are your remarks not anti-party?

But the man did not emerge as PDP BOT chairman through the proper way. Is that not the truth? What has anti-party got to do with speaking the truth? I am sorry but that is the truth. Even if he claims chairmanship of the BOT, did Chief Tony Anenih force anything on him when he was president? Why is he imposing himself on Yar’Adua? What he never liked people to do to him, he is now doing it to others. And that is why I am saying he must step aside just like other former presidents have done. I think the way the constitution of the party was changed has made Yar’Adua to toe the line of the party because he is a total party man.


What stops him from changing it also?

If there is a convention today, I can assure you that it can be changed and that is why he is trying to reconcile the aggrieved members of the party, those who have left the party, to bring them back to the party but not with Obasanjo around because he is Mister Know All. At least he is gone now, we thank him for a job well done, he has made some tremendous progress by moving Nigeria forward. That we must thank him for because he has given us different I.D. card in the eyes of our foreign friends, now they respect Nigerians


Are you not being too harsh on the old man?

I don’t think you are being fair to me by saying I am harsh. I am being as honest as I can be. That is the blunt Musa Adede for you. May be that is why I am not a good politician.


It is the same bluntness that caused Atiku Abubakar the presidency.

If Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and a good number of Nigerians, young, old, middle aged have suffered because they stopped Obasanjo from actualizing his third term agenda, then, those are my heroes. Anybody who played a role is stopping the third term of Obasanjo, they will always remain my heroes. And I want to particularly thank the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Orji Uzor Kalu, Wole Soyinka, Anthony Enahoro, Dangiwa Umar, General T.Y. Danjuma, General Babangida, Audu Ogbeh, Abubakar Rimi and a host of others. As far as I am concerned, if Atiku lost out in the political game and did not become the president of Nigeria, I can tell you that he is the happiest man today and I am happy for him and Nigerians should be happy for people like Atiku and a good number of people who went out of their way to stop the agenda.


All those who opposed it never made it politically?

Most people didn’t believe that there was a plot to hatch third term at a time not until it manifested. Now, if there was no third term, how come most of the senators did not return? Specifically, they were targeted just like some us were targeted during the 2003 elections.


Like you?

I don’t give a damn. I was not born a senator all my life. If I have served my country and my people for four years, I think I should be grateful to God and Nigerians. There are other Nigerians who can contribute. Why must be me all the time? Why must I say no, I want to be senator? For me, the heroes of this time, times we are in now are those who put their feet down, laid down everything they had because they suffered politically and financially to stop the third term. Don’t be deceived, they say do unto others as you want them to do unto you. If Chief Tony Anenih as chairman Board of Trustees under Obasanjo did what Obasanjo is doing to Yar’Adua now, would he have lasted a second? The answer is no.


As chairman of Senate transport committee, are you satisfied with the state of transport in the country today?

Of course the answer is no. Everything is bad, power is bad. Health care delivery system is bad. I don’t even know the kind of system we operate in our secondary schools and tertiary institutions now. Something is fundamentally wrong. In 2000 when I was made the transport committee chairman, one of the things we set to do was to go within the country all the parastatals and projects that fell under the purview of transport committee. We visited the railways and we also sought to know why our roads don’t last. We discovered that most of the goods on our roads are too heavy which ought to have been transported by barges or train.


We realized that the late Sani Abacha awarded a contract to a Chinese company to rehabilitate the rail lines and they did nothing. As at the time we left, there were still wagons and locomotives that were yet to be supplied by the Chinese company. I don’t know if they have done that now. When we visited the ports and thereafter we sought an audience with the president because here was a president that when he sent an appropriation bill to the senate, never wanted the two Houses in the National Assembly to tamper with it, you must return it to him the way he sent it. Even if at the end of the day, he signed the appropriation bill into Act, those areas you have increased or reduced, he would not implement them. So, we thought that since this was a man who thought he knew everything, the best way in working with him by understanding your problems was to allow him see what was on ground. Having briefed the Senate president, we then went to see him and briefed him on the state of the nation with particular reference to transport. We told him that Port-Harcourt which at that time was 87 years old, no rehabilitation had been carried out on it for more than 30 years.


We told him that even the port itself and the late Yar’Adua built before they left office in 1979 was in total state of decay. He could not believe it, he turned to Ojo Maduekwe, then transport minister, he asked if we were correct, he answered in affirmative. I told him that the standard gauge rail that Julius Berger was building was the first standard gauge rail in the entire West Africa sub-region and that there was need for him to complete it in his first tenure. I recommended that we built platform on the rail track towards some activities so that you use it for both the Ajaokuta activities and also for passengers. I pleaded that he should extend it all the way to Warri. Infact, he agreed and thanked the committee for a job well done. When I sat down with his minister to look at the proposed network of standard gauge rail, it had changed more than 400 times now only for us to hear now that they have awarded the contract to a Chinese company to build a standard gauge rail or rather to expand the narrow gauge to standard gauge rail and from what I heard and, if it is correct, then President Yar’Adua has some work to do.


If it is true that it is costing the country about six million dollars per kilometre to widen an existing rail line, then, I think he has to review the projects. So, the state of our infrastructure is in total decay, after eight years of governance and these are some of the things Obasanjo, at the Eagle square, told Nigerians that it will never be business as usual, things were going to move forward, unfortunately today, every household has generator including yours. One of the reasons we die so early is because of the fumes that come from these generators. It kills, it is a silent killer but we don’t know. We are complaining about the GSM operators, why are we complaining? Service is epileptic simply because all the cell sites had to be powered by generators. And the cost of diesel, if you get it, is over N80 per litre. I think until President Yar’Adua gets rid of Obasanjo back to his Ota farm, things would not get better. That is why I would say that Nigerians should pray for President Yar’Adua to succeed and Nigerians should come out en masse to ask Chief Obasanjo to quietly retire to his farm and allow Yar’Adua to run his government.


http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/22/307.html

Kalu, Dariye, Turaki Protest Prison Accommodation

Reason- The prisons, famous for playing host to "very important prisoners" (VIP)- has as guests four former governors, who are standing trial in court over allegations of financial impropriety during their tenure in office.

They include former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, his counterpart in Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, that of Jigawa, Alhaji Saminu Turaki and former governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Tanko Nyame.

Since they were detained at various times last week on the orders of the courts, relations, friends, political and business associates have turned the prisons into a Mecca of sorts.

The road to the prisons from Kuje town, a distance of about two kilometres, is daily littered with posh cars of different brands.

At the weekend, thousands of sympathisers thronged the prisons' outside premises, some of them said to have camped there for days while others from afar took up temporary residence in hotels in the town and its environs, Abuja and Suleja.

It was learnt that Mohammed and Abba Abacha were among the first set of people to visit Turaki in the prison.

But in the midst of these "attractions" is a growing concern of the detainees over their accommodation even as they take solace in God to see them through their ordeal.

The Guardian gathered that the former governors had protested the accommodation offered them, describing the place as "unfit for any human being."

Investigation revealed that when the detainees arrived in the prisons last Monday and were ushered into their single cell apartments, they vehemently protested to the authorities, that "the places were so dirty" and that they would not be able to stay there.

When the officer in charge of the prisons, Assistant Comptroller of Prisons (ACP), Kabiru Usman Funtua, saw the seriousness in their protest, he quickly, "at about 8.30pm," made alternative arrangement in the prisons' clinic within the premises for them to spend the night.

However, luck reportedly ran against them when the Comptroller of Prisons in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Achafa, visited the prisons on Tuesday and could not find them in their respective cells.

Achafa ordered that the former governors be returned to their cells immediately. Kalu is occupying cell room 3; Turaki room 7; Nyame room 8; and Dariye room 10.

