No other president has succeeded in dividing Nigerians along religious and ethnic lines as Jonathan

Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency in Nigeria has been defined as much by what has gone missing as by what his government has put in place: the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram and billions of dollars in oil revenues allegedly unaccounted for. It is curious therefore, at such a politically sensitive time, that he has allowed another dossier to go adrift: the PriceWaterhouseCoopers audit into oil accounts. The longer his government withholds the report, the more suspicious its motives in public eyes.
Granted, the timing is awkward; just two weeks before presidential elections that have polarised a nation beset by violence and reeling from a fall in oil revenues. But the Nigerian public have a right to full disclosure on what has been an ugly stain on the country’s reputation. This is especially so as it touches on the management of Africa’s biggest economy under the incumbent president, who is seeking re-election.

More than a year ago, Lamido Sanusi, the former central bank governor, publicly questioned discrepancies between oil sales and income of more than $1bn per month. Mr Sanusi warned that the alleged shortfalls to the treasury — up to $20bn between January 2012 and July 2013 — meant foreign reserves were under pressure, even though Nigeria should have been benefiting from the soaring price of oil and saving against an eventual fall. These revelations fuelled a public furore, and investor confidence was knocked further when Mr Sanusi, now Emir of Kano, was suspended from his job.

The government’s answer was to commission the forensic audit, originally due out by September. The auditor general finally released last month a page of selected findings from PwC’s inquiry. Top government and state oil company officials duly seized on these to declare the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation exonerated and the mystery of the “missing billions” resolved. The NNPC owes the treasury $1.49bn, the government claims, a far cry from the $20bn hole that Mr Sanusi pointed to.
Until the full audit is published, however, it is hard to be sure. Even if it is, PwC’s terms of reference did not cover the extent of questions raised by Mr Sanusi, nor do the findings released so far explain the shortfalls in Nigeria’s earnings during the oil boom. Notably absent is any detailed discussion of the value to the state of contentious financing arrangements with private companies, or of opaque crude oil swaps. Industry experts describe the latter, in which billions of dollars in crude exports are exchanged for refined fuel imports without money changing hands, as the real “Bermuda Triangle”.

According to the auditor-general, PwC found that the state oil company had remitted $50.81bn out of a total of $69.34bn in revenues during the period under scrutiny. It spent $5.32bn on petrol subsidies and $3.38bn on kerosene subsidies, with the remaining gap filled by operational and financing costs. The legality of the kerosene subsidy, which was terminated by presidential directive in 2009 and was not budgeted for thereafter, remains at issue.
Mr Sanusi also alleged that the NNPC was importing about twice the amount of petrol that the nation used while supplying only half its fuel, with the rest provided by private marketers. There appears to have been no effort to audit the volumes of fuel imported, only the NNPC paperwork that supported the subsidies on these.
Fundamental changes to the way Nigeria manages its oil are long overdue. Greater transparency would go some way to help. A good place to start would be by publishing the full PwC report. But it would only be the start.


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9429bde-c8b1-11e4-8617-00144feab7de.html#ixzz3UXbnpVl9

barcanista:
Lol, These people aren't on ground...APC's defeat will be epic... Very soon Chatham House will Predict landslide for GMB and APC...

When "Brooking Institute" made the same kind of pronouncement, I guess that's what you said?

Light has been terrible for the past one week before the "blasting" of the gas pipeline. Are they saying the terribleness will become worse?

anonimi:



STOP swalloewing anyhow stories from anyone, okay





I am sure 2013 is NOT seven years ago to 2015 or is it

There has been no successful bank robbery. This is what Fashola has said repeatedly. The keyword is successful. the link you posted wasn't a successful robbery even though policemen died

dewstar:


David Mark can be called an enemy of conscience here but definitely not an enemy of democracy. Democracy says the rule of law must be followed. The rule of law says one is found guilty on a court order and not on news media. David Mark says I will follow what the rule of law says. It is quite clear, David mark here upheld democracy as it is defined in our constitution.

The day the nigerian people start to understand what democracy really is, that day our liberation begins.

