₦airaland Forum

13) Obama speaking in the background over a sea of umbrellas.
14) Barack Obama was one of the key figures at the memorial - and this was a defining image
15) Bill Clinton and Nick Clegg exchanging greetings while Ed Miliband is in the background
16) President Goodluck Jonathan arriving at the venue

9) South Africans sing while holding a cover of the Afrikaans daily Beeld inside Orlando Stadium in Soweto,
10) A woman applauds as she watches the retransmission of the memorial service
11) US President Barack Obama (R) talks with the widow of South African President Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel
12) Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel and his former wife Winnie Mandela kiss in greeting.

5) Morocco’s Prince Moulay Rachid (L) and the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmud Abbas (C) arriving
6) Mandela’s former wife Winnie Mandela (3R) arrives for the memorial service
7) Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (L) talks with US President Barack Obama
08) South Africa’s archbishop emeritus and honorary Elders, Desmond Tutu, gestures while delivering a speech during the memorial service

1) Obama meets Raul Castro
2) Queen Rania of Jordan and Ghana’s former President Jerry Rawlings (L) arrive for the memorial service
3) US President Barack Obama pauses while speaking during the memorial service
4) Former US President Bill Clinton (R), Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (C), and their daughter Chelsea

donphilopus: Retardeen should have been Mobbed now, not snubbed!

REALLY!

I now strongly believe that this Jonathan's Administration Cultivates, Breeds, Nurtures, Fertilizes, Harvests, Packages, and Distributes CORRUPTION.

Despite leaving Nigeria early for the funeral of late South African leader, Nelson Mandela, President Goodluck Jonathan has been snubbed by the South African authorities at the State Memorial Service of the anti-apartheid leader.

An official release of programmes during the memorial service shows that the Nigerian president was missing on the list of world leaders billed to give tributes. The world leaders who will be giving tributes are, United State President, Barack Obama; President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil; Vice-President Li Yuanchao of China; President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia; President Pranab Mukherjee of India; and President Raúl Castro Ruz of Cuba.

Other leaders billed to give tributes are the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon; and the African Union Commission Chair, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

Though Mr. Jonathan is not the only head of state that would not give tribute- there are about 90 heads of state attending the funeral, the apparent snub handed Mr. Jonathan also appears to rubbish the enormous effort played by Nigeria to bring an end to apartheid in South Africa at a time when Western governments were pussyfooting to pressure the apartheid government to renounce its policy of segregation and its brutal abuses against the black majority. Some Western governments including the U.S. had even designated the ruling Africa National Congress (ANC) as a terrorist organisation, and Mandela a terrorist.

This point was also highlighted by the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Monday in a chat with journalists.
“There are more questions to answer. When you look at the part of the world where ovation is now the loudest, it was the part of the world the pain was the most vicious. In a very cruel irony, history is being revised.

“The people, who collaborated with the government that enthroned apartheid at that time, are the people that are paying the biggest tributes now. But I ask myself: is this not the time for deep reflection? I doubt if any African country expended as much time, as much money and as much commitment as the Nigerian Government.

“I was a teenager then in 1976 when anti-apartheid campaign really gained resurgence in every home in this country. Nigeria paid a huge price for what South Africa has become today. I remember the anti-apartheid campaign was at the core of Nigerian foreign policy.

“Apart from scholarship given to South Africans, I remember President Yar’Adua met Thabo Mbeki in South Africa and he was telling me about their relationship, which he said was dated to when Mbeki used to come to Zaria for student exchange programme. I remember we did not go for Commonwealth Games because of South Africa. I remember we took drastic measures against the foreign collaborators of apartheid regime and nationalised assets.”

However, Lagos-based lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, says Nigerian politicians are to be blame for the pedestrian level the country presently occupies in the international community. He says the complete atrophy of the respect the country was accorded in global affairs was as a result of years of misrule and corruption by the country’s politicians.

“Nigeria has lost its social, political and economic glory domestically and that glory that is lost cannot be recovered at Mandela’s funeral,” he said.

“While Nigeria officialdom maybe in a state of discomfiture by the non-recognition of Nigeria in the protocol of the funeral, the point is that it is not what Nigeria did for South Africa or for Angola or for any of the frontline states like Namibia that Nigeria will be remembered. It not the support Nigeria gave to the ANC… that Nigeria will be recognised by, it is what Nigeria has done for itself and what Nigeria has not done for itself. And we’ve done a lot against ourselves. Look at our country; our country is broken in many respects and no you’re talking about xenophobia, what led to it? Nigerian young people go overseas and become criminals the way we are criminals in our own country.