The cells have only Dunlop mattresses without fans or air conditioners. It was learnt that they bought fans for themselves later.

The former governors had also requested that their private doctors should be allowed access to them but this was turned down by the authorities with the explanation that they have an in-house qualified medical doctor.

In the interim, the detainees have drawn closer to God in their hour of tribulation, as witnessed by The Guardian early yesterday.

"My dear brothers, whatever you are passing through at the moment, have faith in the Almighty God. It is a passing phase and He will definitely intervene for He does not abandon His own."

This was the exhortation from Rev. Nyame, as he led inmates at the Prisons in Christian prayers.

"God does not sleep. Holy Ghost fire shall descend on our enemies and God will prove to them that He is a just God," said Kalu, as he displayed his skill in table tennis before the inmates.

Nyame, according to sources, has literally taken over the church in the Prisons, as he leads the Christian inmates including the ex-governors in morning and evening prayers.

Kalu, on the other hand, spends most of the day playing and teaching inmates the game of table tennis and as a source noted, "he is always in high spirit, chatting and cracking jokes with other inmates."

The former governors still exhibit spirit of camaraderie, as they eat together under a mango tree near the cells.

"They are what the Prisons authorities call "self feeding" with their former aides assisting to buy the food from five-star hotels in Abuja.

Nyame and Kalu have become so close that they are always together. But Turaki reportedly "still sobs on a daily basis," just as he did in court last week.

Prisons' sources said that, "every morning, he will take his Koran and other Islamic literatures to the mosque in the Prisons where he stays from morning till evening before retiring to his Cell 7."

But the former governor still exhibits "spirit of kindness," which, however, turned out to be a source of protest last Tuesday.

It was learnt that many of the inmates "rejected the rice he (Turaki) ordered from an eatery in the town on the ground that the food came without meat."

"Although the rice was purchased with meat, the pieces of meat disappeared before the food got to the inmates," a source disclosed. "And it took the intervention of the former governors in the prison before the inmates went back to their cells."

On another level, a warder in the Prisons, simply known as Obasi from Abia State, reportedly assisted Kalu to purchase torchlight last Monday night when the former governor arrived in the jailhouse.

And the following morning when the Comptroller of Prisons came on inspection, Kalu asked for the warder and this infuriated the officer who immediately ordered that Obasi be taken to his office.

Obasi was immediately transferred to the Suleja Prisons in Niger State, sources informed. "As if that was not enough, the "Prisons Headquarters later transferred 25 other warders from the Kuje Prisons to different locations outside Abuja," the sources added.

The Assistant Comptroller of Prisons in charge of public relations, Kayode Odeyemi, told The Guardian that though he could not confirm the issue of transfer of officers from the Prisons, it was unethical for any warder to bring anything into the prison without following the laid-down procedure.

"Any inmate, who has a demand to make, there is a channel to follow. If any officer goes outside the channel and brings anything into the prison, he must face the sanction for that," he said.

He also said that the ex-governors should not complain about the condition in the Prisons, adding that it was part of the general decay in all the sectors in the country.

He noted that the detainees had the opportunity during their tenures as governors, to make their contributions towards improving the prison conditions but they did not do that. 'That is what is happening in all infrastructure; it is not the prisons alone," he stressed.

He continued: "If you are in authority, make the place better. If they are complaining, they are indicting themselves. Those in authority should make the place better because we are doing our best.

"Prison is like death. It is a leveler. Those in authority should make the place better because you don't know tomorrow. Those in prisons deserve good treatment."

http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link=%22http://www.ngrguardiannews.com%22

EFCC onslaught:Cold war between ex-Govs, Yar’Adua

It has emerged at the weekend that a cold war is brewing between former governors and President Umar Yar'Adua over the breach of a reported "gentleman's agreement" they entered into before the former Katsina State governor assumed office as President.

The former governors’s anger, Sunday Sun learnt, has to do with with the arrest of some of their colleagues by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), contrary to a deal they struck with the President.

It was gathered that before May 29 swearing of Yar’Adua, there was a "gentleman's agreement" between him and the now former governors that they (ex-governors) would not question the credibility of the electoral process that brought him to power and would, therefore, not provide the opposition with incremenating evidence against his election at the election petition tribunal.

On his part, Yar’Adua was to ensure that the anti-graft commission would be off their backs.
The President was said to have assured them that he would not prosecute or do anything that would amount to embarrassing them. The deal, Sunday Sun further learnt, was responsible for the quick response EFCC got from most of the ex-governors when they were invited for questioning after May 29.

But from what is happening today, an ex-governor who craved anonymity told Sunday Sun that it appears the President "is out to not only disgrace us but embarrass us".
“We believe that what befalls one befalls all. If Kalu, Turaki and others could be arrested, it means it is just a question of time before our own time will come,” said another ex-governor.
Fearing that he could be the next to be arrested by EFCC, an ex-governor from the Niger-Delta, widely believed to have provided the bulk of the funds used to bankrole Yar’Adua’s campaign, is said to have virtually turned the Presidential Villa to his home, soon after the former Abia governor, Dr, Orji Kalu was arrested.

He was quoted to have told Yar’Adua during one of his conferring sessions with him that “Is this what we agreed? Why are you doing this to us? If we don’t have peace, you will not have peace too.”
In the same vein, the National Association of Polytechnic Students [NAPS] has called for the immediate release of former governor Orji Uzor Kalu and other governors currently being remanded in prison custody or detained by the EFCC.

NAPS told a news conference in Abuja on Friday that the allegations leveled against them are baseless as EFCC has failed to comply with necessary procedure to justify their action.
National President of the association, Comrade Prince Yakubu, noted that EFCC’s action lack sincerity “because this same EFCC had indicted all the governors except the current President and Donald Duke so why are they picking on only these ones if there is no hidden agenda?”

Specifically in the case of Kalu, the NAPS president observed that it was against the law for the EFCC to have arrested him in the first place "because there was already a court ruling restraining EFCC from arresting him."
“But the question is, this same Kalu had accused Obasanjo of very heavy corruption and nobody is talking. What of the NPA deal? Why is EFCC keeping quiet? What of the N300billion ministry of works money? Why is EFCC not talking?,” the NAPS president demanded.
Recalling that Governor Kalu is a former SUG President at the University of Maiduguri, the NAPS President said “We'll not rest on our oars until he is released. Like we say in student unionism any injustice to one is injustice to all.”

Also on Friday, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Colonel Amadu Ali [retd], had reportedly visited the National Hospital to see the embattled former governor of Enugu state Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, currently holed up in the hospital under the watchful eyes of a combined security team of the hospital and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The reported visit by the PDP boss would be the second high-level visit Nnamani received since he came to the hospital last week. It was learnt that former members of the Enugu legislature were at the National Hospital to see the former governor said to be receiving treatment for “high blood pressure".
The lawmakers reportedly met with the former governor under very tight security Thursday.

When the PDP chairman arrived the National Hospital Friday at about 10.58am, he went to the visitors room of the private wing of the hospital until 11.03am when the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Olusegun Ajuwon, took him to the bed-ridden former governor.
The two men met for about more than one hour behind closed doors and details of their discussions are not known.

While the discussions took place, all the security men attached to Ali and those keeping eyes on the Nnamani stayed outside.
A source at the Pharmacy section of the hospital hinted that Nnamani has been taking drugs related to the management of high blood pressure.
Two mobile police-men were permanently stationed at the private wing of the hospital to guard Nnamani.

Efforts to get official confirmation of Ali’s visit was not successful as at press time.
Meanwhile, EFCC has denied chaining former governor of Bayelsa state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to an iron rod on a bare floor at its detention centre in Lagos .
The Commission also washed its hands off the recent deportation of the embattled ex-Bayelsa chief executive by authorities of the United Arab Emirates[UAE], dismissing the allegations by the Ijaw Monitoring Group as "tendentious and wicked".

