₦airaland Forum

@ToToChopers:

So, at this point what is your recommendation?

Tony Blair ready to meet with Yar'Adua

British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, has said he looked forward to "an early meeting" with the President-elect, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua in order "to begin our discussion on future co-operation."
 
Blair in a letter to President Olusegun Obasanjo said the British Government will work with the new administration on reforms and governance among others.

“We are keen to work with the new administration on reform and governance, democracy, development and other areas of cooperation which we have developed over the last eight years,” Blair stated in the letter.

But Blair, who also gave kudos to Obasanjo for his great efforts in moving Nigeria forward, said Britain and the international community would be interested in the continuation of the reforms which the out-going President started.

“Nigeria has made important progress during your time in office, and I have greatly valued my relationship with you. The continuation of reform by your successor will be extremely important for the UK (United Kingdom) and other members of the international community,” the letter further read.

Blair however assured that though Obasanjo was spending his last weeks in office, he would love to remain in contact with the out-going President to rub minds on issues about Africa and the international community.

“I look forward to maintaining contact with you on African and international issues in future,” Blair stated.

Blair’s letter came on the heels of the visit by envoys of some member-countries of the Arab League to congratulate Yar’Adua on his victory in the April Presidential elections.

The envoys from Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Palestine, Egypt and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also canvassed improved bilateral relations between Nigeria and their countries.

Yar’Adua, responding to the envoys from the Arab League, assured that the relations between Nigeria and their respective countries would be strengthened even as he called on the African Union (AU) and the Arab League to form a common front aimed at championing the overall interest of member countries within the comity of nations.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Communication, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, will next Tuesday appraise the media of the activities slated for the inauguration of Yar’Adua and his deputy, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck.  


http://odili.net/news/source/2007/may/18/206.html

Posted by LEWA

I don't know why boy-boy PDP sluggards will always like to make themselves known, (imagine for the purpose of peace). Na u be their Peace officer?  Abi u don chop your own after the election, now u wan begin work.

This just goes to show the myopic and flawed views of PDP's Yaradua supporters.  

THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED PERIOD!!!

And everybody knows PDP promotes political thuggery at great heights compared to the other parties. If nah lie, go ask OBJ wey be una papa, (do or die affair). Even the ugly and dumb Mallam wey resemble monkey una wan make be President go run away any potential international investors from Nigeria.

Person wey no know when to stop drinking "kunu" e don spoil im kidney, nahim go hear u say stop eating Nigeria's money. Abegi

Posted by LEWA
 

Why everything with naija elections be mago mago, wayo and wuru wuru to the answer?


Mr self acclaimed Peace Officer aka PDP boy boy aka Mallam Big B1,

you know what really irks me is the self denial and lack of true peace in your heart and in the state of the Nigeria people. Your indebtedness to the popular normadic herdsman; Yaradua and his undemocratic PDP has impeded your sound judgement of the contraption in his party of political vagabons.
Surely, I am absolutely and totally disgusted with our last election, and so are many.
You truly know that the election was free (partly i must add) but was definitely NOT FAIR. So why come out here to promote a transition based on falsehood under the auspices of peace?
Peace or what?

Is it really peace for the poltical parasites that abound the lead party or a restive state of mind in the poor Nigerians who seeming have no voice and no one to trust?    

The world laughing at us and u screaming peace, in pretense supporting permanent interest.

What we need in Nigeria is a revampment and  (Pastor,  now) Obasanjo's puppeted president elect; Yaradua is his plan to reorganize the fat-bellied vicious thieves in his administration not to remove them and have them subjected to prosecution by the law.

I am in support of a free and fair election.

I am also in support of a new president by the people for the people, and not by the preceding president

Also posted by LEWA

I have said it before~the emergence of Yar'adua as the presidential candidate of PDP was a seriously flawed process!The so called elections which they say led to his emergence is another story,we need not rehash again.He reminds of Shagari~inspiring,dull,docile,rustic and it's a shameful again that we not only cannot conduct an accurate fair census,we have proven indeed to the whole world that we are a nation beset by fraud,in love with fraud!
PDP is synonymous with roguery and banditry and this was clearly manifest during the last elections~ballot papers were dumped in S/Africa and still Yar'adua constitutionally did not meet the provisions of winning the elections!
For myself hes not my leader~period!I would not be part of any whitewashing or illegality~the premise that he should be supported is very wrong~rather admonished and castigated for going along with this charade

Excellent point; you definitely have the right to express the level of your despisedness of this new administration, but you must also think broadly and understand what is currently going on in Nigeria.