People leave the shore of Nigeria to be criminals outside our shores. Right from the time they leave Nigeria they’re going overseas to be criminals. We are exporting blue-collar crimes and Yahoo Yahoo to all sorts of countries, to Malaysia and are we blaming those countries for our own woes?
“How you will be regarded abroad is determined by how you’re regarded at home. Now how is the Nigeria state regarded by Nigerians? The Nigerian state is regarded by Nigerian as an uncaring state, as a heartless state, as a state that has no love for its people, as a state that has abandoned its people. So how has the Nigerian state treated its own people before we start taking offence at how the Nigerian state is treated by another country?

“Those who may be belly-aching about not being giving recognition by the organisers of the funeral of Mandela should know that while they may not be regarded, the South African people regard Nigeria. Go and read all the accounts, the role that is played by Nigerians is recognised in all those imperishable works and this cannot be obliterated by this treatment that is accorded to Nigerian officials that we at home have contempt for.

If we are disgraced outside, that disgrace didn’t come from outside that disgrace come from within because we have disgraced and debased ourselves. Do you expect anybody to take you seriously when what your rulers are known for is taking your money and cashing them away? In fact it s better they are humiliated outside so that they can come back home and be serious. If bad people are accorded all the respect and dignity that good people should be accorded how do you think they will change.”

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/151219-jonathan-snubbed-mandelas-memorial.html

BREAKING NEWS: Jonathan Encourages Corruption In Nigeria - Speaker Tambuwal
https://www.nairaland.com/1549249/breaking-news-jonathan-encourages-corruption#20107069

BREAKING NEWS: Jonathan Encourages Corruption In Nigeria - Speaker Tambuwal
https://www.nairaland.com/1549249/breaking-news-jonathan-encourages-corruption#20107069

Jonathan encourages corruption in Nigeria, Speaker Tambuwal says

https://media.premiumtimesng.com/dev/wp-content/files/2013/04/Aminu-Waziri-Tambuwal-3-500x294.jpg

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has stated that President Goodluck Jonathan is encouraging corruption in Nigeria by his handling of corruption cases.

“The President’s body language’ seems to be encouraging corrupt practices in the country,” the speaker said.

Mr. Tambuwal said the executive arm, headed by Mr. Jonathan, has failed to act on corruption cases revealed by the National Assembly.

He spoke while responding to questions on Monday after he presented a paper titled the ‘role of the legislature in the fight against corruption in Nigeria’ at a one day roundtable to mark the international anti-corruption day organised by the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, in Abuja.

“Take the subsidy probe, the pension, the SEC probe and recently the bullet proof car cases. After the House of Representatives did a diligent job by probing and exposing the cases, you now see something else when it comes to prosecution.

“In some cases, you have the government setting up new committees to duplicate the job already done by the parliament. Take the bullet proof cars case, the NSA, with all the security challenges confronting the country, should not be burdened with a job that can best be handled by the anti-corruption agencies,” he said.

He also said the government has no business setting up any administrative committee in a corruption case that is clear to all Nigerians, in apparent reference to the committee set up by Mr. Jonathan to probe the N255 million car scandal involving the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah. The three-man presidential committee had since submitted its report to Mr. Jonathan, with the president taking no action.

“What the President should have done was to explicitly direct the EFCC to probe the matter. With such directives coming from the President, I am sure we still have good people in EFCC who can do a good job,” Mr. Tambuwal said.

“By the action of setting up different committees for straightforward cases, the president’s body language doesn’t tend to support the fight against corruption.”

While lamenting what he described as the selective nature of prosecution of cases by the anti-corruption agencies, Mr. Tambuwal pledged the support of the national Assembly in the fight against corruption.

Below is the excerpt of the speech he earlier read at the event.

THE ROLE OF THE LEGISLATURE AS THE VANGUARD FOR ANTI CORRUPTION CRUSADE IN NIGERIA: BEING TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY RT HON AMINU WAZIRI TAMBUWAL CFR, SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AS GUEST SPEAKER AT THE 2013 INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY ORGANIZED BY THE NIGERIA BAR ASSOCIATION (NBA) ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMITTEE – 9TH DECEMBER 2013, SHERATON HOTEL & TOWERS, ABUJA

PROTOCOL:

1. I should like to start by expressing my sincere appreciation to the Anti-corruption committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for assigning me the role of Guest Speaker at this auspicious occasion of the 2013 International Anti-corruption day observance.

