₦airaland Forum

dre11:
Op




What's the minimum wage in America
At least we need to balance that tooo

minimum wage in the USA is basically done hourly. It is an average of $8/hour. Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that it all depends on how much time one can put in a month and the availability of the job

DONOCSO:
As I read the title, wetin commot for my mind na thunder fire you! Thank God say I no talk am.

I did not expect anything less from you. It is unfortunate that in an intellectual discuss, that is the much you can contribute. SMH

I saw various posts on the social media, criticising federal government's reduction of gasoline(PMS or Petrol) pump price from N97 to N87. More worrisome is the fact that some of our youths join the bandwagon in the criticism.

I wonder why we have some youths of our country who can not make use of their brains to ponder on issues that would further enrich the country. Present day youths are being tossed around by the older ones and sometimes, by illiterates. ‎

Drivers paid an average of $2.2021 a gallon for regular gasoline at U.S. pumps of recent in the US (do some ‎confirmation) 1US gallon = 3.7854ltrs‎ ‎$2.2021 = N398.58 (@ exchange rate of N181/$) Therefore, 1gallon = N398.58 ÷ ‎3.7854ltrs = N105.29/ltr in the US

Meanwhile, in Nigeria, after taking into consideration, landing costs and other expenses, it is N85/ltr for the same litre of gasoline yet people are ignorantly ranting on social media and elsewhere. Between Nigeria and the US, which is better? What has happened to some present day youths in my dear country, Nigeria‎? Mr. President, Goodluck Jonathan has indeed shown that he has the interest of Nigerians at heart.‎

http://saharareporters.com/2015/01/19/%E2%80%9Cosinbajo-my-problem%E2%80%9D-president-jonathan-cries-out-secret-meeting-pentecostal-pastors

can any good reportage come out from saharareporters.com? No o o. SMH

Doublyu:
Observing from d top of presidential Hotel....I can see Wike running out of PDP!!

u be 'weetch'? Wetin u find go reach d top of tht building?

Ambi25:
you will be participating in your state of primary assignment. Your area inspectors will compile all the corps members name and deployed them for elections activities

Are u sure the AI will compile as well as deploy corps members? I felt INEC will do the deployment while AI will do the compilation. *just thinking*

How much to clear 2008 Toyota Highlander?

wirinet:
It is encouraging that you took up the challenge to show us any of GEJ's thesis or publication, the problem is that the said paper is neither a thesis or a publication. It was appropriately labeled Conference or workshop item. It was a joint paper presented at a workshop. It would be very difficult to determine jonathan's contributions.

Meanwhile please help clarify these discrepancies in Jonathan's academic records;



He obtained his M.sc at the University of Port Harcourt in 1985 and he was a Lecturer at the Dept. Of Biology, Rivers State College of Education, Port Harcourt from 1983 – 1993. How did that work? he was lecturing at one university while studying to obtain an M.sc in another university.

Wirinet, it appears you have not been properly enmeshed in academics. You seem not to understand the meaning of 'publication'. Ask any academic. Meanwhile, check this Merriam-Webster Dictionary meaning - pub·li·ca·tion\ˌpə-blə-ˈkā-shən\
noun
: the act or process of producing a book, magazine, etc., and making it available to the public
: a book, magazine, etc., that has been printed and made available to the public
: the act of printing something (such as an article or photograph) in a magazine, newspaper, etc.
Full Definition
1 : the act or process of publishing
2 : a published work
Origin: Middle English publicacioun, from Middle French publication, from Latin publication-, publicatio, from publicare, from publicus public.

3, 000 APC Members defect to PDP in Lagos

3, 000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  under the aegis of Justice Group Wednesday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos.
The group was led by Chief David Abidakun, who explained that they are leaving the APC in Lagos and the south west.
He said “We are not counting the number of people here but our membership. We have a membership of over 70, 000 in the South West and all of us will join the PDP in our various states in the South West after the formal ceremony”.
He said that the group left the APC for being marginalised, adding that “We believe that the PDP is a place to be and so we have decided to be part of the winning team.”
Receiving the decampees, the Lagos State deputy chairman of the party, Chief Sikiru Apena, promised them fair and same chances with existing members of the party.
Also at the event were Chieftains of the party and it’s Lagos State governorship candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/3-000-apc-members-defect-pdp-lagos/

chigo93:
olodo, it's not fiction of your imagination,its figment of your imagination,clueless gej supporters,anyways olodo befriends olodo

English professor. I hear. After all, no be my papa language. More so, most of our phones have features that can change your typed words. Your bile for Mr. President, Goodluck Jonathan has made u into a professional English language fault-finder. Carry on. Your waterloo awaits you. Meanwhile, No vacancy in Aso Rock till 2019! GEJ till 2019

President Jonathan gives emotional speech on APC, Amaechi’s comment on parallel government

President Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigeria is not the personal estate of anybody but for the generality of Nigerians.