Moreover, I was wondering how long it was going to take you to finally remove your scary masquerade mask (Lewa alias ToTo Chopper).
Anyway, you're free to be bad as you want to be; it's your father's land.

One love!

@angel101:
Good and very interesting point; but I have questions for you:

1. MEND who claims to have similar strategy as your recommendation; could you please identify what this group has done for their people lately? (FYI: this group cares about no one, but their pocket; and I can assure you that peace and prosperity are the last thing group like this wants, because when there is peace and prosperity it means there is no purpose for them; and with no purpose they will be out of business)

2. If we do go ahead and try violence for a change, who will lose? (FYI: 98% of the families of politicians and big wig Nigerians have already left the country couple of months ago, therefore the loser will be the powerless and innocent Nigerians) And I can also assure you that these same families will return to run things as soon as you guys finish killing one another.

3. Don't you think enough is enough, we've had enough bad news, poverty and enough of people dying everyday from deadly disease? Don't you think our focus should mainly be on this low standard of living that is killing Nigerians and Nigeria as a nation?

4. Don't you think that those leaders you will be fighting for are only thinking about their gigantic foreign bank accounts and the security of their families?

5. Where do you reside? I'm sure not Nigeria, hence it is very easy to recommend violence when you're thousands of miles away.

Let's face the fact, the election could be done over and over till the end of time, for now nothing will change.
And definitely Violence is not the answer; working together as one toward a common goal is the answer.

I say, let's support Yar'Adua's new administration before our great country crumbles into dust.

May God bless Nigeria

@ToToChoper:

What is your point?

Too much for us to accomplish and there is absolutely no need to dwell on things that obviously will not change for now.

It's time to  move forward and work together as one.

I hope Atiku and Buhari will eventually put aside their animosities toward this new administration and focus on what is important.
In my eyes, Nigeria is still the greatest country in Africa, we have so much and enough to turn things around quickly; but prolonging negativity and working against one another will only prolong effort working toward the progressiveness of our great nation.

I have confidence that this new administration will not disappoint us; they are ready and will surprise many.

Let's learn from past mistakes, join hands and work toward moving our great nation back to the GIANT of AFRICA; believe me, it's not too late

Open Letter To The President of Nigeria


Mr. President. We the people aren't writing this letter to you to discuss the past, or discuss Nigeria's problems. That is obviously common knowledge. I am writing on behalf of the citizens of Nigeria and the larger world to bring to your field of vision the more important issues you have to handle.

Corruption must be dealt with within the first year of your occupying that seat. Corruption must be killed and buried immediately, and all corrupt logger heads must be silenced with it, Sir. We can't afford to waste time wallowing in corruption and the lowly practices of usurping the wealth of others, when Nigeria is strong and blessed enough to provide abundantly for everyone.

From today, you will certainly flinch as your entire body cells will cringe with the occurrence of every death on all Nigerian roads due to repairable defects. The hastier you repair these, the healthier for you. You are now responsible for every Nigerian who dies due to no power during surgery or for surgery, disease from lack of clean water etc, if you don't handle these solidly, as expediently as possible.

You MUST separate/cut/disallow the corrupt the use of their stolen money in a permanent fashion, to teach them and warn all others in the New Nigeria, that you, our hero is starting. Sir, all Nigerians who can't account for their wealth must be dealt with quickly at the beach, in the Jerry Rawlins style so Nigeria may proceed in the more important direction of our destiny.

The problems challenging the globe at this time are way beyond this. There are serious regional crises affecting Africa and the world. What is Nigeria doing about this?

Global warming, according to the International Panel on Climate Control (IPCC) report (Ref 4), which has already created 25 million refugees, is threatening to slam harder on us in the next three years, and will produce a refugee crisis of between 50- 200 million people. If we do not fix and prepare ourselves now, how will we deal with these more serious challenges of the near future?