2. The subject matter, corruption, is so vast that to attempt to address it generally will take ages. Accordingly, therefore, I have decided to restrict my discussion today to “the role of the legislature as the vanguard for anti corruption crusade in Nigeria”

3. As a phenomenon, corruption is so notorious that it does not require introduction at an occasion or definition in a discussion such as this. The mere fact that corruption has been able to secure a whole day globally set aside for the observance of the prosecution of war against it confirms it’s notoriety beyond doubt. It also establishes the fact that corruption is a global citizen.

4. Nonetheless, for purposes of refreshing our memories, corruption refers to dishonest or illegal behaviour or conduct especially by powerful people. It is the impairment of integrity, virtue or moral principle and a departure from what is pure and correct.

5. Even though the tendency has been to talk of corruption more with reference to persons in position of governmental or managerial authorities, in reality corruption permeates all segments of society and indeed all societies since government and authorities are products of societies. It must be admitted though, that the level of prevalence differs from society to society.

6. For us in Nigeria, the reality that no greater challenge than corruption confronts us as a people is not in controversy. Indeed if the roots of the overwhelming majority of our woes were traced, they are sure to terminate at the doorsteps of corruption. This is a commonplace fact known to all Nigerians and requiring no corroboration. Yet for the avoidance of doubt, it is important to state that in its 2012 Global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by the global corruption watchdog, Transparency International ranks Nigeria as the 36th most corrupt country globally! Nigeria placed 139th of the 176 countries assessed scoring 27% in contrast with the least corrupt countries; Denmark, Finland and New Zealand which scored 90%.

7. A survey of the social media showed that 98% of Nigerians who commented not only agreed with the country’s corruption ranking but in fact felt Transparency International was too generous to Nigeria. A few of the comments read: “We don’t need a report to tell us what we already know” another “Wow, I taught (sic) we were No.1, I wonder what country (SIC) are before us. We all need prayers and serious fasting for our nation”. The other “to be fair, I always thought Nigeria is the most corrupt country in the world” yet another “Me too… 35th is actually being nice”.

8. A list of manifestation of corruption especially in the public sector of Nigeria is legion ranging from direct diversion of public funds to private pockets, contract over-pricing, bribery, impunity, nepotism, general financial recklessness, fraudulent borrowing and debt management, public assets striping, electoral fraud, shielding of corrupt public officers among others.

9. It is a well established fact that corruption thrives well in any environment or society where there is community indifference or lack of enforcement policies. Societies with a culture of ritualized gift giving where the line between acceptable and non-acceptable gifts is often hard to draw. Societies in which values have been overthrown by materialism, societies in which laws are observed more in the breach.

10. It would appear that these environmental preconditions are all prevalent in the Nigerian society and no wonder therefore that corruption has found fertile soil to blossom.

11. As noted earlier, corruption is Nigeria’s greatest problem and a cancerous impediment to any development effort planned or envisaged. It follows then that if Nigeria is to witness true development, then corruption must be dealt with decisively and comprehensively. It is a duty requiring will, zeal and passion on the part of the three arms of government and indeed the entire citizenry.

The Role Of The Legislature.

12. The legislature plays three basic functions in a democracy, to wit Legislation, Representation and Oversight. It is within this scope of authority that the legislature can and indeed does impact on governance and can thus participate in the prosecution of the war against corruption in Nigeria .

13. Under the legislative function, Section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provides to the effect that the National Assembly shall have the power to make laws for peace, order and good government of the country. More specifically, under Section 15 (5) of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, it provides, “The state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of office”. Again in Section 2 (2) (b) and (c)’ government is enjoined to harness the resources of the nation for the common good and to prevent the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.

14. The responsibility of fashioning the legal framework for the fight against corruption and corrupt practices is thereby vested in the legislature.

15. In the exercise of this mandate, the National Assembly has enacted, the Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2002 and The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission Act 2000′ for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting Public Officers and other persons suspected of involvement in corrupt practices. In both legislation, the Commissions are given extensive powers of investigation and prosecution to deal with all cases of corrupt practices and abuse of office that may arise.

16. With respect to the specific objective of injecting transparency and accountability in the management of the resources of the nation, the National Assembly enacted the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and the Public Procurement Act 2007. Both legislations make copious provisions aimed at engendering transparency and accountability in the public space.