Speaking on Thursday during the Christmas service at the St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama, Abuja, Jonathan said only the will of God shall prevail on the forthcoming general elections.

President Jonathan in a lengthy speech said: “It is a week to the end of the year. Next year, from January, we will see all political actors campaigning and from the middle of February to the end, we will have the elections at the various levels.”


“I believe we the politicians are not putting out the right utterances and I am very sure that those of you who mean well for this country are not happy with us.”

“As a politician, you want people to elect you, to perform a responsibility. If you mean well for the country, the country is nobody’s personal estate but you want to serve. If people want you to serve, you serve and if they say ‘no’, you leave,”

“Nigeria is nobody’s personal estate, Nigeria is nobody’s business enterprise, Nigeria is nobody’s father’s, property, it belongs to all Nigerians.

“I get embarrassed when we the politicians, maybe including me make provocative statements, statements that create division among Nigerians; statements that can set this country ablaze. I don’t think that is what a leader should do, I don’t think that is the kind of seed a leader should sow.


“Take those who take government by violence. Look at African countries and those who kill to take power, they never end well. Few cases though, probably in society where everybody goes the same way.

“If a politician wants to take power whether at the house of assembly level, at the House of Representatives or senate or governor or president, you don’t sow seed of discord and enmity because of course, it will consume you.

Read more at -
Source: http://dailypost.ng/2014/12/25/jonathan-gives-emotional-speech-apc-amaechis-comment-parallel-government/?utm_source=DailyPost+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2417a3a874-Morning_headlines&utm_term=0_7c25dc3ce6-2417a3a874-219972225

Unibenstudent:
so the ministry is not charged with providing water to Nigerians ryt?

u seem not to be understanding certain issues. The type of water provided by d Federal government is different frm tht provided by d state and local governments. The water u put in ur mouth is supposed to be provided by state and local governments. If Federal government provides d water u put in ur mouth then they augmenting for d inefficiencies of d state and local governments. Just as state and local governments have nothing with river basins and inland waterways and d likes

I have noticed that virtually everything that was done in Rivers state by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi were done while he was in PDP. Nothing really has been done by the governor in the state since he moved over to APC

I just feel APC should be campaigning for votes, stating what they feel they can do better than PDP rather keep insulting Mr. President, his family and the Presidency. Truly, i have not seen or heard APC coming up with any better alternative policy to what PDP has been putting on the table

igomen:
Do you need to move it to the grave to "tomb start" it?

u for just correct am say na 'thumb start' and not 'tomb start'

LET US PONDER A LITTLE! Some time ago, I learnt d PDP described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as anything but a responsible opposition in the country.
Is this true?

The PDP said it had expected a virile opposition which would provide alternative suggestions to objectionable government policies but was disappointed to realize that APC only revel in abuses and insulting President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to the party, the APC had since its registration over a year ago issued 117 press statements all tailored to heap abuses on the President.

The PDP noted that it had cautioned the leadership of the APC on the realization of its merger to enrich the political landscape with positive ideas but was disappointed that it has not offered any alternative idea to put the ruling party on its toes.

PDP recalled that after the election of the APC’s leadership, it admonished it to “ensure an issue based opposition that will purposefully and constructively engage and challenge the PDP with decency and maturity as prescribed by democratic tenets and principles.

“Stating that Nigerians deserve a vibrant and patriotic opposition driven only by the national interest, we charged the new APC leadership to put the unity and welfare of Nigerians ahead of other considerations and jettison all divisive tendencies including unguarded statements that overheat the polity and pitch Nigerians against one another”.

It however noted that as the 2015 general election approaches, the APC has shown that it has no idea of performing the roles of a virile opposition party but has proven to be “nothing more than a band of anarchists, scaremongers and idle politicians.”

“There has not been one press statement in which the APC had taken up any major policy issue by the PDP and offered Nigerians how it intends to do it better if it ever had the chance to govern the country. Statement after statement, all the APC pours out are bile, hate insult and low-quality propaganda from the stable of its Goebbelian ilk and Chemical Ali breed,” the PDP alleged.

“With nothing to offer the country as a party conceived in perfidy and born in opportunism, they strive every now and then to look for scandals to feast on while attempting to corrupt all the institutions of accountability to shield the many maggots that dominate the ranks of its top chieftains.