EFCC spokesman, Osita Nwajah, said in a statement weekend in Abuja , that Alamieyeseigha, who is standing trail over alleged financial misappropriation and money laundering, was taken to the UAE for medical treatment and on completion of the course of treatment, was discharged by the hospital.
He did not, however, clarify whether the former governor returned to the country on his own, or if the Nigerian authorities including the EFCC, was involved in the process of his return to the country. The statement reads:

“ The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to newspaper publications of Thursday, 19 July 2007, relating to the alleged orchestrated ‘deportation’ and inhuman treatment of DSP Alamieyeseigha, former executive governor of Bayelsa State, who is remanded by order of court, in the custody of the Commission.

"Several of the papers led with the insinuation that the Nigerian authorities acting through the Commission, may have instigated the eviction of Mr. Alamieyeseigha, for ostensible 'security breach'.
"EFCC wishes to state in clear terms, that there is no strand of truth in these insinuations and allegations.
"The Commission wishes to further clarify that Alamieyeseigha, who is standing trial was taken to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for medical treatment and on completion of his course of treatment, was discharged by the hospital.

"The Nigerian authorities (including the EFCC) did not suggest or teleguide the UAE medical and other authorities to send the accused person back to Nigeria .
"Further, the Commission decries the attempt by one Joseph Eva ostensibly speaking on behalf of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), to employ the instrumentality of cheap blackmail to railroad the judiciary into a predetermined position and confuse the Nigerian people.

"IMG’s allegation that since his return, Alamieyeseigha has been “chained to an iron rod in his cell, made to sleep on the bare floor and denied access to his family members and doctors,” is to say the least, tendentious and wicked.
"EFCC has NEVER chained anyone in its holding facilities, has no need to chain anyone and will never chain anyone, least of all, DSP Alamieyeseigha, who it must be restated, is in the custody of the Commission on order of court.

In the same vein, Alamieyeseigha, like any other accused person in the custody of the Commission is given all social, medical and legal facilities as stipulated by law.
"Attention-seeking and mischief-engineering individuals and groups are reminded of that cheap blackmail has never worked on EFCC. The Commission will continue to carry out its functions in the best traditions of law enforcement and fully within the ambit the Rule of Law”.

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Don’t be too greedy–Jakande tells OBJ

Second Republic governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande says it is dishonourable for former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to be hustling for power after office, especially with the way he ‘hijacked’ Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BOT) chair.

Speaking with Sunday Sun at his Ilupeju, Lagos residence, Jakande who turns 78 tomorrow, also slammed the former president’s 8-year rule, saying it was a failure.

According to him, “the out-gone president wants to retain power even out of office. Otherwise, he would not have got the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to nominate him life leader or to take over the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees (BOT) from one of his associates, Tony Anenih. One then feels that the former president still wants to dictate the tune.”

Claiming that such an action was unworthy of anybody with a modicum of honour, he was however, cocksure that whatever schemes Obasanjo invents in a bid to retain power after office would fail because “Yar’Adua would not allow him.”

Insisting that life itself is limited, Jakande urged Obasanjo to spend his days thanking God for his life and praying for the success of the new government, rather than seeking to retain power after office, declaring that “service is by far more rewarding and satisfying than the mechanics of power.”

Excerpts:
Sir, I would like to start by first inquiring about your state of being?
I thank God for everything. I am quite fit and I look forward to celebrating my birthday on Monday.

Congratulations, sir. How old would you be?
I will be 78.

What is it that you were unable to accomplish in your youth?
During my time as governor of Lagos State, I started a metro line project as a permanent solution to the problem of transportation in the state. Unfortunately, when the military took over the project was cancelled. It was not only inconsiderate but also irresponsible. We were quite confident that the project would pay itself and we would have got a good transport system in Lagos but the military cancelled it even against the advice of their own panels. I cannot but feel sad about it when you look at what happens in Lagos today. We intended to have trains on rails and this would have made it possible for vehicles to move smoothly on the ground. I know there is no alternative to solving the transportation problem of Lagos State than metro line.

Why is it that successive governments have not been able to reactivate interest in it?
They have tried to solve the problem of traffic congestion by using other methods and projects but I am sorry to say that they are wrong. They have to go back to metro line as I planned it because the area we have in Lagos State is small and we must make maximum use of it. The deal we struck with the French consortium was credited the world over. Somebody has to go back to the drawing board and deliberately reactivate that project. All the other things they have been doing is just begging the question.

Looking at the polity today, we have a new president who has spent barely two months in office and yet there is a notion among some Nigerians that he is slow. Do you agree?
I do not think they are fair to him to say that he is slow. I am quite impressed by him because he has not been reckless in his statements, he has not rushed into one project or the other. Even the reforms that were started by Obasanjo he approaches them with caution, which I think is good. I do not agree with those who say he is slow, after all he came to office only on May 29, less than three months ago. He is somebody that is sensible and who is calculating. I hope and believe he would give us a good result.

There are also concerns that he is being teleguided by Obasanjo from Otta Farm?
I believe that Umaru Yar’Adua is a strong person and I do not think he is the type of president who would take orders from his predecessor. What I suspect based on what we can see is that the out-gone president wants to retain power even out of office. Otherwise, he would not have got the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to nominate him life leader or to take over the chairmanship of the Board of Trustee (BOT) from one of his associates, Tony Anenih. One then feels that the former president still wants to dictate the tune. But I am quite sure that Yar’Adua would not allow him.

Is that worthy of a statesman?
It is not worthy of any honourable person. Life itself is limited and anybody who has held an office should thank God he had the opportunity. I was in office for four years, 1979-83. Even though I was elected for the second term, the military struck and that was the end. What I did in those four years remains on record. Till today people remind me of it. And one of the things which, I am grateful to God is that so many people show appreciation on a daily basis. I went to Ikeja hospital the other day to see a friend. As I was leaving the hospital one young lady stopped my car and came to me and said ‘My name is Obaji. I just come to say thank you because but for you and your government, I would not have been a doctor today.’ I said to her, ‘Thank you very much.’

On another occasion, I was in church for a funeral service or something. We were singing and this lady with her husband kept looking back at me and I kept wondering what was amiss. After the singing and we went into the hall, this lady came to meet me and introduced herself to me. She then called her husband, saying that this is the person she has been telling him about. You cannot beat that. On another occasion, I went on visit to Abuja. I took a taxi to the Federal Mortgage Bank.

When I finished my business, I met this man standing beside my taxi. He offered to take me to my hotel, I agreed and I said ‘Thank you very much for giving me this lift.’ The gentleman said, ‘No, sir. I should thank you.’ I said ‘Thank me for what?’ He said ‘You gave me this car.’ I said ‘Where did I meet you to give you a car?’ He said he attended my free education schools and as a result of that he is now an executive director in a bank and that they had just given him the car. These types of things must give one a sense of gratitude to God almighty.

So, if you were to meet the former president, would be your advice to him?
The former president has every reason to thank God 24 hours a day. God has been extremely kind to him and he should recognise it. I think the grace of God, which surpasses all understanding, must be credited for all those things God has done for us. Now that somebody else is there as president, it is Obasanjo’s duty to support him in every possible way, after all only God knows what nobody knows. I feel he ought to be grateful to God for his own self and pray for his successor to succeed.