The decision to have Obanikoro confirmed wasn't his to take alone! His statement that he would not preside over a chamber where the tradition that predated him would be destroyed despite popular opposition to it is anti-democratic.

dein77:


Bro, na our lawmakers endorse am na....APC lawmakers sef dey there. No be GEJ ooo

APC lawmakers walked out in protest cos they were overruled by David Mark. Jonathan should not have even nominated him in the first place!

dein77:


Bro, na our lawmakers endorse am na....APC lawmakers sef dey there. No be GEJ ooo

In spite of fierce opposition from lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the senate on Wednesday screened Musiliu Obanikoro for a ministerial position. He was asked to take the customary “bow” – a preferential treatment for former senators – effectively confirming him as a minister. A row had broken out at the senate over the screening. The first attempt last week had ended in chaos. Obanikoro, former minister of state for defence, resigned his position last year to seek the Lagos governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost to Jimi Agbaje. His renomination by President Goodluck Jonathan was opposed by senators of the APC over his role in the use of soldiers alleged to have manipulated the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti state. Gbenga Ashafa, the senator representing Lagos east, had raised a point of order challenging the attempt to screen Obanikoro. Ashafa, who said Obanikoro has a pending case in court, brought out a copy of The Nation Newspaper to butress his point. He further said David Mark, president of the senate and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were joined in the suit. But Mark ruled him out of order, saying the court is yet to serve him in that regard. “You don’t serve me on the pages of the newspaper. As far as I am concerned, there is no case in court, so I rule you out of order,” Mark said.

Read more at: http://www.thecable.ng/just-row-senate-obanikoro

David Mark is an enemy of democracy

Misogynist2014:
That man is damn clueless.

I wish a short video of he making these quotes would be made!

SaharaReporters has obtained documents relating to a scandalously inflated $500 million defense contract that President Goodluck Jonathan awarded to Arthur Eze, a Nigerian businessman with a shady past, a close friend of the president and his wife, and a major financier of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).


President Goodluck Jonathan
Our security sources said some officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) were furious over the jumbo contract described by one source as “a pure waste.” The sources, most of them military personnel, told our correspondent that, in addition to its sheer extravagance, the contract has also saddled the Nigerian military with helicopters that have limited or no combat utility.

The documents obtained by our correspondent reveal that Mr. Eze, the chief executive of Triax, received the gigantic sum of $466.5 million in order to weaponize six Puma helicopters with the aid of an Israeli company named Elbit Systems. This meant that each weaponized helicopter cost close to $78 million. “For the price of each helicopter provided by Engineer Arthur Eze, the Air Force could have acquired seven top grade military helicopters,” said one of our sources.

Our sources also noted that the haste with which the contract was initiated, approved and executed raised serious questions. A memo dated November 20, 2014 and submitted by the Chief of Air Staff, A.N. Amosu, revealed that Mr. Eze had on November 4, 2014 submitted a proposal to the office of the National Security Adviser proposing to supply the upgraded helicopters to the NAF. The tone of Mr. Eze’s letter, obtained by us, indicated that he was deeply involved in sourcing and supplying hardware to the Nigerian military as it is embroiled in a fight against Boko Haram militants.

An Air Force officer said he was alarmed at the alacrity with which Mr. Eze’s overinflated proposal was approved by the NSA’s office. The NAF followed with an equally quick endorsement sixteen days later.

One of our sources accused President Jonathan and Mr. Eze of using the refusal of the US to sell Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria as an excuse to engage in a large-scale squandering of funds involving the Federal Government and Mr. Eze’s company, the Triax Company Nigeria Limited. “In the US, a brand new AH Cobra attack helicopter costs around $12 million each,” said a source at the NAF. He added: “That means that, with $400 million, Nigeria could have purchased up to 40 brand new helicopters.”

According to the source, the Cobra attack helicopter is one of the best US-made helicopters. “It is highly effective in the battlefield. It would have given us big battlefield advantage over Boko Haram,” he said.

In an additional proposal, Mr. Eze’s company sought to purchase 4,000 57mm S5 rockets, 400 80mm S8 rockets, 500 general-purpose bombs, and 20,000 units of unguided rockets. His company also received a contract to refurbish three C-130 planes that had been sitting at the hanger of the Nigerian Air Force for several years.

A final invoice Mr. Eze submitted to the Nigerian government showed that he would receive $466, 500,000 to supply six upgraded Puma helicopters, four units of single-seater Sukhoi Su-25K (“Frog-foot”) Soviet-made ground attack jets, and two upgraded Su-25UB trainers for $330 million. In addition, he would receive $14 million for the shipping of platforms/ground support/line replacement of the six Puma helicopters; $44 million for some arms and ammunition earlier proposed; $37 million for the maintenance of C-130 engines, and $40 million for unspecified armaments for the NAF.