With global warming, there will be droughts, shortage of water. The poor once again will be worst hit. If we can't secure our power supply now, then what will happen to power supply when global warming slams soon and our rivers run dry?

If we can't secure our coast lines now, then what will happen when the ocean levels rise and there is mass flooding?
Sir, if we can't feed ourselves now, then what will happen when things get worse, a refugee situation develops, and people move within Nigeria and from neighboring countries to Nigeria for shelter. How will we take care of these?

Nigeria is the greatest, largest and strongest African country. How are we equipped and prepared to take care of Africa, as the primary custodians of Africa ?

United states and the larger world can not take care of us, we all saw how the United States who failed and refused to be a part of the Kyoto process, saying, in a famous statement by the United States director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy Myron Ebell; February 14, 2004:-

"The Kyoto Protocol has been sold as a first step in addressing climate change, but it is a step in the wrong direction. The costs of the policies required by Kyoto will far outweigh any potential benefits," said Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy Myron Ebell. "President Bush and Prime Minister Howard are to be congratulated for leading the way to a brighter future based on technological innovation.

" Ebell continued. "Because they have refused to sign on to the energy rationing required by Kyoto, Americans and Australians will be wealthier, healthier, and therefore better able to deal with future environmental challenges, whatever their cause ."

(Ref 5), Yet when a small consequence of Global warming hit their shore, the Katrina, we saw how incapable they were of handling this. We must and will handle these situations ourselves.

How prepared is your office and the Nation for these bigger problems, Sir. Corruption is a piece of cake. We have bigger challenges of our generation looming at us. Are we ready or are we ready to get ready?

There are great wars going on in Africa . We have the genocide in Darfur, which the international society refuses to recognize and address adequately for what it is, for certain reasons. How prepared are we to deal with the refugee crises and situations in neighboring Chad which borders on Sudan ?

How are we addressing the crises in Sudan and how are we controlling the problem of increasing raids in Chad, and taking major steps to stabilize Africa . Did we do our best to ensure that the Abuja resolution worked? We know that though the international media portrays the Darfur crises as one of separate religions and races, we do know the truth that it is Moslem on Moslem, and Africans on Africans and nothing else.

The split between the two rebel groups and their fighting themselves makes the real scenario even more evident. And the world cares less, as they continue exploiting the region and Africa via the crises, caring less about Africans dieing. What are we doing about this…Now!?

Sir what are we doing about Russia, China, Iran and Kuwait that continue to break the weapons embargos, and supply millions of dollars worth of ammunitions including helicopter weaponry launch pads, to the warring factions in Sudan? We indeed know the great plans Garang had for Africa, before his assassination was orchestrated. What plans do we have for Africa, to protect, safeguard and to promote?

The world is again at a technological revolutionary point. Technology is changing. There are serious issues, concerns about what technologies are obsolete and harmful, what technologies are necessary, and what technologies are environmentally friendly. What is Nigeria doing to develop its own environmentally friendly technology? What is Nigeria doing about and for development of science and technologies for Africa and the world?

Are we only going to remain consumers of obsolete harmful products, tailored for the west? What is our stance and what is our position on space junk and wars in our outer-space?

Sir, Malaysia under a brief, determined forty year span went through a technological revolution and became one of the most productive industrial nations on earth. Pakistan and India are nuclear powered, advanced, big stake Nations in global dynamics. Are you planning to kick on the industrial revolution in Nigeria today so that we can achieve what Malaysia did, in 30, or even 20 years? Or are we still going to battle over problems of refining our oil?

What program is in place, what incentives are being given to develop immunizations and therapeutic solutions for HIV and Malaria; Africa's problems. We Africans developed cures to all our ailments and survived without any help from the westerner up until the years they came to steal us and our minds away. Do you know that Nigerian herbal scientists do cure asthma, a feat yet unattained under orthodox western medicine?

What are you doing to revive this and give incentives to our scientists, be they in the colleges or in traditional centers to race at developing cures and prophylaxis against cancer, Malaria, HIV and other problems endemic to us? Or are you waiting for the west to use our brains that they have imported with Visa lotteries, to develop such cures and sell them to us?


http://ngex.com/news/public/article.php?ArticleID=451

I don't see any other way to turn things around at this point. It is what it is; for now, somethings will not change.

