₦airaland Forum

Written by SaharaReporters, New York Wednesday, 20 January 2010 19:44

Members of the Save Nigeria Group today confirmed to Saharareporters that the huge mass protest they have planned for Lagos tomorrow will go ahead. The largest turnout so far is expected. The rally and expectations of a federal high court decision following a lawsuit filed by Honorable Adamu Farouk and Ahaji Gabba are the biggest events expected tomorrow in Nigeria In that lawsuit, filed by human rights attorney, Bamidele Aturu, the complainants are asking the Federal High Court to compel ailing Nigerian leader, Umaru Yar’Adua to hand power over to his deputy as prescribed by the 1999 constitution.

The decision of the judge, if favorable to Adamu Farouk, would upstage an earlier ruling last week that rendered Jonathan Goodluck incapable of exercising the power of president as Acting President following Yar’Adua’s refusal to comply with Section 145 of the constitution.

Yar’Adua’s left Nigeria on November 23, 2009—about 60 days ago—and had not communicated with his deputy or ministers until two weeks ago two weeks ago when he reportedly spoke with principal officers of the National Assembly in a telephone call that had so far not been confirmed by the Senate president, David Mark.

Last week, it what appears to be a staged phone call, the Hausa service operatives of the BBC news in the UK spoke to Yar’Adua in a three-minute phone interview, which resulted from several days of negotiation between Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and the BBC’s Mansur Liman, who has been described as Tanimu’s lackey. Liman is also an indigene of Katsina, Yar’Adua’s home state.

The interview, in which Yar’Adua sounded very appeared weak and unstable, went ahead after Yar’Adua’s handlers successfully rejected a more credible way of conducting the interview, which would have had a BBC female reporter, based in Saudi Arabia, conduct a physical interview. The chosen format confirmed the fears of most Nigerians that Yar’Adua is in such a poor shape they do not want anyone to see him.

Since that much-criticized interview, Yar’Adua’s kitchen cabinet members have continued trying to push back a lot of opposition by claiming their principal is recovering very fast and will return to Nigeria “very soon”.

Meanwhile, there are new concerns that Yar’Adua has lung cancer in addition to Churg Struass disease, an affliction that has spread to his heart. Although his handlers claim that he is recovering, they did not tell anyone how his current condition will permit his returning to the rigours of executive office.

Saharareporters sources insist that contrary to the propaganda being spread by his handlers, Yar’Adua’s health condition continues to be very bad and that what his kitchen cabinet members refer to as “tremendous recovery” may have been drug-induced, which can only last for short periods of time.

The kitchen cabinet members have so far succeeded in bribing members of the National Assembly to do their bidding. Our source in Abuja said even the so-called 60 senators claiming to be fighting Yar’Adua are just angling to get a bigger chunk of the bribe monies in circulation. The sources warned Nigerians not to be carried away by the National Assembly members as that could lead them to lower their guards in fighting the tiny cabal holding the nation to ransom at the moment.

Meanwhile, the dominos have continued to fall. A planned delegation to Jeddah purportedly set up to pay a solidarity visit to Jeddah has not been able to agree on the composition of the group, close to two weeks after the House of Representatives came up with the resolution to visit Jeddah.

Similarly, a National media crew comprising of television and radio reporters assembled to visit Yar’Adua in Jeddah has been dropped, as has the conference call Yar’Adua was said to have planned to make to the Federal Executive Council.

All these bizarre developments, which curiously mean that nobody can claim to have laid eyes on Yar’Adua, are taking place as Nigeria remains in limbo and crises are erupting in every corner. The First Lady, Turai Yar’Adua, is said to be building underground safes in Katsina where a lot of hard cash has been moved in recent days, according to businessmen linked with the family. The safes are said to be similar to the ones built in Babangida’s hilltop mansion in Minna, Niger State.

Yar’Adua’s supporters are confident that they will be able to bring him back dead or alive to retake power by the end of January 2010. The return date was to be announced yesterday (Tuesday) but had to be postponed pending the forthcoming court ruling on Thursday by Justice Dan Abutu.

The Lagos rally, which is scheduled to start at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church in Ikeja at 10:00 a.m.,is expected to be attended and addressed by Femi Falana, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Olisa Agbakoba, Ayo Obe, Odia Ofeimun, General Alanni Akinrinnade (rtd), Osita Okechukwu, Pat Utomi, Salihu Lukman, Farouk Adamu, Buba Galadima, Tunji Abayomi amongst others.

Also on Friday in New York, a rally will take place in front of the Nigerian consulate in Manhattan. It is being organized by the Nigeria Democratic Liberty forum (NDLF). Protesters will gather at 10:00a.m.

Source: http://www.saharareporters.com/real-news/sr-headlines/4890-lagos-protest-to-go-ahead-tomorrow-as-word-spreads-that-yaradua-has-lung-cancer.html

leahsarahk:
The reason they want him to marry in Nigeria is very confusing to me.  From what I heard from him he said that it is because his sister and brother brought it up, so he could come home to Nigeria because his mom is not happy.  He says he played along with it to appease them, but had no intentions to follow it.  We have one son together and he has a daughter back home, so it cant be because they want him to have another child I dont believe.  What are the main reasons one has 2 wives there.  The situation here in Canada is that it is illegal to have 2 wives.  In order to divorce in canada you must wait one year before you are legally able too.  They have this rule so people have a chance to reconcile during that year if they want too.  I have been assured by him that they cant make him marry a lady.  However they must not like me at all.  Anyone here have any ideas as to why?