Our military sources stated that Mr. Eze’s invoice for the supply of the refurbished aircraft was massively inflated by international and Nigerian standards.

Several of the sources said Triax delivered the substandard equipment after Mr. Eze further padded the cost of the refurbished helicopters and the C-130. The sources revealed that, since February 15, 2015, when Chief of Air Staff Amosu showed off the helicopters and C-130 planes, none of the aircraft has been deployed even once to fight Boko Haram militants. “They are not in any combat-ready condition,” one officer fumed. “We are looking at a total waste of money for no good reason.”

http://saharareporters.com/2015/03/10/how-jonathan-awarded-500-million-defense-contract-arthur-eze-purchase-refurbished

The card readers should be utilized for all the elections. Contingency has been put in place by INEC to forestall issues of fingerprints not being read. The cards however have to be validated! Were there issues of genuine invalidated cards? Or just issues of fingerprints not being read? As long as you have your genuine PVC, you will not be disenfranchised.

U can't plot to remove Jega during a 6 weeks extension. It doesn't make sense. If GEJ had executed this plan after the 2011 election, it's different or early in 2014.

With a security service more concerned with hacking an offline database and labelling a mac as amonitor without CPU, how will we fight extremism

yaskarahyelhope:
My people perishing from lack of knowledge. What makes U think that this so-called card reader can't be manipulated? Imagine fixing election from 8am to 1pm. Whether there are still remnants of people to vote, they don't care. They'll stop d voting and count d votes. Imagine d waste of time for every head/person that comes to vote before he/she can vote. Nigeria and waste of time. With this waste of time, closing at 1pm will be wrong as many won't av opportunity to vote. It may lead to d next day. God help Nigeria and Jega if his plans are genuine. I don't trust d card readers not one bit. Am in d rear north and I know their political plans with very underage people who av gotten PVCs to vote. Its well O!

Accreditation in previous elections was always between certain hours (8-12 or 8 -1) before actual voting. The use of card readers did not bring about the change.

MRLINGTON:
My question is..cant d polls be rigged with d help of card readers?? D battery doesn't run down?? We have no stable power supply..would generators be provided to help charge dem? Can't dis card readers be configured to help rig elections??

The batteries for these readers last for 12 hours.... Can you explain how the polls will be rigged with the card readers when the card readers don't do the voting? Think!!!
PDP is just jittery, it makes it difficult to randomly inflate figures or submit pre-thumb printed ballot papers. The only way PDP will be able to rig is plain intimidation and with the attention on this election, that would be difficult to achieve. The card readers should stay!

They should give us clear data... the automotive policy wasn't crafted around tricycles but motor vehicles. What was the percentage last year for motor vehicles sales. What's it this year? What's the demand for locally produced vehicles last two years, last year and this year? Last I checked, America (that knows everything especially if $20billion is missing) could give you the number of cars manufactured in Detroit they sold (not tricycles). Why is it hard to find that data? Is it because people are not buying considering the entry price and the current economic crunch? They should stop being clever by half. Who imports fully built tricycles?

20% drop in imported cars... is there a 20% rise in purchase of locally produced cars?

IVORY2009:


Hallo senore'
ThankGod for the first time you are discussing issues rather than fighting like a kid and throwing insult, now less discuss, Fashola has performed in Lagos State, that is the truth matter, when I see "black" I call it black, when I see "white" I call it white, that is it, as per Tinubu, yes Fashola would hv done more than he has currently done, if not for Tinubu, but still Fashola has done well that is mine take wat about u?

My take: GEJ has done badly. He would have done worse if not for Sanusi and Adesina!

ekolina:
Fashola didn't built CARTER Bridge o

The project wasn't about the bridges but the lights! Lagos is now more comfortable to drive at night!

Nice... lest they forget!

They would probably be released before March 28th to boost GEJ's campaign

shachris03:


yes, credit should be given to him. But not him lying to our faces that he initiated the project. He should give credit to the previous administration too. Government is all about continuity.

Lmao... I agree with you though.