It boggles the mind how a party where a kilometer of road costs N1billion in states under its control by companies linked to one of its henchmen as against less than N50m when PDP governors were in charge looks outside its house for scandals. What can be more scandalous than 20% of the Internally Generated Revenue in its richest state going into the pockets of one of the party owners consistently for over 16 years now? Yet, the poster boys of greed are today chanting “change” in our country!”

A report this morning has it that the Governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have unanimously requested that one of their colleagues be chosen as the Vice-Presidential candidate in the party just to secure their interest in the party. Who will that be? Let's keep our fingers crossed. Source: http://dailypost.ng/2014/11/08/nigerian-newspapers-10-things-need-know-saturday-morning-40/?utm_source=DailyPost+Newsletter&utm_campaign=930f164c46-10_things_you_need_to_know&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7c25dc3ce6-930f164c46-219972225

How Tambuwal Tricked Me To Move The Motion For Adjournment Day He Decamped To APC- Majority Leader, Adeola-Akande

Under the heat and pressure from the leadership of the ruling PDP and the presidency, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Mulikat Adeola-Akande today fought hard to distance herself from the decision to adjourn House sitting till December 3.

Adeola-Akande who moved the motion to adjourn the House sitting to December 3 said today that she was tricked into moving the motion without knowing that there was a plan by the Speaker, Hon Aminu Tambuwal to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The lawmaker was said to have come under serious reprimand from the PDP and the presidency for allowing Tambuwal fool the party and almost getting away with it.

In her bid to exonerate herself from any complicity, Adeola-Akande at a news briefing in her conference room at the National Assembly complex, Abuja today, said Tambuwal and some other principal officers of the House betrayed her.

Narrating how the decision to adjourn House sitting till December 3 was arrived at, the Majority Leader said “I heard Hon. Osagie saying on NTA that the Leader moved the motion for adjournment and from the way he said, it was like something that was done unilaterally. As you all know, it is my job as the Leader of the House to move motions for adjournment. But that adjournment that was moved on that particular day is not a usual adjournment. Why I said this is that because of the number of days for which the House adjourned.

“Prior to this, the leadership met the day before at a meeting in the Deputy Speaker’s guest house. The meeting was set for 5 pm. I was there at ten past five and I met only two members of the leadership. I waited till 6pm. No other person showed up. And I left and went back to my house. At about 6:30pm, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were calling me simultaneously to please come back and attend the meeting. That was after several calls.

“I picked the Speaker’s call and he said, Leader, where are you and I said I am in the house. I am not coming back there. I am tired. I just got back from a trip. I have been there for over 45 minutes and he said, please, please, we are all here. Come back. And I said my driver has even left. He said , ok, I will send you a car and a driver to pick you. And I even jokingly said ok, if you send the car, I won’t return the car to you. So, when the driver came, I came outside the house and I found my driver outside. So, I said you came with a jeep? I don’t usually like entering jeeps. I entered my Honda and we both drove back to the venue of the meeting.

“Before we adjourned that Tuesday, they had asked me to liaise with the Senate Leader to find out how long they will be going for. That is the senate. As you know, we always adjourn and come back at the same time. I liaised with him and the senate leader told me they will be adjourning on Tuesday to come back on the 4th of November which was the following Tuesday, today. So. I said Ok. “When I got to the meeting, I met all the members of the leadership except for Hon. Leo. and I asked where is my Deputy? They said he was on his way from the airport. And he later joined us. The only other person who wasn’t there was Hon. Ahmed Murtkar who sent a text that he wasn’t feeling well. So, nine of us were present at the meeting. And the Speaker said this is a one item agenda meeting about the adjournment that we are going to have. Leader, what did the senate leader say when you contacted him? I said the Senate leader said they will be adjourning for one week from Tuesday till the following Tuesday which was the 4th of November.

“At that point, everybody raised different issues why we cannot go for only one week; ranging from members have problems in their constituency, because of their tickets, they cannot be at two places at the same time. There will be no time. How many have you seen in the chambers lately.? All sorts of reasons given. And I said what will be the moral justification for us to go that long? And what will the public perception since we just came back from a long vacation? I raised the issue of the MTEF. I raised the issue of budget. They said no problem. On MTEF, the report can even be laid tomorrow. There and then, they called the Chairman, Committee on Finance. But I would know truly, if the chairman, Finance was on the phone. What we were told after the phone call was that he will present the budget tomorrow. And if you check the Order Paper, the report was there but the chairman was not on the floor. So, the report was not taken on that day. So, after all the reasoning and everything, we agreed that ok, first, members should go and work on their tickets and that the House will adjourn for the first two weeks, let members conclude all the reports in the various committees. And the following two weeks will be for oversight functions towards the budget. That was what we agreed.