For the sake of the innocent Nigerian citizens and the progressiveness of our great nation, let's give peace a chance.

@ToToChoper:
what is your point?

@degoat:
I also see and respect your point, but at this point I truly do not see anything beneficial to Nigeria or Nigerian citizens if we continue to reject our new president.

It's time to move forward and learn from this election failure. The next one should be much more better.
We can not continue to dwell on the failure of OBJ's administration; no need to waste more time, we have a lot to be done.

MEND (criminals)
ECONOMY
INFRASTRUCTURE
CORRUPTION
JOBS
MEDICAL
EDUCATION
POWER SUPPLY
WATER SUPPLY
DISEASE
POVERTY
E.T.C

It's time to focus on important factors that will bring the lives of ordinary or unexceptional Nigerians into a more desirable condition.

Posted by fellow

To you it makes no difference but to other people who holds the issue of principle very dear, it makes a whole lot of difference which is why Iweala could still walk talk amongst her peers with her head high and a job well done.

Excellent point!

Yes, I think we should all rally around our new president for the sake of peace and progressiveness of our great nation.

We all know that the latest election is far from being perfect and many are not happy with the outcome. But I feel that prolonging this situation will only prolong debasement of many innocent citizens and also promote the disintegration of our already unstable economy.
We should all be sensible, get closer to being logical and face the reality of the fact; It is what it is, for now somethings will never change:

1. The election could be done 100 times and nothing will change.

2. Upgrading or modifying election process takes at least up to 2 years. And OBJ's administration failed by not exercising special attention to improve this project (Educating the Voters and Empowering the Election Process).

3. It would cost just too much money and valuable time to cancel this election and implement another one; and still perfection is not guaranteed.

4. Out of all the candidates, Yar'Adua in my opinion is still the favorite and the most competent. I truly believe that he would have won the election anyway, even without OBJ's election mago mago magic.

5. Enough is enough, we've made enough fool of ourselves; the world is looking and the kids, the future are also watching. It's time to promote unity and work together as one.

OBJ will be gone and forgotten in few days; hence, I say after May 29, let's give peace and progressiveness a chance.

May God bless Nigeria.

First, @Ijogbon: incredible topic; BRAVO to you

@justgood

I truly admire your sincere intention and an excellent state of mind.

But I think your project would have been more successful if you had canvassed and campaigned to empower election process and educate the voters. You would have gotten more support or positive attention from a greater percentage of the population.
Eventhough the strategy may be different, but I think the objectives of my suggestion and the route you've selected  (canvassed and campaigned against bad leadership) are the same.

My advise:
Don't give up, you may not have accomplished you goal this time around, but next time will be better. You should use this failure as a lesson.

With your style of thinking and your sincerity, I think you can touch many people positively and this will definitely help us to move our great nation forward effectively, efficiently and unitedly.

You go boy!

Atiku has been taken to court more than 10 times without anything tangible to hold on to, zero outcome; I feel that this administration continues to waste our money and valuable time, that could be used constructive on other sensible project.
It's time to move on and allow the new administration to probe every single corrupt leader after May29.

We've had enough of this craziness I'm sick of it, it doesn't make any sense anymore; infact, in my eyes, there is nothing Atiku has done that OBJ, himself hasn't done twice.

Enough of the craziness; let's focus on issues that are more important to ordinary Nigerians.

You guys continue to miss the point.
It's not about BUSH; this issue is bigger than BUSH.

Make no mistake about it, Nigeria as a country needs United States support to progress effectively and efficiently.

When we mention support, as Nigerians, I'm sure that all we could see is money; but this is not the case or the support we are talking about.
United states support are not visible (Not material); therefore I can't blame you folks that think Nigeria doesn't need United States. You have to be bright and understand international politics to see these invisible factors.

Posted by Afam

What I find very difficult to understand is that BigB1 is ready to die defending IBB inspite of his many atrocities but will be the first to criticize OBJ and complain about his excesses.

BigB1 to me is doing more harm than good to his person with this position that defies all logic.

That was absolutely unnecessary!
You need to apologize for vigorously degrading my sincere intention for my country and my integrity.