Obasanjo signed a contract in 2006 to construct double railway tracks for the country between Lagos and Kano in 2006. This was to be financed by the proceeds from the Excess Crude Account. Yar'Adua stopped this because he felt it was better to share the proceeds of the ECA to state governors than use it to finance a developmental project that would have change the face of Nigeria.

In 2010, it was agreed that the current tracks between Lagos and Kano will be rehabilitated (not new ones as Obasanjo proposed) and a high speed rail will be constructed between Lagos and Ibadan.

The current rail project isn't the same one Obj envisioned. It's a dumbed down version that will see people spending more than 24 hours by train for a journey between Lagos and Kano rather than the 4 hours the Obj vision would have brought about! However,the current plan also will see standard gauge tracks constructed between some cities and this will eventually reduce the travel time. The re-scoped project wasn't envisioned during the GEJ regime but during the Yar'Adua regime. Now, credit should be given to GEJ that he has at least followed through with the project albeit at a slow pace. This project is also being financed on loans which brings the question why is our savings depleted? Where are the mega projects?

You can't put anything past GEJ - a man who brazenly sacked a whistle blower on the basis of a misinterpreted FRC document to the detriment of the economy (by the way has anyone heard anything about the Financial Reporting Council since it was used to sack Sanusi?). The effect of his stupid decision is still being felt as investors see him as a leader not worth trusting.

These claims, even though not pleasing to the ears, is to reduce the number of tricks PDP can choose to play. If APC has kept quiet, Jega would be sacked by now and the use of PVCs stopped. The war against Boko Haram may not even have started.

I have concerns about the mental health of GEJ... how is that libellous?

But you guys have used this line before nowwwww.... have u run out of ideas that you need to be recycling bullshit?

barcanista:
Goje never served under GEJ in any capacity. Berth Nnaji was the first Power Minister under GEJ before he resigned to pave way for Chinedu Nebo. Bode George never looted under GEJ, his looting was under Obj administration as NPA Chairman. He has done his time and I don't see how that affects the topic. By trying to absolve Obj and Atiku and blame all their sins on GEJ led PDPD rather than the people and their political party(Present), it shows the "change" you preach. Nigerians are not foolss

You do not get my drift. Your premise is since this people were associated with corruption, they would move the corruption to APC and would be central figures in driving corruption in APC. My question to you, in a way you will understand, is: as you have rightly said these people were not corrupt under GEJ, it was under OBJ. However, they were still in PDP when GEJ took over office. Did this people in anyway run his government? Even though they were instrumental to his election? The obvious answer is no! Now, they have moved to APC, what gives you confidence that they will come and run Buhari's govt? Or is "clueless" written on Buhari's forhead? Someone that has clearly said, make no mistake, the corrupt will not be in his government?

barcanista:
Majority of the major players in PDP between 1999 and 2010 are the promoters and movers of APC, including the President and Vice of 1999-07, the 3 Former PDP National Chairmen, National PDP Secretaries etc. Abeg no even go there!!! Meanwhile, Sen Danjuma Goje was the Minister of state for Power during Obj's first term, he's now an APC strongman. We should ask him to explain about this Egbema power issue.

Oh please. Atiku and Obj were in PDP until 2013. Did they have a hand in running government? Was Danjuma Goje the minister of power under GEJ as he was still in PDP when GEJ took office! Or does Bode George dictate the current affairs of the presidency? The fact they are in APC doesn't mean the corruption of 2011 - 2015 will repeat itself in an APC government!

barcanista:
. Commissioned in 2006 by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Yaradua took over till Feb 2010 when Jonathan stepped in. In otherwords, it was neither built nor commissioned by Jonathan. However, the Government of Jonathan is concerned that is why they sent YOU/your company to work on it.

The Youths of Rivers State(my dear people) need to stand up to looters-in-power at the state level. Sadly, politics of cultism means blood will be shed. The best we can do is to encourage people of credibility to seek elective and appointive offices. We shall be great!