Sir, the politics of your time was defined by service. Given the sordid revelations being made following the arraignment of former public office holders by the EFCC, are you in any way disturbed?
I must confess to you that I am totally amazed and cannot appreciate the extent to which many people had gone in deserting the people they are supposed to serve by acquiring wealth. I think it is very sad for the country. It shows that this country could have gone far if public office holders used the nation’s resources to develop it. I do hope that in the coming years this era of get-rich-quick will if not discontinued, at least be reduced. Our people need the money for their simple needs, simple requirements and no public officer has the right to deprive them of this elementary request.

Some people are of the opinion that while the EFCC may be doing a good job, it is rather selective, going only after perceived political opponents of former President Obasanjo while leaving the bigger masquerades untouched. I mean, some allegation of corruption have also been hurled at Obasanjo himself, so why has he also not been arrested?
I would not accuse EFCC of being selective. I think they have so far done well. They have probed into many accounts and they are still at it. Of course, the former president was the biggest of all, whether they have probed his account I do not know. But so far, the EFCC has shown some courage in their exercise. The sort of courage they have shown impresses me. I only hope that they can carry on to the end, I only hope that they will not spare anyone. I want them to see it as a divine mission, God’s direct assignment. And I want them to know that their rewards may not be immediate but they will definitely get the right reward from God almighty.

How would you sum up Obasanjo’s 8-year rule, did he meet the expectation of Nigerians?
Obasanjo raised hopes in 1999 and I think that up to the end of his first term, he tried to reach the goals he set. However, from the beginning of the second term, the president became obsessed with power. He seemed to be enjoying the exercise of power rather than the service which power should render. By the end of second term, the president had become a solo president and the attempt to have a Third Term shows that he was more interested in the power than the service which power exists for. He had a wonderful opportunity, which he could have used very well to salvage the country. It is a pity that General Obasanjo allowed the power to become his desire rather than service. He could have done better and had the opportunity more than any head of state that I can remember. He failed the nation by relying too much on himself and enjoying the power more than the service.

President Yar’Adua is keen on running a unity government in which some opposition parties would participate in it. This has caused a problem, for instance in the ANPP where the party has decided to participate in the government despite its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari saying no. What do you make of this situation?
I agree with both Yar’Adua and Buhari. I agree with Yar’Adua because he is on the seat and is doing everything possible to get going with the job. I think he is being sensible by not waiting for the tribunal decision. It shows he is a serious person and is interested in giving service to the country. Buhari is equally right as the candidate of the opposition. He is right to have gone to the tribunal, he is right to refuse to serve in the unity government because doing so would have been a self-condemnation. So, my view is that Buhari should continue in maintaining his stance even if his party for political reasons decided to go with the government. The alternatives are not suitable. One is for Yar’Adua’s government to carry on without the opposition. The other is for the ANPP and AC to withhold their support. That would not be in the country’s interest.

But that has undermined the stability of the ANPP as it were, with the party deserting its own candidate?
If they discussed it properly in the party, they would appreciate it. For as long as there is a compromise, they could go on. If Buhari wins at the tribunal then Yar’Adua should quit.

Is this idea of joining the party in power not what weakens opposition in the country?
That depends on each of the parties. For example, if the ANPP went there not just to share office but to achieve certain things, I expect the ANPP to set conditions for Yar’Adua, stating that certain programmes must be pursued by the government. For example, they could demand free education in the country and or free medical service throughout the country. If they do that, they would gain prominence and relevance.

Sir, as you turn 78, what would wish most as a birthday gift from the current government?
I would love to see a Nigeria in which extreme poverty is totally abolished. I feel very sad to see a country as blessed as Nigeria is to harbour so many wretched people. The other day I was returning from office, I found poor people crowding the divide that separates one of the roads. They were begging for alms. How can we live in a country like this? The extreme of poverty side by side with extreme wealth.

I told some friends of mine that we have no case against God because he has given us all we need to make life better for our own people. A lot of money comes in by sale of crude oil through no effort of our own. We did not create the oil, God did. It is enough to wipe off poverty. And God has not stopped there. Day by day we get new information. Like cassava being wanted by China. So, we must pray that every one would learn a lesson from this era of Olusegun Obasanjo. We should go back to the basics of service to our people. Service is by far more rewarding and satisfying than the mechanics of power.


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@Champredd:

Bravo!

One of the Best points I've seen on this topic.

Is arresting just the governors is the solution to corruption in Nigeria?
Believe it or not, there are some ministers, senators, local government chairman, professors, Police (Ehindero) and so on that are much more corrupt than the governors.

And what happened to the second in command to the governors (assistant governors)? Do you really think these folks are clean?

It won't be too long.
The drama just began.

Posted by Bankole

Judging from the book's title ( The Combatant in Government), it could have been too revealing.

It is not too late to publish now though. I think it will get more readership. From the recent publicity to the larger than life image of Obasanjo, it will be a best seller.

@Bankole:
You're absolutely correct about that.

I truly think that this interview represents a bright business strategy. The man, Jenbewon is using this latest story or interview to rekindle the project and this might be the right time to bring it on.

My prediction: The book will be released before the end of the year.

It's now officially confirmed that all the American entertainers that performed in Nigeria at the Annual Music ******** had an extremely unpleasant experience; infact most of them might not be returning any time soon.

1. One of Destiny Child group passed out while performing on the stage
2. Everything was late and mismanaged
3. Stage was put together at the last minute and was not equipped with all the necessary materials
4. Water supply was horrible, infact the entertainers had to use imported spring water to brush their teeth, while many were very reluctant to use our water to bathe.
5. Show was also delayed
6. The weather wasn't friendly, it was extremely hot and an alternate cooling method was not provided.

Singer Rihanna, originally from Barbados also stated that she thought things were bad and without organic structure at home (Barbados), but now her experience in Nigeria has changed the way she views things in Barbados

Shame, Shame and Shame!

It is time for Nigerians in Nigeria to make PERFECTION their number one priority in everything.
I'm sorry to inform you guys that without PERFECTION moving forward in Nigeria will be moving in circle.

I truly believe that embracing perfection would have reduced the deplorable experience of these people.

I was taught as a child that "It's either the best or nothing" "it's all about quality not quantity"
And most of the time the best doesn't necessarily mean pricey or costive; it's the state of mind of each and everyone of us.

We must embrace perfection in Nigeria or else Nigeria will remain retarded for many many years to come.
Our leaders should also vigorously promote perfection by showing great examples.

May God bless Nigeria.

Posted by Denex

Thank God at least he's yet to conclude that it was Obasanjo that sent the "mysterious snake" to kill his brother.

Lazy old man. So you cannot publish your book if the President doesn't attend the launch party. Must he send a copy of his book to the president before publishing it? Na oversabi dey worry am. And am sure Obasanjo didn't cancel his book launch, Obasanjo cancelled his appointment to attend.

So what stopped him from inviting Shagari to come to his book launch after Obasanjo left?

This man is hopeless and his book is not worth jack. What is holding him from launching his book now? Yar'Adua?

@denex:

First, in Nigeria when a president like OBJ (aka Mr. Vindictiveness) doesn't want to see you succeed, it basically means you're not going to succeed.
And Jenbewon, understood this fact and also knew what kind of human being he was dealing with at that particular time. He also understood the reasons behind OBJ's behavior and intention to stop the book from being released.

Second, in business, there is something called "timing". Timing is everything, especially when it comes to launching a book. You can not compare then to now; moreover, it is very important to know and understand the content of the book before speculating on who to invite or when to launch the book. For instance, It is feasible to easily make millions of Dollars and also send your message effectively and efficiently at the same time, if you release a book that introduces The Real Reasons Behind The War in IRAQ, today compare to releasing the same book in 20 years time.

Finally, I'm not defending Jenbenwon, but it is only sensible and very important to profoundly think about all sides before posting rubbish.