If you pay attention to my post you will quickly realize that I did not criticize anybody. The statement was nothing, but a mere speculation (eventhough most of my speculations usually become real, but still I do not think I deserve this from you).
How did you come up with your degrading and ridiculous conclusion? Do you know me?

My man, I'm totally disappointed; You're bigger and better to make such a careless statement.

Can someone send or deliver a message to Mr. President?

Message: ENOUGH is ENOUGH, Nigerians are no longer interested in allegation against Atiku. We are sick and tired of this craziness.

Presidency Plots Fresh Attack On Atiku - He may be arrested and arraigned in court after May 29

Following the verdict of guilty the Senate passed on Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the role he played in the disbursement of the PTDF sources say the verdict would be gazetted promptly by the Federal Governmentin preparation of using it to prosecute him at the appropriate time

It was learnt that the presidency’s plan to ensure that the senators’ decision was gazetted, was to stop the vice president from participarting in any future election in the country.

A source said “Abubakar will be arrested and arraigned in court immediately after May 29, when he will no longer be under any immunity.”

But the Vice President, through his campaign office said that there was no basis for any criminal prosecution against him. “Firstly, the vice president, like other citizens of Nigeria has a right to a good name and integrity and he is at liberty to defend his name when there are obvious attempts to destroy that name”

“Again, if you had carefully studied the Senate decision yesterday, you will see that what the Senate said was illegal was the action of the VP to authorise the placement of the PTDF money; not that he personally benefitted in any pecuniary manner from the PTDF money.So, what should be the basis of his prosecution?

“On the other hand, one of the senators said yesterday that the controversial $20million has been traced to a PDP account. So, who are the managers of the PDP and shouldn’t they be the target of any further criminal investigation and prosecution?

No money from the PTDF was traced to the personal account of the vice-president. His only offence is that he authorised the placement of the PTDF money into accredited banks.”

The Action Congress said the indictment of Atiku by the Senate did not come as a surprise, saying the lawmakers were “arm-twisted” by outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo “in one last desperate act of vendetta.”


http://ngex.com/news/public/newsinfo.php?nid=3717

Our culture has a lot to do with out mentality; and our mentality has too much to do with corruption in our society.

Who are the role models in Nigeria?
Who are the leaders?
Who is responsible for poverty in Nigeria?
Does it make any sense to spend so many years in School and can't get a decent job?

If we can clearly answer all these questions and find solutions to the answers; a good percentage of Scams problem in Nigeria will be rectified.

Posted by Dis Guy

what makes you think the next dude wont go after obj or his croonies?

IGP is different from EFCC chairman right ?

1. Yes, EFCC is different from IGP; in an organized and sensible environment, both entities suppose to work together as one. Their objective should be similar if it's not the same. But in our society, things are done differently; it's all about eat and I eat or how much you can eat while the rest die of starvation.

2. OBJ is better off to be investigated by someone else or anybody as long as the entity is not Ribadu.

Could you imagine being abused or tortured by your own weapon?
It's not pleasant.
My man, OBJ has absolutely no chance if he's investigated by Ribadu.

My point, it will be degrading, humiliating and unbearable to be investigated by Ribadu. No one wants to be fed by his or her own medicine.

I'm not going to be surprised to discover that OBJ has something to do with this new development.

As far as OBJ is concern, Ribadu's project has been completed; Ribadu was used and dropped just like the rest.
At this point, it will be too dangerous and risky to give Ribadu too much power before or after May 29.

Moreover, I feel that Ribadu is not too happy about the outcome of all his fake investigations that were implemented by OBJ. This outcome has damaged Mr.Ribadu's image drastically and the only way for him to correct things and polish up his image is by going after his boss after May 29.

Obj on the other hand, knows this fact and I'm not sure if he's willing to take the chance; therefore the right thing to do at this point is to disable Ribadu all together.

This fact is not confirmed, I may be wrong

I hate when we try to flex our Bone structure instead of flexing muscle, It is clear that Nigeria needs United States more than anything.

I'm very sure that United States will survive without Nigeria; but can Nigeria or Nigerians say the same?
I don't think so! (Houston, New York, Maryland, Chicago and New Jersey say it all).