17. I make bold to say that if the provisions of these legislation and indeed others were diligently enforced, significant milestones would have been accomplished in the fight against corruption and corrupt practices in Nigeria. Sadly however these Legislations are observed more in the breach by the majority including government and government agencies.

18. I am pleased to report that the House of Representatives is currently working on some proposals for the reform of these laws with a view to reinforcing the independence of the agencies administering these laws including their mode of constitution and disbandment. I wish therefore to call on members of the NBA and indeed all Nigerians to prepare to buy into these reforms by making their inputs now or when the time comes for Public Hearings.

19. One other area which has been of great concern is the culture of undue secrecy that surrounded the operation of government. Whereas our Constitution enjoins in its Section 14 (2) (c) that ” the participation of the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution” government business tended to be run like secret societies to the exclusion of the citizenry. It was clear that this tended and was indeed intended to aid the concealment of corruption such that even in times of suspicion, members of the public including gentlemen of the fourth realm could not access public information.

20. The National Assembly has passed the Freedom of Information Act 2011 to enhance the right of access to public records and information about public institutions. This is one Legislation that attracted massive public interest and it is my expectation that Nigerians will make maximum use of the right created under this legislation in order to defeat the culture of undue secrecy in the running of government business.

21. The other function of the legislature is oversight of the other arms of government. Section 88 mandates the National Assembly to investigate the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry or government department charged or intended to be charged with the duty of or responsibility for

i) Executing or administering laws enacted by the National Assembly or

ii) Disbursing or administering moneys appropriated or to be appropriated by the National Assembly

The main object of investigation according to sub section 2 (a) and (b) of Section 88 is for law reform and to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws or administration or disbursement of public funds. Similar provision is made in Section 128 of the constitution for legislatures at the sub-national levels.

22. Another critical role of the Legislature is the provision of adequate funding for Anti Corruption Agencies through appropriation. Unfortunately efforts to exercise this function by the legislature is often misconstrued by the executive arm and even some members of the public. Yet without adequate funding the anti corruption agencies cannot execute their functions satisfactorily. I wish to call on the other arms of government and indeed the general public to corroborate with us in the exercise of this mandate .

23.It is in exercise of this mandate that the House of Representatives and indeed the National Assembly has been carrying out oversight of government agencies and series of investigations or probes over allegations of corruption and corrupt practices. As you are all aware, the legislature has over the years exposed several cases of corruption.

24. It is important for me to stress once again at this stage that the mandate of the legislature is to expose corruption. It does not have further mandate to prosecute. That mandate of prosecution lies with the Executive and Judiciary. I have heard public comments to the effect that the public is tired of investigation by the legislature since the people indicted in their findings are never prosecuted and sanctioned.

25. Let me reiterate that the Legislature will not abdicate its responsibilities on the account of inaction or negligence of another arm of government. If nothing else we will at least continue to name and shame. As noted earlier, the war against corruption is the responsibility of all and I call on the citizens of this great nation to rise in the exercise of their constitutional power to insist on the prosecution and sanctioning of persons indicted by the Legislature or by any agency whether public or private concerned in the fight against corruption.

26. In the exercise of the mandate of oversight the legislature is able to audit both pre and post expenditure of agencies of government and to give appropriate direction on the administration and disbursement of funds and execution of programs and projects under the Appropriation Act. Indeed the Public Accounts Committee of both the House and Senate has the specific mandate to review the disbursement and administration of public funds by ministries, Departments and Agencies.

27. As representatives of the people, Legislators will continue to be for all Nigerians their eyes to see, ears to hear and mouth to speak out against corruption anywhere and at anytime it rears its ugly head.

28. The task may appear daunting but I wish to assure that wit will, zeal, passion and determination we shall eventually overcome this hydra headed dragon. Only let us be single minded that it’s a task that must be done in order to preserve the country for posterity.