While this man was in the office as the VP of Nigeria. OBJ and his thugs tried everything to bring down, but they failed. Infact he was taken to court at least 11 times during their era and he won every single charge that was imposed on him.

This man may be a criminal or a thief, but I must admit that I admire his courage and boldness to deal with a difficult, unrealistic, unreasonable, unprofessional, vindictive and a greedy man (OBJ). At this point, I think OBJ should be the one we should be asking for.

Let's wait and see; this is just the beginning of the drama. Sometimes what you ask for may also bring you down.
I predict that the third term will be exposed very soon.

How would Jemibewon compare Obasanjo’s leadership style with that of Gen. Babangida?
“Now let me tell you a story. I lost my junior brother. From my mum, we are four. I am the first born of my parents. I have twins following me but one survived and the other died at birth. The one that survived died in October 2005. The one that follows him died on May 25, this year in a mysterious manner through snakebite. And having spent three days in the hospital, he died. The point I am driving at is that Gen. Babangida came to my village in Kabba, to come and show his sympathy. He phoned to ask where I was and I said I was in the village. He said he was coming and I said he didn’t need to come. I thanked him but he said, if not even for me, but for my mum. That his own brother too died and it is only him and his sister left. So he drove five hours plus from Minna to my village on a Sunday. Babangida is a humane person. And I am not in anyway exaggerating. You never saw Babangida quarrel with anybody throughout his military career. And perhaps, his humane nature is what affected his regime, where people who had the opportunity misused the opportunity or abused the opportunity. Because you have a person who is so humane, who didn’t want to hurt anybody and people took advantage of that. I think the difference (between Obasanjo and IBB) is clear.”

How Obasanjo killed my dream


David Jemibewon, a retired general and a former Minister of Police Affairs has gone down memory lane to recall how Nigeria’s ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo sensationally ruined his dream book launch in an inhuman manner he would never forget.

He has also told a pathetic anecdote about how his brother died mysteriously this year through snakebite and how General Ibrahim Babangida showed how “humane” a former President of Nigeria can be.
Jemibewon’s memoir titled ‘The Combatant in Government’ was to be launched at the Officer’s Mess in Ibadan but a day to the launch, the then military head of state, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo suddenly cancelled the book launch with no explanation to the author.

An angry Jemibewon still carrying the wounds of the aborted book launch many years after describes Obasanjo as a man who enjoys inflicting pain on people, particularly those close to him.
“Obasanjo probably enjoys or derives some enjoyment when he thinks somebody is injured,” he told the Saturday Sun exclusively in Lagos.

He added: “The closer you are to him, the more he knows you, the more he derives enjoyment for that injury. That’s the way I would put it.”

It is better to allow Jemibewon who himself survived a critical motor accident in year 2000 to tell his stories, portraying the two leaders whom fate imposed on Nigeria—twice in case of Obasanjo. Hear the testimonies on Obasanjo and Babangida straight from the mouth of a man who should know:

On Obasanjo
“In 1976, I was appointed a governor in Ibadan. In 1978, I left office and I wrote a book, The Combatant in Government. And I decided to launch the book. But before launching the book, I sent a copy to Gen. Obasanjo who was then military head of state and to one or two other people. The foreword was written by General Danjuma who was an important pillar in that military government. And I made Prof. Ayodele, the then Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar the chairman of the launch. I decided to launch it at the Officer’s Mess in Ibadan. A day to the launch of the book, without any communication to me, Obasanjo as military head of state, took a decision to cancel the launch.
“And he didn’t tell me. But of course, one has friends who hinted me. So the launch didn’t take place. Ordinarily, it would have been neater, if I was called and told that the book was not going to be launched and probably told why. Maybe, it is possible that sometimes Obasanjo probably enjoys or derives some enjoyment when he thinks somebody is injured. If that is so, then it means, it doesn’t matter who it is, or maybe, the closer you are to him, the more he knows you, the more he derives enjoyment for that injury. That’s the way I would put it.”

Did Jemibewon ever ask why Obasanjo cancelled the book launch?
“It wasn’t necessary. By virtue of his position, he had used his position, so what am I asking him for? I didn’t consider it necessary. Yes, he was my senior in the military. And that is why sometimes applying force is not the best thing. No sensible person applies force on all occasions in the military. If you do that, your soldiers can in fact revolt. As a person who is leading others, there are times you could use persuasion, there are times you could use reasonable force and there are times you could in fact almost appeal. It is all these put together that brings out a good leader. So, there was no point asking him further why he cancelled the book launch.”

How would Jemibewon compare Obasanjo’s leadership style with that of Gen. Babangida?
“Now let me tell you a story. I lost my junior brother. From my mum, we are four. I am the first born of my parents. I have twins following me but one survived and the other died at birth. The one that survived died in October 2005. The one that follows him died on May 25, this year in a mysterious manner through snakebite. And having spent three days in the hospital, he died. The point I am driving at is that Gen. Babangida came to my village in Kabba, to come and show his sympathy. He phoned to ask where I was and I said I was in the village. He said he was coming and I said he didn’t need to come. I thanked him but he said, if not even for me, but for my mum. That his own brother too died and it is only him and his sister left. So he drove five hours plus from Minna to my village on a Sunday. Babangida is a humane person. And I am not in anyway exaggerating. You never saw Babangida quarrel with anybody throughout his military career. And perhaps, his humane nature is what affected his regime, where people who had the opportunity misused the opportunity or abused the opportunity. Because you have a person who is so humane, who didn’t want to hurt anybody and people took advantage of that. I think the difference (between Obasanjo and IBB) is clear.”

How does Jemibewon see Nigeria today post-Obasanjo?
“In 1998-99, a lot of us had vision. Or we imagined a vision where post-military, this country would progress gradually. One would have wished there was a total break with the military. My preferred candidate for that top position in the PDP was Ekwueme. I voiced it out but unfortunately, it didn’t work that way, although nobody knows what would have happened if he were the one that ruled Nigeria instead of Obasanjo.
“The aim of the founders of PDP was that it should be an all-embracing party of various opinions and attempt for the first time to have the principal political figures in the three major ethnic groups in this country—the East, West and North. And so every effort was made to realise this. Chief S.B. Awoniyi played a great role with the support of many, many others, including traditional rulers. Now, this party was born, and in fact, it was in Lagos here that the name PDP was arrived at and the emblem umbrella was arrived at. And it was at that meeting it became obvious that the West was pulling out. But even at that meeting at MUSON Centre, a chair was left empty and they said that chair was for the West. Late Bola Ige was to be the chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee. Because they pulled out, Solomon Lar was sent to persuade them but they didn’t come back. I was a member of that committee but we never sat for even a minute. I got there, but because my chairman (Bola Ige) was not there, I got back home.
“About 12 midday, a phone came to me and it was an instruction from Ekwueme that I should come and meet them there. When I got there, they said I should take over the chairmanship of the Constitution Drafting Committee. I felt it was a very big task, because I wasn’t the most experienced lawyer and with my military background, I thought it was a big challenge. It was an honour, but a big challenge. Some great people rose up to give me support. One of them is the late Chuba Okadigbo. This is just to let you know that I know the inner working of the brains behind PDP. And most of the meetings that were held I was present.
“The vision we had for the party, government and the country, have all evaporated. If you take note, there was an all-politicians conference at Eko Le Meridien at which Dr. Ekwueme was made the chairman but the meeting was abruptly disrupted during Abacha’s regime. It was the aim behind these meetings that was carried to PDP. The idea was to let all the politicians, all the brains in this country come together and move this country forward. Today, the situation is almost more complex than 1999.
In fact, at that time, I recommend in my interviews that those who became president should serve just one term of four years, so that the thing can go round all the geopolitical zones. That would be 24 years. And we regard these 24 years a transitional period. Personally, I would not like to support the idea of rotation but any method that would bring peace, progress is the best choice. After that, we can then do a proper democratic practice and see who the whole country would say, that is the man we want. I am not using the word best. Because in politics really, what you get, particularly by the Nigerian way, is not necessarily the best. But if all of us decide it, then if the man gets there and doesn’t perform, we can also use the same machinery to remove him. But today, the situation is more complex.
“I know during Babangida’s era, he made the effort to control party politics such that you had two major parties with very positive objectives. That is to say you either believe in this or that. And if you believe in neither, you stay out. There is easy control by that. Even in 1999, we didn’t have more than five parties. We had APP, PDP and AD. These were the three major parties. Again, it was a pointer to a bright future political development. Today, with the number of parties in this country, there is no sanity.
“The initial hope, the initial vision, the initial objective of the PDP seems to have been lost. The founding fathers of the PDP did not imagine that what is happening today would happen. And so, there was no kind of anticipated remedy against Obasanjo having a tight grip on the party. After the convention in Jos where the party’s presidential candidate emerged, leading to the national election and now party winning the presidency, I think PDP made one serious error and I want to believe that all other things that followed, followed as a result of that initial error.
And incidentally, I echoed it when there was a seminar to which states recommended three people each out of which ministerial appointees were to be selected. And I think what I consider as an error is that immediately the party produced the president and the president was sworn in and he took control of governance, the machinery of the party ought to have immediately been democratised. But it did not take place. And so, those in office for the party, who should have run the party, distinct from government, did not want to leave office, and so they aided and ensured that the party machinery was not democratised through constitutional procedure of election. Don’t forget that the chairman of the party was not elected, the secretary of the party was not elected, all members of the party executive not elected. I think that was where the first mistake was made. Till today, there has been no proper election into the executive of the party.”