I repeat: The failure of this new administration has already been implemented and this (Bush refuses to meet with Yar'Adua) is just the beginning. In 4 years time, I'm not sure if much will be accomplished. We had the opportunity to turn things around, but we were too blind to see.

It seems to me that Yar'Adua's administration will continue to run around like a chicken with no head; and at the end of the day there will still be electric power failure, no water supply, no jobs, no food,  poor infrastructure, corruption and finally, kidnappers and robbers will increase drastically.

It is sad, very sad.
We have a very long way to go with a defective vehicle that is being operated by a drunk driver who has no road map.

Only God can help.

I hate to tell you guys that even majority of the Nigerian professors need leadership classes or training.
There is no need to throw fake balls at one another; it is what it is, we all recognize the fact that leadership is extremely lacking from the buttom to the top in our society.
It is crystal clear that a very good percentage of the population do not understand the leadership concept; and I truly find it very difficult to say any nation or society can progress effectively, efficiently and unitedly without understanding the true meaning of leadership concept/roles.

And leadership training or classes are not just scratch my back and I scratch yours too; It is a serious business and there is no place better to get the training than United States.

Sorry guys!

Posted by BELINE

Is it Mr VP that suppose to take this kind of training or Mr President?

It doesn't look right and unprecedented for a president of a nation to go to another country for leadership classes. This should have been done before he was elected as the president.
I'm pretty sure that he (yar'Adua) will surround himself with great advisers; these advisers are the entities that will be taking the classes for him.

That is just the way it's done.

But for VP, it doesn't matter.

Posted by MAMAJAMA

Big B1 you need to tell us what you stand for. couple days ago you were here condemning this next administration and all of a sudden you see hope in them? OK MR wishy washy what do you stand for? you either for or you are against.

Dude:
Just because I condemn the way things are currently being done doesn't mean I should be insensible and disregard great development.
It is what it is; and that is also the different between the figure heads and the real dedicated Nigerians, that crave for nothing but progressiveness for our great nation.

However, I still believe that the failure of this current administration has already been designed, but at the same time we must give credit to our new VP for making a courageous move and I have full assurance that this latest move we be productive at all levels.
This is the beginning and I'm confident to predict that many more (leaders) will follow the same foot step.

MAMAJAMA: About a year ago, when I recommended that all our incredible leaders should be sent away to United States to take leadership classes, do you remember your reaction to the suggestion?

Don't get it twisted:
Going to a developed country for training or education is totally different from being shipped abroad for a mere cough.

Eventhough, there is no training or education that could change the mentality of some of our people, but let us hope that our great nation will benefit from this latest move.

The best development I've heard so far this year.

Definitely, the right way to start.
I admire his courage and I hope the rest of our leaders learn one or two things from this incredible example, coming from Mr Goodluck.

Ahead of the May 29, 2007 swearing-in ceremony of the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua government, Vice President-elect and outgoing Bayelsa State Governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has returned to school to prepare him for the challenges ahead. His destination is the prestigious Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Boston, Mas-sachusetts, USA.
Jonathan, who left the country last Wednesday will be attending a leadership programme partially funded by Ford Found-ation. The course had been designed for him as governor-elect and he was originally supposed to travel with representatives from each local government areas in the state.  But in his new capacity as vice president-elect, Jonathan left with six others representing the nation's geopolitical zones. Jonathan will be tutored by some of the best scholars in leadership, development and public policy preparatory to his assumption of office as vice president. He will return to the country in good time for the May 29 swearing-in ceremony.
According to an aide, "the cross-fertilization of ideas that will be the hallmark of the programme will put the vice president-elect in good stead as he faces the challenges of nation-building."

http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link="http://www.thisdayonline.com"

Country was run like a vehicle with a drunk driver with reckless passagers urging the driver on

Renowned nationalist and elder statesman, Pa Anthony Enahoro, at the weekend appraised the just concluded general elections, describing them as a disaster.
Enahoro, also described as misplaced, the persuasion that the election petition tribunals will redress the injustices and inequities emanating from the controversial polls.

Rather, the octogenarian wants the federation restructured and a new constitution that will guarantee free and fair elections among other things adopted.