Thank you all for your attention and God bless Nigeria.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/151161-jonathan-encourages-corruption-nigeria-speaker-tambuwal-says.html

Angry members of Joint National
Association of Persons with Disability
[JNAPD] numbering over 200 have
demonstrated at the federal
government office of Subsidy
Reinvestment Empowerment
Programme [SURE-P] in Umuahia
and destroying all the window blades,
chairs and tables over alleged neglect
by the office.
Speaking with The Nation in
Umuahia after their demonstration,
the state chairman of JNAPD Stanley
Onyemaechi said that the SURE-P
was designed to accommodate
people like them, but that they have
been neglected by the members of the
board in the state.
Onyemaechi said that he attended a
workshop in Calabar in the month of
March this year, where they were told
that their group are included in the
SURE-P programme and that up till
now that no member of the board of
the programme in that state have
gotten in touch with them.
He said that all attempts to get in
touch with the board chairman in the
state, David Nwokocha have proved
abortive and that they have not been
paid any amount of money, saying
that the board chairman said that
their group is not recognised by the
programme.
The Abia JNAPD chairman said that
he had visited the SURE-P office on
several occasions, “Without anything
to show to my colleagues and this
has made them to think that he
collects personal money from
Nwokocha, which is why I told to
come with me to fight for their right”.
Onyemaechi then called on both the
federal and state governments to
involve them in the SURE-P
programme, “We deserve to be
involved in the programme as we are
Nigerians and should be involved
with any programme designed by the
federal government”.
He said that when President
Goodluck Jonathan announced the
programme that will take care of all
categories of the people in the
country, “We felt that our problems
are over, as every segment of the
society are expected to be involved in
the programme, but we are
disappointed with the things we are
seeing now”.
The JNAPD boss in Abia said that
they are about 6170 persons with
different forms of disability in the
state and that most of them are
graduates without jobs, “So we want
the federal government through the
SURE-P programme to include us, by
teaching skills or empowering those
of us with skills to establish
ourselves”.
Onyemaechi said that their
colleagues in other states have
benefitted from the SURE-P
programme in their states and
wondered why their own should be
different when the federal government
had already included them, saying
that they are suspecting foul play in
the activity of the programme in the
state.
However one of the members of the
board of SURE-P in the state,
Kingsley Ngunu said that the
programme is handled by Community
Service, Women and Youth
Empowerment [CSWYE] and that he
has heard their complaint which will
be handled accordingly.
Ngunu said that he is hearing about
their group for the first time and urged
them to come back on Thursday for a
meeting with the board members,
where their grievances will be
handled and assured them that their
problems will be taken care of.
He said, “I am just a member of the
board and I do not have the capacity
to tell you what we are going to do,
therefore I urge you to go home and
come back on Thursday with about
ten of your members for us to discuss
on the way forward. I think you have
a genuine case which we will look
into during the meeting”.
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/persons-disability-destroy-abia-sure-p-office/

Cool!

It's really Unfortunate. May their Souls Rest in Peace.

Mine

Jonathan blasts past Nigerian rulers, says they are lesser than Mandela

President Jonathan says it is difficult for Nigerian politicians to achieve greatness

President Goodluck Jonathan has said past Nigerian leaders cannot be compared to the late former South African leader, Nelson Mandela, saying it was on record that they ruled repressively during their regimes.

He also described Nigerian politicians who threaten, boast and play little gods by virtue of their position as tiny men, a character trait he said is contrary to the exemplary leadership Mr. Mandela exhibited and lived for.

Speaking at a memorial service in honour of late Mandela at the Aso Rock Chapel in Abuja on Sunday, Mr. Jonathan said contrary to Mr. Mandela who was filled with humility, forgiving spirit and the ability to unite and reunite people, past Nigerian rulers played repressive roles during their reigns.

According to him “great names as we hear today in Nigeria are not enough” as the same names played repressive roles and ruled repressively during their days as rulers in this country”.

Although he did not mention names, Mr. Jonathan berated top Nigerian politicians who speak “as if Nigeria is their bedroom” from where they make proclamation and intimidate others.

He added that some of them even demonstrated hatred in their speeches.

He noted that even when he listens to some “politicians older than me, I come to the conclusion that it is truly difficult for a carmel to pass through the eyes of a needle than for a politician to achieve greatness”.

He eulogised the late Mr. Mandela’s selfless virtues adding that today all those who fought him and called him terrorists were now singing his praises.

“For anybody that will make changes, don’t expect praises, they will call you names but the end matters much,” he said.

Also paying tribute to Mr. Mandela at the service, Senate President, David Mark enjoined Africans to fight for economic independence and democracy as the struggle is still ongoing.

Mr. Mark, who said Mr. Mandela lived and died for Africa, noted that if the campaign for a United Africa had been championed by Mr. Mandela instead of the late Libyan Leader, Muammar Gaddafi, it would have succeeded.

He also noted that Mr. Mandela did not only live and die for South Africa, but he also led in the struggle for Africa to become democratically independent.