“On this fateful day, we got to the chambers and I am sure that if you were there, I got in late. I came in after them because I wasn’t really looking at my time. While we were in the chambers, if you check the Order Paper, you would notice that there is a particular time for announcement usually. And after the announcement, we went into the Order of the day and nothing was said about whether the speaker was moving or not. At the meeting we had, nothing was said about that. Nothing was mentioned whether he was moving or not even though it was in the air, in the media, everybody was talking about it. And since it was not announced at that particular time, I turned to my Deputy and I said, Leo, is the Speaker not moving again? And he said, he is not doing it again. That’s what he told me. And I am saying this without fear of anybody.

“And not quite five minutes, another member came to me and said to me, Leader what is going to happen? I spoke to the Speaker this morning and he told me he is moving today. And I turned to my Deputy again. I said Leo, somebody just told me the Speaker said he is moving today. He said hold on, hold on. I want to listen to what the person who was on the floor was saying at that particular time.

“It got to the time of consideration. I even got up and told the Deputy Speaker who was sitting beside me, I said I want to go to the Clerk’s office to have a drink of coffee and I will come back since I don’t have anything. And if you remember even my own Bill on that day too was stood down. Hon. Seconte raised an issue about the bill and the Speaker called us to his chair to come and discuss certain things. And he said why don’t you just leave it? And I said, ok, no problem. I went back to my seat. When the deputy speaker was presiding over the Committee of the Whole, I got up to go to the Clerk’s office, he told me, leader, please sit down. We will soon finish. I went to meet him and said I want to go to Clerk’s office to have a drink, he said no, no, just wait. We will soon finish.

“So, after the whole thing and I was hearing from different quarters that oh! It was Leader who moved it unilaterally and all that, I thought it was necessary to clear the air on this. I have integrity and I am a very, very honourable person. And I will not say anything that has not happened. I don’t fear anybody. I fear only Almighty God.

“And at the end of the session, the Speaker said, Leader move for adjournment. I still tuned to the Deputy Speaker and said, is it as agreed? He said yes. And I got up and moved the adjournment. And he said Leo, second and he seconded. And it was at that point that the Speaker now made the statement about his defection. I wouldn’t know what the leader has done that is out of the ordinary. It is my responsibility to move for adjournment. There is no way I would have moved that adjournment if we did not agree on this and this you can cross check from all the other members if they want to be truthful to themselves and that was exactly what happened.

“So I need people to know because people who know me have been calling me and asking me: why should you do this or why did you do this? I think this will put paid to all these questions.

“At that point in the chamber, I didn’t feel anyhow but after he made his statement then I knew that there was something that must have been planned that I was not aware of. Because if you know me very well, I deal with everyone on equal basis and I have a very open mind. I don’t think it would have been out of place for the Speaker to even tell me that Leader, I am moving tomorrow. I don’t think that would have been out of place. The only thing would have been may be to ask him a few questions and all that. We are colleagues in the House. We represent different constituencies. What is good for me may not be good for him. He has his reasons for doing whatever he has done. But I would have expected that I was told no matter what. So, that is just it.”

Source: http://ireports-ng.com/2014/11/04/how-tambuwal-tricked-me-to-move-the-motion-for-adjournment-day-he-decamped-to-apc-majority-leader-adeola-akande/

Nobody dies

Those of you asking to know what federal government has done for Rivers State, read this- http://mail.elombah.com/index.php/special-reports/19806-see-what-jonathan-has-done-for-rivers-state

Congratulations to our Super Falcons! Congratulations to Nigerians!! President Goodluck Jonathan has always infected Nigeria with his Goodluck. Goodluck Nigeria! No vacancy in Aso Rock till 2019. Goodluck all d way till 2019

Most persons comment in ignorance. Section 147(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as amended) is very apt on this issue of discuss. "(3)Any appointment under subsection(2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section14(3) of this Constitution: Provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each state, who shall be an indigene of such state". Every Minister, whether substantive or Minister of State has his/her schedule/briefs. These schedules are so clearly defined that nobody really encroaches on another. Hitherto, some persons referred to a Minister of state as 'junior Minister'. Meanwhile, this junior Minister is representing a state, hence it's derogatory to refer to a Minister of State as being junior to the substantive Minister. It's in view of this the roles of the respective Ministers were clearly defined. Some mischief-makers here would agree with me that Mr. President, GEJ recently re-assigned duties of even the junior Ministers to other ministers who did not resign their offices, pending the reappointment of new Ministers to take up such duties

tete7000:
If she took appointment from PDP, what stop the governor from defecting to the same party where she got appointment? See kettle calling pot black. Hypocrisy.