How does he see the emergence of Yar’Adua as President?
“What is important is what he does. He is there. We must accept that. By whatever method, he is the president. And so all we can do is to wish him well. And the manner of his own method of administration is what would endear him to the Nigerian people or what may not endear him.”

Does he think Obasanjo has come out of politics richer or poorer?
“Is he really out of politics? Do you mean coming out of office or politics? If you say office, I would think he has come out richer. But then, I need to put a rider. I also want to believe that anybody who has that opportunity would come out richer. By that I mean he could be richer intellectually, richer in experience, richer in the knowledge of Nigeria and Nigerians, richer in the knowledge of the world, because he had the opportunity to interact and then you can also talk of the economic side. There is no doubt, he is out richer. And indeed anybody who is there would be out richer. But it depends on what angle.”

Did Obasanjo practise what he preached in the area of corruption?
“To be honest, I don’t want to work on speculation. I have no evidence that he either practised or he did not practise what he preached.”

How does he see the arrest of former governors on corruption charges?
“I have been troubled in my mind, not just of the governors. Let’s start from the way some people have been picked up for purported corruption, starting with the former Inspector General of police, Tafa Balogun, handcuffed. I felt distressed. By that handcuffing, it is not just Tafa that went through the disgrace. I think the entire Nigeria psychologically went through disgrace. He was the head of the police. And before he was handcuffed, he was performing the job few months before. The head of the Nigeria police handcuffed. I would have wished it was done differently and still achieve the same objective. So also the governor of Bayelsa State. Because you had children lining up the street sometimes, carrying the national flag when they say the governor is coming on visit. And just few days after, the same governor is in handcuffs. I don’t think anybody at that level with the security around him could easily disappear outside this country. The handcuffing I thought we could have done without. So in respect of the situation of the governors now, I think there is an improvement in the sense that they were taken to court. In other words, it would appear they want to adopt due process. They have been remanded in prison which is a different thing but at least being charged to court, it would appear due process is being followed. But again, since the governors are no more governors and the offences alleged against them were committed when they had immunity, now the immunity is no more there, if they actually committed the crime for which they are charged, then they have to go through due process.”


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EFCC denies involvement in Alamieyeseigha's deportation


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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission[EFCC], has washed its hands off the recent deportation of the embattled ex-Bayelsa chief executive by authorities of the United Arab Emirates[UAE], dismissing the allegations by the Ijaw Monitoring Group as tendentious and wicked.

The Commission denied chaining former governor of Bayelsa state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to an iron rod on a bare floor at its detention centre in Lagos .

EFCC spokesman, Osita Nwajah, said in a statement in Abuja , that Alamieyeseigha, who is standing trail over alleged financial misappropriation and money laundering, was taken to the UAE for medical treatment and on completion of the course of treatment, was discharged by the hospital.

He did not however, clarify whether the former governor returned to the country on his own, or if the Nigerian authorities including the EFCC, was involved in the process of his return to the country. The statement reads:
“ The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to newspaper publications of Thursday, 19 July 2007, relating to the alleged orchestrated ‘deportation’ and inhuman treatment of DSP Alamieyeseigha, former executive governor of Bayelsa State, who is remanded by order of court, in the custody of the Commission.

Several of the papers led with the insinuation that the Nigerian authorities acting through the Commission, may have instigated the eviction of Mr. Alamieyeseigha, for ostensible “security breach’’.

EFCC wishes to state in clear terms, that there is no strand of truth in these insinuations and allegations.
The Commission wishes to further clarify that Alamieyeseigha, who is standing trial was taken to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for medical treatment and on completion of his course of treatment, was discharged by the hospital.

The Nigerian authorities (including the EFCC) did not suggest or teleguide the UAE medical and other authorities to send the accused person back to Nigeria .
Further, the Commission decries the attempt by one Joseph Eva ostensibly speaking on behalf of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), to employ the instrumentality of cheap blackmail to railroad the judiciary into a predetermined position and confuse the Nigerian people.

IMG’s allegation that since his return, Alamieyeseigha has been “chained to an iron rod in his cell, made to sleep on the bare floor and denied access to his family members and doctors,” is to say the least, tendentious and wicked.

EFCC has NEVER chained anyone in its holding facilities, has no need to chain anyone and will never chain anyone, least of all, DSP Alamieyeseigha, who it must be restated, is in the custody of the Commission on order of court. In the same vein, Alamieyeseigha, like any other accused person in the custody of the Commission is given all social, medical and legal facilities as stipulated by law.

Attention-seeking and mischief-engineering individuals and groups are reminded of that cheap blackmail has never worked on EFCC. The Commission will continue to carry out its functions in the best traditions of law enforcement and fully within the ambit the Rule of Law”,




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12 Other Ex-governors For Trial



Twelve more governors are to be tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged corrupt enrichment anytime from now, Saturday Tribune can authoritatively report.

The trial of the former 12 governors, it was learnt, was put on hold in order to enable the EFCC make noticeable progress in the trial of the initial five governors that charges have been filed against.

The former governors already in the dock include Orji Kalu of Abia State, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, Saminu Turaki of Jigawa State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba.

Former Enugu State governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, has had his trial put on hold because of his ill-health.

A charge has, however, been filed against him before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

One of the former governors reportedly listed for trial is a former ally of President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was stopped by the EFCC from seeking political office at the federal level in the last general election.

One of the alleged biggest financiers of the election of the incumbent president, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, is also said to be one of them.

Before he left office, he alongside a relation who served as a top officer in his government, were said to have returned a lot of money in foreign currencies to the EFCC when they were caught in a money laundering scam.

The list also reportedly contained a controversially-sacked governor in the South-West and another colourful former governor, who battled Obasanjo till both left office.

Another governor that reportedly played prominent role in the eventual emergence of Yar’Adua as the candidate of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is equally said to be on the list.