Oh now, you bring the puerile argument again in 2015 - Don't vote PDP, vote Jonathan, when he has been an obvious baggage of disappointment.

owobokiri:


Make no mistakes about it; I am with you on the very important need to pay taxes. States can't function without reveneu. Tax is the blood that pumps the engine of state. That is granted. Where we strikinly differ is as it regards the quantity/quality of taxes forced down the throats of a hapless citizenry in a highly corrupt clime like ours. Sexy argeuments not withstanding, tax policies here are not necessarily made to inject businesses with the steroids needed for greater indutrialisations . The argeument is that more tax reveneu will translate to better infastructure yet inspite of the massive earnings that accreu to Lagos coffers lately, base existence still prevails for over 95% majority while Tinubu and co change private jets with wreckles abandon. Essentially hardworking businesses and the poor are being taxed to subsidize the hedonistic lifestyle of one Tinubu and gang. Since a very corrupt system still subsists, is it not better to leave more cash in the hands of the investiing public and businesses? How did Tinubus company win the nod to collect taxes for lagos state state? Through public tender?

The question you should answer then is which of the taxes does the state has power to legislate over? This is in response to claiming that the taxes were forced down your throat. For example, the only tax I pay to the state is the PAYE which is governed by Federal laws, not state laws. Apart from taxes as it relates to land, I can't really think of any that is governed by state laws (the tolls that have been introduced on some highways is a form of tax though). Fashola has been governor for 8 years and there is still much to be done. Saying he hasn't achieved much is playing to the gallery. Let's assume he runs one of the most corrupt governments in Nigeria. Have you for once demanded that the EFCC, ICPC be strengthened to perform their constitutional function without interference from the FG? Tinubu stepped down 8 years ago and the only charge brought against him by a federally controlled anti-corruption agency was operation of foreign bank accounts he had prior to being in government. Is he so smart?
Leaving more cash in the arms of the investing public and businesses is an economic policy which has been employed in different countries. In Nigeria, it should be Federally driven not by Fashola or Tinubu but by the incapable FG. At least, despite the current hardship due to the devaluation of the naira, they intend to take more from the public by raising VAT to 10% after the elections. They took more by implementing a drivers license and plate number regime that benefits no one as you get a license still by paying bribes. They took more by raising the prices of petroleum products while funneling the subsidies to line their pockets. They took more by raising the taxes paid by the high income earners... Channel your aggression elsewhere

Has this power plant being "commissioned"? How's it being ridiculed by corruption?

owobokiri:


Kontrìman, Tax and spend is NOT inventive politics! You know that. But I agree that certain cultural settings permit the political elite the luxury of creating a tax regime that can bolster the revenue base of the authorities. In a place like Nigeria,what happens to the cash thereafter is anybodys guess. . If you are lucky, such cash can start off long bridges/metro lines that will be uncompleted till armagedon as it becomes a conduite pipe for greater kleptomania. If you are unlucky, it will buy some executive tin gods mansions in Dubai and London. Anambrra doesn't generate that much internally although a reasonable number of businesses thrive there. This has emboldened a lot of local investors to pitch tents thre. . It really depends on what you want.. if you want more money for the executives and their henchmen to play with, tax more. If you want more cash in the hands of an active business community, tax less. Yet, the calibration of a states Tax policy to arrive at any of this two ends shouldn't be made a propaganda tool in the hands of some overzealous politicians and their iternet hireling. I was forced to pay more doesn't really mean I am healthier.

Now, you are elevating the discussion - not some hearsay gist! Tax has been paid from time immemorial. It is your obligation to pay and the government must be accountable to you. You are trying hard to make points for the sake of making them. What is supposed to complete the long bridges A zero tax regime? Or how do economies without natural resources function? With lots of uncompleted bridges?
Local investors pitched theirs tent in Anambra because there is a ready market. Investors pitching their tents there is not a consequence of Anambra's inefficient tax regime! The question you should ask yourself is will more investors pitch their tents if the government efficiently collects revenue and utilizes this in an accountable manner. The answer is obvious - yes!

owobokiri:


Keep juggling facts. If Rivers states was to be made the initial beneficiary of the financial accruals from the oil wells domiciled in her vicinity, it will be very interesting to see where you would have gotten the cash to put your much vaunted Lagos, a former Nigeria political capital and still her financial capital in the kind of infastructural stead that made her the biggest IGR earner around. I hope you are not waggling and waffling just to invent a reason to pin Lagos 'success' down to your "shôfisikatédì" brand of wild politics. Bottomline: mineral producing states should "posses their possessions" and pay simple tax to Abuja.

So what would you call Ogun state that raised IGR by 500% in the space of 2 years from 700m to 5billion? A neighbour of the former Nigeria political capital?