Good point you have here. That is why I find it very difficult to believe the OP's source- Sun newspaper, which of course is believed to be owned by Orji Uzor Kalu. Bianca is practically a PDP. Why would she question another moving to the same PDP? Almost all journalists and media houses in Nigeria have turned political. Professionalism in journalism is gradually going down the drains

ghananotnaija:
SMH for the education system of the self-proclaimed "Giant of Africa", not one of you have the will or ability to answer the question using logic and reasoning.

No wonder Nigerian graduates are unemployable.

You that has the will or ability to answer the question using logic and reasoning, have you done so? See "Pot calling kettle black". Abeg, make I see/read something better

Mrval20: For how long shall we wait before we finally read a news report about their sponsors? The arrested I.T expert revealed their modus operandi bla bla bla.... Can't he, or other arrested members reveal who has been sponsoring them all this while?
To our goverment, keep feeding us with diluted information. Most of us don't bother to ask questions anyway.

Do u think terrorism sponsorship is like directly sponsoring a child in primary school? Sponsorship of terrorism is at levels. Most times d 5th level don't know d person s at d 3rd level

Although I am nt surprised that such a story will be coming from SR because it is no news that SR is a die-hard hater of Mr. President and indeed Nigeria, I find it very difficult to believe that an 'anointed man of God' could say all in the aforeposted interview. More worrisome is the fact that the supposed interviewee continued to whine as though he is already a politician or a soothsayer. I'm perplexed that d same interviewee tried to adduce to an imaginary fact that Mr. President signed for one tenure. What show of immaturity and senselessness is this? Was the interviewee there when such was signed? Can d interviewee possibly believe in hearsay evidence? He should go hide his face in shame. If these are true of this interviewee , then it's quite unfortunate of his person. It further goes to show the sort of 'men of God' we have in this country. He can't deceive about 170million Nigerians with this trash. Nigerians know better. Nigerians know that every Nigerian of 18yrs and above has d constitutional rights to vote and be voted for. Nigerians know better that a political office holder has the right to contest for a second tenure if s/he desires. Let the interviewee go get a life and do something better with his life even in retirement. Politics is not for 'men of God'. Such persons should be more interested in ensuring that Christendom is increasing.

arresa: They'll set the state of fire and this is what they are preparing us for.

Nigeria is just a very lawless country because the man shouldn't have been allowed to run for office because he can not under the Nigerian constitution. He was tried, convicted and impeached and the Nigerian constitution says you can not run for any public office after indictment and impeachment..

Fayose is a common thug, but this fact is not foreign to him and this is why he's scared and nervous. His party shouldn't have put him especially on the ballot.

This is a country where illegalities means nothing, this is a country where convicts and crooks hangs around the president, this is a country where the president himself hires crooks under his ow ECFF to head top government positions..

It's a sad shame...

Below is what Gani Fawehinmi said about Fayose's impeachment..

I can see tht u are more intelligent, more educated, more upright and better than INEC and other institutions tht were responsible for the 2014 Ekiti governorship elections. Kudos!

ijigaparadox: Not to join issue with you my dear friend but to make you see reasons for not supporting someone based on religion. I am a Christian and not from the North but for the sake of justice, I don't care if power goes back. GEJ has been selfish as he has interrupted the agreed and planned calendar of the PDP. He promised one term in office and is seeking another when we christians have ruled for 14 yrs against the 3 yrs of the north. Let us think of the future, what would happen now if Power mistakenly goes back to the north? That means your hope and the hope of your children is gone as leaders of Nigeria as this people would fight to the last drop of blood to make you never see it again.

I don't mind if people like Fashola, Adams Oshiomole, Amechi Rotimi, Gods will akpabio or Present Kano state governor (trial) is given a chance. These are disciplined and intelligent leaders that are courageous and can lead the nation well.