When some of the former governors contending with Yar’Adua for the party’s ticket were said to be reluctant in stepping down for him as directed by Obasanjo, the former governor, who was in a prime position in the club of governors, was said to have played the final card that portrayed Yar’Adua as the consensus candidate of the governors.

Also on the list is said to be a former governor that reportedly assisted greatly in brokering the controversial Government of National Unity (GNU).

Apart from being a power broker in his party, he is also said to be close to the incumbent president.

His trial was said to have been delayed due to the fact that the GNU was yet to stabilise and he was said to have been spared for now to nurture his ‘baby’.

Saturday Tribune also gathered that Turaki is “critically ill” in Kuje Prison where he is being held based on the order of the court. He is said to be battling with a chronic kidney disease.

A prison source told Saturday Tribune that prison doctors were attending to him and that he could be moved to a hospital outside the prison if so recommended by the in-house doctors.

The source said that apart from two doctors doing shift, there is a permanent doctor on duty, adding that there is no cause for alarm.

Kalu was said to be bubbling with life and mixing very well with other inmates, especially those of Hausa extraction.

Our source revealed that the youthful governor is more like the leader of the inmates now, with almost everybody differing to him.

http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link=%22http://www.tribune.com.ng%22

Posted by honeric:

WHAT QUOTA HAVE YOU ADDED TO NIGERIA? WE ARE GOOD AT CRITICIZING, BUT WE SIT THERE ON OUR ASS AND WATCH AND COMPLAIN, EVERY AMERICANS OR BRITONS ARE THE GOVERNMENT OF THEIR COUNTRY, SO COME BACK HOME AND LEAD THE CRUSADE, WE WILL FOLLOW YOU, AMERICA IS 200 YEARS OLD, UK IS GOD KNOWS YEARS OLD, NIGERIA IA JUST 47 YEARS OLD FOR GOD SAKE, PLEASE DON'T COMPARE NIGERIA WITH THESE COUNTRIES, OR MAYBE YOU SHOULD WAIT TILL 153 YEARS TIME AND THEN IF THERE ARE NO CHANGES, YOU CAN COMPLAIN THEN

Dude,

First, you know nothing about me?
Second, who is comparing America to Nigeria?
Third, please read and understand people's comment before responding.
And finally, if you have nothing to contribute, please be quiet; it is not by force, you don't have to say anything, just read.


Thanks!

Posted by MAMAJAMA:

Last time we exercise perfection ADENUGA escaped, and we can't find the report on OKIGBO panel indicting IBB.

ADENUGA did not escape and absolutely not wanted. Please get it into your head, my friend.
The man is still one of the people responsible for the a little bit of job market that exist in Nigeria today.

Unlike the useless, ball-less, low life IG.,who thought stealing after retirement was OK.

EHINDERO is not going anywhere, he will be dealt with after we finish with the big fish.  

What happened to the UN job?
opssssss, I forgot, you can not be a common thief and also maintain a position with the UN.

EHINDERO is going down!

Just watch.

Posted by Angel101

@BigB1
I am just wondering how come u put this your perfection preaching aside during and after the presidential election. You actually asked nigerians to embrace Yaradua whose (s)election was severely marred by irregularities. Biggy which one u dey now?

I've been preaching perfection in Nigeria even before the election; infact I was the only one that recommended the idea for the government to spend more on educating the voter and upgrading/ empowering the election process; instead of wasting time and money on personal agendas e.g stopping Atiku from contesting and so on.

Alamieyeseigha deported against doctors’ advice –Lawyer

Lead Counsel to former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has revealed that his deportation from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he was taken for medical treatment, was against medical advice.

Barrister Mike Okoye told reporters in Lagos on Thursday after the adjournment of a 41-criminal count charge of money laundering filed against his client, that the former governor, being charged alongside some companies owned by him had not completed his surgical operation before he was deported.

“How come the visit of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to Chief Alamieyeseigha in Dubai, amounted to security risk?” Okoye asked.

He added: “Alamieyeseigha, as we are talking now, is very very ill, he requires urgent medical attention.
“It is unthinkable that a visit by his former Vice President would be sufficient for the government of Nigeria to fly him back to Nigeria without completing his medical treatment. It is a shame that a country can do that to its citizen. This is against the spirit of patriotism. Since when has Atiku become a security risk?”

Alamieyeseigha, Okoye noted, “is not a war prisoner. He has never been convicted, why is he being treated as if he is a war convict?”
Meanwhile, legal arguments on the fresh bail application brought by Alamieyeseigha, currently facing a 41-count charge of money laundering, has again been stalled at a Federal High Court in Lagos.

This was due to the absence of the Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Rotimi Jacobs.
Justice Mohammed Shuaib, on his part, has fixed August 3, 2007, for the hearing of the application.


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Dude, you just don't get it!

What is your point? what does your sister laying on train track got to do with the subject or with me or with perfection?

If you open your mind you will realize that if your so so called leaders and your people in general understand "perfection" your sister will be in a well furnished living room with her kids.

Dude, you need to wake up and look for someone else to fool with; absolutely you've picked the wrong guy.

Did I chase you out of Nigeria?
Do I look like one of your governors?
Do I look like the politician from your village?

Mckren, abeg go somewhere!

FYI: I'm calling for PERFECTION in Nigeria to safe your folks.

A good one!

How far can the EFCC go?

THE current onslaught of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on former state Governors, who allegedly looted public funds in the last four years, and are no longer covered by Section 308 of the Constitution on immunity, is an act of self-redemption for the organisation, but a lot depends on how far it is willing to go, how fair and transparent it is seen to be, and whether at the end of the day, justice would have been seen to have been done. This is all that matters, not the politics and the grandstanding now surrounding the exercise.

Why redemption? With the coming of the Yar'Adua administration, there had been a kind of lull at the EFCC. Before May 29, the EFCC had boasted loudly that many of the state Governors who would no longer be returning to office would be arrested and made to answer questions about their management of public resources. The EFCC indeed announced that it had investigated about 30 Governors and its findings were very bad. Ribadu added that many of the Governors will end up in jail! But after May 29, it was as if the EFCC went to sleep. The people expected immediate action knowing that truly the Governors were capable of running away, what they got instead were chest-beating declarations by some of the Governors that they were untouchable. Added to this were concerns about the continued viability of the EFCC and the place and relevance of the EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, under a new administration.

Then, just when everyone had thought that the EFCC was losing relevance, it bared its fangs and began to arrest the Governors and arraign them in court in batches. In the past week, this has been the top story in the land. This is also about the Yar'Adua government. By allowing the EFCC to go after the former Governors, the Yar'Adua administration is also advertising its determination to punish corruption. But how far also, is the Federal Government willing to go? There are emerging questions.

One, the Governors that have been taken to court so far, or that are being targeted are not in the estimation of the public the only ones that they expect to see in the dock. They want other Governors in court as well to come and explain why after eight years of service, the various states of the federation are in such a messy state. The EFCC insists that it is still investigating those other Governors and that it wants to do a proper home work before spreading its drag net. One major criticism of the EFCC now and in the past is that its morality is too selective and vindictive. It must avoid that pitfall this time around.

Saminu Turaki, former Governor of Jigawa state, Orji Kalu of Abia state, George Akume of Benue State, Joshua Dariye of Plateau state, Jolly Nyame of Taraba state, Boni Haruna of Adamawa state and Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu state are already having a "fellowship" with the law. But really in terms of the quantum of resources that they managed, and before the law, this is not an excuse, these Governors are not in the big league. For this reason, the public would like to see some of the other Governors, the big budget Governors, the ones with homes in all the major capitals of the world, in the dock. Thirty Governors were originally fingered. The EFCC must make sure that they do not run away before the cleansing process gets to their turn. Lest it be said that it deliberately targeted the present set in order to allow others to flee.