The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Louis Mnguni, in his tribute said Mr. Mandela was indeed selfless as even though he colud have made money for himself as a lawyer, he chose to remain and die as a combatant.

Mr. Mnguni also appreciated Nigeria for all the support it has always rendered for his country stating that “despite it’s own numerous challenges, Nigeria has not taken its eyes off South Africa.

In his tribute, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, who was amongst the six people who paid tribute at the ceremony besides the President, emphasized the need to remember those who fought with Mr. Mandela.
He noted that the unsung heroes of the apartheid struggle should be celebrated with much emphasis on reducing persisting institutional injustices.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/151102-jonathan-blasts-past-nigerian-rulers-says-they-are-lesser-than-mandela.html

BREAKING NEWS: Jonathan Encourages Corruption In Nigeria - Speaker Tambuwal
https://www.nairaland.com/1549249/breaking-news-jonathan-encourages-corruption#20107069

I'll be back

Too bad....

mathemandy: I noticed this on my phone for a while;wheen my phone sleeps or I make it sleep,once it wakes my WiFi turns on immediately..after a while it will on my mobile network which could last up to 5secinds and then offs by itself or I turn it off....other times when the WiFi ons and I off it..it switches to mobile network by itself.I'm tired of switching it off cause it drains my airtime... any suggestions cause I've enabled firewall and all that..dunno if its an app or that's the way the phone is

Check the settings of ur battery saver app u use. I guess the problem is from there.

O.T.I.S:
new age mobile devices and privacy issue?? nokia torch rocks for me..

Same with me!

'Go And Die' Widow: N2m Can’t
Wipe Off Oshiomhole’s Shame – PDP
https://www.nairaland.com/1546115/go-die-widow-n2m-t

Still angered by the altercation
between Edo State Governor, Adams
Oshiohmole and Mrs Joy Ifije, a
widow reprimanded by the governor
two weeks ago, on a video displayed
on the social media, the state chapter
of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
has declared that the N2 million
offered the widow was not enough to
wipe off the shame the governor
visited on her.
The governor in the posted video used
harsh words on the widow allegedly
caught by law enforcing agents on
Mission Road, Benin, obstructing
road users with her wares, but on
Monday apologised to her.
Oshiomhole, apart from empowering
the woman with N2 million, also
employed her as a member of the
state task force against street
trading.
However, the Edo State PDP
chairman, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, in an
exclusive interview with Saturday
Independent, described the governor
as an imposter who reflected his true
character through his reaction to the
woman.
He said: “We came up with the video
of what transpired 14 days after the
event took place. We gave the
governor enough time to show
remorse but he never did. He told the
poor woman to ‘go and die’. It is too
bad that such words could be altered
by the governor.
“We are worried and we are of the
opinion that anybody in office as
governor should show his certificate
of sound mental health before he gets
certificate of return in future from the
Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC).
“Again, it took our initiative to issue a
statement in the media, offering the
woman N250,000 to empower her as
part of our widow endowment fund
before the governor turned around to
invite her to his office and give her N2
million. Money cannot wipe off the
shame and humiliation caused her by
Oshiomhole.
“Even when the governor was
presenting the N2 million cheque to
her, she was subjected to another
cruel humiliation by making her to go
on her knees. In our culture, it is the
person that wronged another fellow
that should kneel down begging for
forgiveness, not the fellow that was
wronged.”
Reacting in a separate interview, the
Edo State Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, Henry
Idahagbon said: “The Edo PDP is out
of tune with reality. They are playing
God. I was a member of the National
Executive Council (NEC) of PDP, so I
can say much about the party and
Orbih. It may interest you know that
he suffers from verbal diarrhoea.
“We all saw the altercation between
the governor with the widow.
However, being a democrat, humane
and humble person, he acknowledged
and apologised that what he said
was influenced by anger, and he
compensated the woman. To err is
human and to forgiveness is divine.
“The altercation was not a reflection
of the character of the governor. Show
me that Nigerian that has not said
worst things in a fit of anger?
Governor Oshiomhole comes from the
same circumstance with the widow.
He believes that when the taxpayers’
money has been expended on
infrastructure meant for pedestrians,
it is illegal for people to convert such
to street trading.”
“He has about five orphans he has
adopted as his children living with
him in government house. He takes
care of them, so he is not a wicked
person. He is a kind hearted father,”
said the commissioner.
http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/12/reprimanded-widow-n2m-cant-wipe-oshiomholes-shame-pdp/