On the issue of cabal, have the president you so loved, named and prosecuted at least one cabal that you know before? Was it not his regime that the Otedola issue came? Has he been arrested? Is it not his regime that we see him habouring and defending the corrupt petroleum minister whom is using our money to buy private jet for herself in the name of "I am related to the President?" For your information, the cabal excuse came only to deceive the country that the government is trying to stop corruption in the oil sector. The simple reason for increasing fuel price then is because the country was broke as a result of minimum wage increase which the government decided to collect back the money they approved by increasing fuel price leading to the present further deterioration of the value of the Naira. I am neither a PDP or an APC fan but what I cry for is a good leader that would help us overcome our challenges irrespective of religion, tribe or region and I believe and I am sure that that person is not Good luck. He has failed us and I would support a change of government to a capable hand irrespective of whom the person is as far as he has shown some leadership qualities in the past.

As for the reason why we have insurgency today, there are some evil politicians against GEJs government whom have been sponsoring boko haram to distabilize his government. I am very sure he knows them as reports have come to him severally whom these people are but being a slow president, he kept mute and did noting until the sect grew so big from using local bombs to using sophisticated weapons. Sponsors of these sects have been identified but have you heard whether one person has been prosecuted? Rather, the government defends these men and praise them after many innocent lives have been lost due to their activities. We need a bold and courageous President that can fight evil and not someone that keeps quit when something is wrong. Yes he is not connected with Bokoharam but if he gets elected, these people in anger shall incite the sects to blast away more innocent lives which you can even be a victim (I don't wish you this). This is a major reason why I don't want GEJ as I fear for the lives of innocent Nigerians if he is elected again. A vote for GEJ is a vote for blood shed as more lives would probably be destroyed because of the destabilization of the zoning system in the country. Vote him, kill your brothers.

It is time we do what is right for the interest of our fatherland and not for sentimental reasons. A word is enough for the wise... Cheers

where u there or do u have any proof tht GEJ promised one term in office? Why are sounding like tht? Let us assume tht GEJ promised one term, doesn't have d right to a 2nd term to an elective position as every other Nigerian?

LFJ: Sorry, GEJ is not his Boss. GEJ is the president of Nigerian while Amachi is governor of River State. They are both protected under law by given immunity to do what they consider best for their people.
Because of ignorant, most of us feel that president is a god even where he is wrong will must celebrate his foolishness.

Why do u sound this way? Remember tht whereas Amaechi oversees ONE state, Rivers, Jonathan oversees d whole of Nigeria(Rivers State inclusive) and Nigerians in other countries

Nigerians are aware that you set the stage for the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as President of the Federal Republic. But the saying goes that if you present a gift of a goat to a friend you must let go of the tether. You are probably different. Right from the inception of the Jonathan presidency, your body language indicated you wanted to play the role of the piper, that is, dictate how Jonathan runs, the phenomenon you did not tolerate from those who put you in office in 1999.

An incident that played itself out then will suffice. You masterminded the removal of Chief Tony Anenih then PDP Chairman, Board of Trustee, and appointed yourself thinking the position will give you powers to control and manipulate the President. The futility of your actions dawned on you when you realized Jonathan is his own man. And in frustration you resigned as PDP Board of Trustee Chairman. You had thought the President will kneel before you begging that you stay on; but he never did. Every Nigerian therefore, knows that you connived, with PDP renegades and opposition parties to ridicule and undo President Jonathan and the government because he refused to be your puppet.

In the cabinet of General Yakubu Gowon, you always pretended to be the most loyal and honest man. I was in London with General Murtala Muhammed when the coup of 1975 took place. Murtala came back to Nigeria through a KLM flight to Kano, On that fateful day you were at the Kano Airport to receive General Muhammed, and that was how that government was formed and you were part of it. Later, I met you at Dodan Barracks and asked you why you betrayed General Gowon by .going to Kano to receive Muhammed. You explained to me that you were in Kano for sporting activities, which I disagreed with.

You went all out to frustrate and humiliate your Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, when he declared his intention to contest the 2003 and 2007 Presidential elections. You associated him with US Congressman William Jefferson, prompting the FBI to investigate and search his residence in Maryland. The FBI could not find any connection between Atiku and Mr. Jefferson. You were determined to stop your deputy at all cost from contesting the presidential election. A letter from Jefferson to you was handed over to the EFCC to enable it investigate Atiku, to declare him unqualified for the 2007 election. The EFCC report led to the establishment of an administrative Inquiry headed by the Minister of Justice and your boys and girls in the Cabinet. They hastily found Atiku guilty as charged by you. You sent the report to the National Assembly.

You declared Atiku a persona-non-grata, his aides and vehicles were taken from him, and you declared his seat vacant. All these you did as if the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not exist. You can see how petty you are. You did all these just because you felt Atiku worked against your third term presidential ambition.