Second, the present exercise appears limited to the activities of state Governors between 2003 and 2007. How about the Governors who served between 1999 and 2003? With the sole exception of Abubakar Audu of Kogi state, there has been no known attempt to investigate this category. If the EFCC cannot do so, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the ICPC should step in and bring them to book. And this should not be limited to the Governors. How about Federal Ministers between 1999 and 2007? President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar? Certainly, the last two should be investigated afresh in the light of the recent declaration by Dr Shamsidden Usman before the National Assembly that the so-called foreign reserve of $43. 3 billion is a piece of propaganda because what is actually available to the country is $8.8 billion. Nigerians would like to see the dramatis personae involved in that drama of national deception and dispossession in court. Saminu Turaki, the former Jigawa Governor has already pointed in that direction when he disclosed that he provided N10 billion to support the Obasanjo Presidency's Third Term agenda. He is not the first Governor to claim that public funds were used to facilitate that crazy project.

Third, before the present blow-out, the EFCC had made it known that some of the Governors had returned some money and property to the state in exchange for their freedom. This is called plea bargaining. If the Federal Government is going to allow some Governors to escape under the cover of plea bargain then it must allow every other Governor that privilege. But the public must be told why. And the names of all the Governors who have been making reparations should be made known with a complete list of whatever it is that they are returning to the state. Plea bargaining which is part of the EFCC Act is however, an unpopular option with many Nigerians. The Nigerian people have been most affected by the corrupt practices of their leaders. They are frustrated by the absence of growth in their society, and the spread of poverty in their land. Plea bargain must not become an under-hand tool for helping the corrupt to save face.

Fourth, the EFCC rank and file and the leadership love drama and politics. Under the Obasanjo administration, Nuhu Ribadu was quite a voluble public official, who went beyond the call of office to hug the limelight and jump into the political fray. He has been quiet lately. In the matter of the former Governors, he must resist the temptation to adopt his old tactics. Needless windbaggery can only have the effect of compromising the trial in the courts. The media will taunt him; the public will invent controversies, but he must keep his eye on the ball. Doing so means focusing on his job as a professional. And let him keep his distance from the Presidential Villa. The moment the impression is created that he is being used by the Yar'Adua government or by his former boss, Obasanjo to achieve certain political ends, then that would be the effective end of the present exercise.

Five, the EFCC must watch out against the temptation of targeting the former Governors in a manner that suggests that it is interested in a quota system or that a federal character principle is at work. Only those who have questions to answer and their agents should be arraigned. And whoever is invited by the EFCC should be treated with utmost respect. There may be great public disenchantment with the former Governors and what they did in office, but their rights as human beings, their right to dignity should not be violated in any way. The day Orji Kalu was brought to court for arraignment and later remanded in prison custody, EFCC officials, dressed in their official jackets for special effects, were practically shoving and half-pushing the man as the crowd pressed in upon the accused person. Couldn't better security and crowd control measures have been adopted? In the case of Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, his phone was snatched from him and switched off by EFCC officials who turned away persons who had come to see him in the hospital. It is trite law that a man is innocent until he is proven guilty.

But perhaps more important in all of this are the moral lessons. How are the mighty fallen. Say it on the streets of Awka, Enugu, Jos, Dutse, or wherever you wish, that these men who used to bestride the land in siren-bearing vehicles, serenaded by a retinue of fawning aides who mouthed "your Excellency, your Excellency" as if they received special training in the pronunciation of that word, men whose word was akin to law, men who ruled and reigned, men who became so self-important they signed documents only with red and green pens, with flourish, are now helpless reeds in the hands of the law!

Dr Orji Kalu appeared in court smiling, he even waved to the crowd (he probably thought he was on a campaign trail), but having taken a trip to prison, and having spent a few days in remand custody, he must know by now that this is not funny at all. Orji Kalu, we are now told, is an American citizen. But this is not a case of abduction; nobody is asking for ransom, Kalu is only being asked to explain certain things he did as a Nigerian citizen. And na now the man just become American citizen? Saminu Turaki sized up the situation quite early and more pragmatically. He wept. Turaki wept. Chimaroke Nnamani took one look at the situation and opted for hospital custody. To God be the glory! One EFCC official held on tightly to Dariye's right hand as he came out of court. Two months ago, such irreverence would have been considered a breach of protocol and state security. Other former Governors are on the run. Or have since taken refuge in other lands.

. The poet is right: "Life is but a walking shadow, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". Only if they knew. All the people now strutting their stuff in the corridors of power ("Your Excellency, your most distinguished Excellency" should learn from this. E wo iku Gaa, e se ooto.


http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/20/8.html

Alamieyeseigha renews bail bid
• Atiku explains Dubai visit

The Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Justice Muhammad Shuaibu has fixed August 3 for the hearing of the bail application brought to it by the embattled former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.


The former governor was Wednesday brought back into the country from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in controversial circumstances. He had been taken to the UAE for medical attention after he fell ill while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Atiku Campaign Organisation also yesterday explained that former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s visit to Alamieyeseigha in the Dubai hospital was a normal get-well visit devoid of any underhand objective.

Spokesman of the former vice president, Mallam Garba Shehu, who threw light on the visit in a telephone interview with THISDAY yesterday described the allegation in some quarters that the visit breached security procedure as laughable.

He spoke as the Federal High Court, fixed the August 3 date for the hearing of the bail application by the former governor. Alamieyeseigha spent three months in the UAE capital, Dubai, where he underwent medical treatment at the instance of the EFCC.

He was suddenly repatriated to Nigeria Wednesday after he was alleged to have breached the security attached to his overseas medical treatment.

He had been held by the EFCC since his impeachment as governor two years ago.

The ex-governor is being prosecuted by the EFCC for alleged money laundering running into billions of naira, illegal acquisition of properties and false declaration of assets.

He, alongside seven companies believed to be his were being prosecuted on a 40 –count charge by the EFCC,.

In Lagos yesterday, at the resumed hearing of the former governor's trial, one of his counsel, Mr Mike Okoye, told the court that his client’s bail application was still pending since 2006 and that he was ready to move it.

But the application could not be argued because of a letter written to the court by the EFCC’s, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, informing the court of his inability to be in court for the matter.

The EFCC lawyer had said he was engaged in Abuja for another pressing matter and that he would personally like to handle the matter and therefore sought for a short adjournment.

Okoye, who attempted intimating the court about the circumstances surrounding Alamieyeseigha’s return to Nigeria was immediately rebuffed by the judge who said he was not interested about any matter which is not an issue before the court.

The judge consequently adjourned the matter till August 3 for hearing on the said bail application.

Also speaking yesterday, another counsel to Alamieyeseigha, Chief Mike Ozekhome condemned his repatriation saying it was “wicked”.

He said the former governor was scheduled to undergo more surgeries after having just one before his sudden repatriation.

Meanwhile, Atiku’s spokesman said the former vice president was one of several Nigerians who visited the impeached governor at the Dubai hospital and wondered why there has been an issue about his own visit.

“As a fellow human being and a prominent Nigerian for that matter, the former Vice President was in Dubai on his own vacation. Somebody told him that former Governor Alamieyeseigha was on a hospital bed undergoing treatment and he decided to pay a visit and sympathise with him. What is unusual about that?” he queried.

http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/20/201.html

Posted by Denex

Big B1

am beginning to understand your point. I feel he must have had enough treatment by now.

It is the duty of his doctor to make that decision; not you or me or OBJ

Just keep in mind that the[b] Ijaw people [/b] are looking for any excuse to destruct or justify ALAM's corruption charges.

And it will be stupid and unreasonable for the federal government to give these people the opportunity, which they've been craving for, by making silly mistakes,