Already, the National Reformation Party (NRP) of which he is leader, is convening a summit of political leaders of thought and eminent Nigerians to consider this option and resolve the current political impasse.
This was part of the resolutions of a stakeholders’ meeting held in the old politician’s house in Benin last Saturday.

Expected at the all-important parley due to hold in a fortnight in Benin or Lagos, according to Soni Chukwuma of the NRP Secretariat, are concerned candidates in the April elections, party leaders, civil societies leaders, observer groups, labour and professional groups.

Addressing the Benin meeting, which urged for an urgent popular resolution of the lingering political crisis in the country, Pa Enahoro dismissed appeals to losers at the polls to go to election tribunals, saying there was little or nothing the judiciary could do to right the wrongs, in view of the magnitude of the flagrant and deliberate abuse of the electoral process, especially by people in power.

His words: "Like gullible infants, the losers of the elections have been called upon by pacifists to go to the election tribunals. One may ask whether the judiciary should be over-burdened by electoral crimes deliberately committed by members of the executive and legislative arms of government, egged on by their patrons and godfathers."

He submitted: "The judiciaries are not miracle workers. To ask the judiciary to resolve the kind of awesome and obscene violation of electoral processes blatantly displayed by political agents in the last general elections is like asking a physician to raise the dead from the grave."

[b]He maintained that the elections were flawed from inception to execution, stressing that the preparations "lacked the corollaries that can produce genuine results that could be respected by observers and all the contending parties.[/b

The astute nationalist said this stemmed from the nation’s persistent ignoring of the need to do "the first things first," which he explained to be the restructuring of the country into a true federal system akin to that at its independence.

According to him, the country has been run as a unitary system, split into military cantonments, battalions and platoons, with an ultra-powerful centre; pointing out that "we have unviable states that cannot survive without handouts from the central government."

Pa Enahoro further remarked: "At this point in our history, we must all do away with emotions on the current grave issues confronting the country. For over 35 years, our country was run like a vehicle with a drunken driver loaded with reckless passengers urging the driver on. The end, needless to say, has been the disastrous elections in which we find ourselves today."


He warned that the country was about losing another opportunity of resolving these critical issues by trying to sweep them under the carpet, with the resort to the election tribunals.

He observed that a peoples national conference organised by PRONACO had identified 55 reasons why Nigeria could not work successfully under the present constitution foisted on the country by the military, proffering a draft constitution produced from 29 points of the resolutions of the confab as an alternative.

"In the draft constitution, there are provisions which can ensure free and fair elections and the kind of revenue distribution and accountability that will make bribe taking and corruption unattractive. Provisions have also been made for regional autonomy for the federating regions, and to tackle unemployment, old age and other social security allowances have also been provided in the draft," the renowned nationalist said.


http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link="http://www.sunnewsonline.com/"

The idea of 2 party system sounds OK, but in Nigeria I'm not sure if it will work.

The 2 party system will just give 2 friends or 2 cousins or 2 associates a chance to play around with our heads. At the end of the day, it wouldn't matter who is elected.

For example, could you imagine Atiku leading one party and his very close friend (Tinubu) leading the second party; does it matter who is elected as the president among the 2?
My answer: it doesn't matter, it is the same pocket.

Usually in a society where mago mago is the king of success, nothing works.
Let's clean up our culture first, starting with each and everyone of us; and then we can think about implementing strategy that will guard us toward political success.

You do not get it, but you're still my boy.

One love.

1, 2, 5, 8 party system; it doesn't matter in our society (Nigeria).

A thief is a thief, a dog is a dog; our people will still find a way to insert mago mago strategy into any selected system; so please save the money and time.

What we need is culture clean up.

Our culture is unique, pleasant and magnificent, but this same element is also killing us.

Therefore, no matter what choice of party system we select, as long as our state of mind, mentality and uncivilized ways of life are not properly approached with a suitable rectification method, we will continue to sing that same old song for many many years to come, while our country remains permanently allergic to progressiveness.

This reminds me of an incredible car with a defective engine. Instead of thinking about getting a new engine the owner of the car continues to spend so much money on the paint job and expensive rims for the car, but the fact that the car has a defective engine remains the same; hence the car can not be moved from the same position.

Ok, MAMAJAMA,

What ever makes you feel good about yourself.