Jonathan not training snipers
My dear Obasanjo, your allegation that President Jonathan is training snipers in preparation for 2015, is a diabolical concoction and a figment of your imagination. As you have no shred of evidence to authenticate this bogus lie. The same is applicable to the supposed 1000 political leaders being on the watch list of the President, Time and time again President Jonathan has said his election is not worth shedding a single Nigerian blood for, which is very much unlike you who played “do or die politics”. You made up these stories to whip up ethnic sentiments not only against Mr. President, but the Ijaws and the entire South South geopolitical zone.

On the security issues stated in your letter I have already stated that the President should leave this serious allegation for the Security agents to investigate for no one is above the law of this country. As I also mentioned in my letter to you, I stated that the contents of your letter is a revisit to your own activities in your eight years rule between 1999 and 2007. The President in his reply referred to the attack of Bayelsa State Government House and the bombing of his personal house in Otuoke, Yenagoa, all in the attempt to assassinate him and cause chaos in Nigeria. He also mentioned the Petrol tanker incident. You were the sitting President in Nigeria at the time, you did not investigate the matter nor comment on it.

I am fully aware of the incident because our late President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua who was very much embarrassed and seriously shaken by it, discussed the matter with me and he appreciated the role I later played in the matter. That was the beginning of Yar’Adua’s loss of confidence in you. I am fully aware that the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was ready to stop you from meddling and parading yourself with this holier than thou attitude. You were eternally lucky that the late President did not carry out his intention before he fell ill and later passed on.

Your two eldest children, Senator lyabo and Gbenga have publicly denounced you and have sworn not to ever speak nor have any communication with you again until “thy kingdom come” because of the wrongs you did to them. OBJ what manner of a man are you to deserve this? You cannot carry on like a bull in a China Shop. I advise you take some time off to reflect on some of these things.

On a personal note, both of us are regarded as President Jonathan’s father, in fact, according to you after God and his parent you come next before me and others. You and some of your children are always at the Villa for one thing or the other while my children do not know where the Presidency or Villa is. The only position you have not occupied is to rule the Presidency from your Ota farm in Ogun State. In his book “Accidental Public Servant”, El-Rufai stated that you informed your kitchen cabinet or economic committee that they should not disband because you would be ruling Aso Rock from Ota and you needed them.

President Jonathan has not identified himself to the nation as an Ijaw man. He hardly attends their social ceremonies. But he attends social gatherings when invited by other Nigerians from all over the country. I can confirm that apart from Yenagoa and Otuoke his village, in Bayelsa State, President Jonathan has not visited any Ijaw village or town for official function or social outing. He is the most deetribalized President of Nigeria and in most case keeps away from his own people for fear of accusation by you and your cohorts. We have prominent Ijaw politicians both men and women who participated fully in the 2011 election and today they have not been able to enter the Presidency or received any patronage from the Jonathan’s government.

Our people believe this is the sacrifice they have to make. And they are indeed very grateful and appreciative of the roles being played by other Nigerians of all ethnic and religious divides to make their son President.

As the Ijaw leader, I have gone out of my way to remind Mr. President publicly that Nigerians expected much from him hence they voted for him overwhelmingly in 2011 and will vote for him again 2015 if he performs. I have therefore not for once advocated for fire and brimstone or that blood will flow if Jonathan is not elected in 2015. I have gone further to apologize to all Nigerians that if at any time I made a statement that threatened the unity and stability of Nigeria, I should be forgiven. Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State himself commended my statement.
It must be recalled that some of the ex-militant leaders like Asari Dokubo, Ateke Tom Boyloaf, etc. have openly attacked Mr. President to the delight and applause of the President’s political opponents. It is therefore very unfair of you to envelope all Ijaws in your attack of President Jonathan and his people. At this juncture, I would like to challenge you to name other Ijaw persons or groups that throw insults on other Nigerians on account of Jonathan. One may therefore wish to ask you to refresh your memory when you recruited Femi Fani Kayode to attack your political opponents including your own ethnic group and you compensated him with a ministerial appointment and kept him until your last breakfast with your other kitchen cabinet members in the Villa. Is it therefore fair to accept Fani Kayode’s recalcitrant and irresponsible statements on other Nigerians, as acting on behalf of an ethnic nationality?

It will be madness of anyone to do so as you have done with Ijaws because of Asari Dokubo’s statements which did not receive the applause of the generality of Ijaws. My people started voting for other Nigerians even though they had no candidates, since 1951. And they formed alliances with other people or political parties in other parts of Nigeria. For instance, in 1959 both late Dappa Biriye and Chief Melford Okilo stood election on the platform of Niger Delta Congress (NDC). Chief Melford Okilo won his election to the Federal House of Assembly.

The NDC entered into alliance with the Northern Peoples Congress [NPC] which was the largest party in Nigeria but had no national spread in the south of Nigeria. It was therefore the NDC alliance with the NPC that made it a national party. It is therefore very arrogant and insulting of you to berate Ijaws as immature politicians. Today, the 17 states of the south are cooperating with one another and meeting from time to time to discuss the progress and unity of Nigeria. We have successfully met in Uyo, Enugu and Lagos. We shall also meet in Delta State soon. In this association, the Ijaws are playing a leading role under my leadership. You may not also know the South-South relationship with the Middle Belt of Nigeria made up of North Central and North Eastern zones,

Mr. former President, 1 will also like to use the language of your daughter, lyabo to describe you to Nigerians. You are “a liar, manipulator, two faced hypocrite” and that “you have an egoistic craving for power and live a life where only men of low self esteem thrive”.
You know over the years, I have always criticized you about your performance starting with the Ibori’s ex-convict case even though he may not have a good case.

Your vindictive and mischievous attitude towards political opponents was unacceptable and very few of us were able to criticize you. You felt former governor Ibori of Delta State and Alameyeseigha, his counterpart in Bayelsa State were being used by the former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, against you and you decided to punish them. But when Ibori gave you money he became your good boy, despite the position held by Delta Elders against him,

In the case of Alamieyesiegha you tried to use his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, against him but he refused. You went on to use the Chairman of the EFCC to intimidate members of the Bayelsa House of Assembly and they carried out a kangaroo impeachment to remove him from office. You then immediately directed the security agencies after the impeachment to handcuff the governor and took him to Abuja for prosecution. I also criticized you when you asked your security men to arrest the candidate who was standing against your daughter in the senatorial election in Ogun State even though there was no case against him in Nigeria.

You may also remember my open letter to you published in the Vanguard Newspaper in which I asked you to leave Yar’adua alone to run his government. That you attempted to rule Yar’adua’s government from Ota farm is unacceptable. I quoted the example of France and Great Britain to buttress my case. I continued my attack on you and your cohorts when President Jonathan refused you to run his government from Ota farm. However, everything you asked President Jonathan, he gave to you. The first two important Ministerial appointments, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Foreign Affairs, who are not politicians were given to you for Ogun State, You had a hand in almost every appointment in the South West hence the party collapsed in the South West.

El-Rufai said in his book “Accidental Public Servant” that you sent him to General Buhari inviting him to be the Presidential candidate of the PDP in 2011 with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Itweala as his running mate. El-Rufai told the story of how together with Dr. Odumegwu, former Chairman of the NPC and two others drove from Lagos to Ota in the night only for you to say that Jonathan should be given another chance. They discovered that your daughter lyabo had won her Senatorial case in a High Court. You can see how petty you are,

You are today one of the richest men in Nigeria if not in Africa. In 1999, it was widely reported in the media that you came out of Gashua Prison very broke. As a matter of fact, it was stated you had N20,000 in your bank account as declared in your Code of Conduct Bureau Form. In just 8 years, as President of Nigeria, you metamorphosed from a struggling ex-head of state, into a life of opulence. You must tell Nigerians the magic behind the sudden affluence. When corruption is mentioned, informed Nigerians know those that foisted the malady on our nation.
The Halliburton bribe scandal and the Siemens case were lightly touched by President Jonathan in his open reply to you. These two high profile corruption cases happened during your tenure as President.

How dare you point accusing fingers at others when you have a cupboard filled with skeletons? You have forgotten the saying that “a man who lives in a glass house should not throw stones”.

The anti-corruption apparatus became a coercive instrument in your hands to browbeat perceived political enemies. Your vendetta against political opponents and those you believed were working counter to your third term ambition knew no limits. Chief Obasanjo your former Minister of Defence, General T,Y, Danjuma, was the first to call you a pauper, when he fell out with you. He tagged you “Stone broke”, a phrase he used to describe your pathetic financial predicament before you came to power

My dear former President, what do you really want from President Jonathan? Most of the various issues you raised in your letter are mere re-visitation of the many things you did and failed to do in your 8 years of mis-governance.

In conclusion, I would like to borrow the words of Peter Howard, “the petty plans and plots of small minded men rob every nation of their destiny”. This is my new year message and response to your open letter and other subterranean activities designed to destabilize Nigeria because of your personal interest.

My best wishes of the season to you and your esteemed family.

EDWIN KIAGBODO CLARK