@leahsarahk. . .sorry to hear about the situation you described and I hope things are worked-out but the decision to marry someone in Nigeria is ONLY and ENTIRELY up to your husband! It is simply BS for him to suggest that his mom (or anyone else) is wants and is 'FORCING' him to marry a Nigerian woman. . .except this is not a mum that loves his son and wants his happiness! I am a guy and I can tell you that a mother will be MOST interested in the happiness of his son first before any other frivolous considerations. . . and this includes getting a second wife. . .so if he is happy in his marriage with you and wants you. . .he should tell her (including his brothers and sisters) NOT to run down his life! Except, of course, he is weak-willed, a weakling of a man, or just unable to take a position on such an important issues and back it up with the action it deserves.

On the other hand, have you tried to get to know and be close to his family? Have you visited his mum and siblings before? Do they have access to their son when they want while in NO way does he reduce the attention you get as his wife? Families generally do not wish to 'lose' their children totally so the onus is on him and yourself to keep the family together while living and enjoying your lives as husband and wife.

ElRazur:
Your view is on the wrong side. In the US ad UK, roads, car parks et al are locked for the purposes of illegal street drag race from time to time and hell yeah accident do occur. There are laws here, but it still happens. You see, that do not make Nigeria a failed state.

Not interested in getting into a back-and-forth with this issue but my views are in ORDER. Give any example of any place in the US that you mentioned where a road in the core of the central area (or leading into a central business district of any state capital, heck the capital of a country) is cordoned-off illegally for the purpose of car stunts?? Meanwhile, regular vehicular traffic of people going about their business is present on the same road? This is lawlessness and of such a high magnitude indeed!

Naija. . .the country of the incredible! Major road 'closed' by people to stunt with their cars? See how people were killed. . .and all this is happening in a place where there is a 'government'?? Well, a failed government couldn't do worse!

What does any human being need all these houses and property for? Can a man, no matter how wealthy he is, sleep in 2 different bedrooms at the same time? Did Stella Obasanjo or Maryam Babangida successfully carry any of the stolen loot with her to hell when they died?

LOL. . .Naija is BIG joke! Even Rwanda on the list?? LOL. . .where is re-branding minister and asshole AGF?? Still making every effort to corner some more dollars while holding Nigeria by the jugular??

Well, Naija (as a nation) will remain cursed (or will not be more blessed) for when there was an opportunity to action, lots of idiots are gone to church, mosque and will return to stuff their pockets! Well, I am so proud that my tax dollars is gone to Haiti in the several organizations sending every kind of aid effort available! This is how God hears prayers without you uttering one!

marvix:
@aisha u are mixin up issues if the pastors questioned the leadership of their association lik CAN or leadership within their church no problem. What happened wen Herod beheaded John,Jesus' forerunner even his disciples wanted him to act what abt wen he was asked to pay tax he went ahead and paid even though d taxes were considered wrong by his people the Jews also wen they came to arrest him did he protest instead he performed yet another miracle in their midst, Pls I ask again wen Jesus was here on earth how many times did he rise against any government?

Another FOOLISH ONE like Paroh_Frey bites the dust! LOSER Marvix! Even an empty coconut has a better head than the pangolo you carry with your overly-stupid arguments!

Big Ups to you guys and ladies . . .didn't mean to rock the boat. . .LOL. Just drop any ideas and I will appreciate it, okay? This is also a fun thread. . .and there is a lot of romance hidden in this posting for those who can "see" it. . .HAHAHAHA! This is not some guy who traveled for 3 months as insinuated. . .I really wish to know! Thanks my online friends that I never met!

Worried over what sources described as “negative reports about the President’s health,” some top officials of the Presidency are currently meeting with Nigerian media Editors ostensibly to douse or plead for leniency in the reportage of issues surrounding the health of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Sources told pointblanknews.com that the Presidency has been “very worried” at the spate of reports in the media over the health of President Yar’Adua who has been hospitalized at a Saudi Arabia hospital in the last two weeks for heart and kidney related ailments.

It was gathered that the Editors who are currently lodged at the Transcorp Hilton Hotels, Abuja, paid for by the Presidency, might reach an agreement with the Government officials to either put a stop to the reportage on President Yar’Adua’s health or make it more favorable.

The source however hinted that Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan is not part of the meeting and his approval may not have been sought.

Source: http://www.pointblanknews.com/os2577.html

Now. . .that I have your attention. . .LOL 

Well the day approaches when I am billed to arrive in Nigeria! My questions is: how best can I stay sane in Nigeria? I promise to avoid all the possible drama. . .but if you have been to Nigeria recently, kindly share some tips. I planned to travel extensively in Nigeria but with the spate of kidnappings in Naija today as we hear and my worries of flying a Nigerian plane. . .I am almost scrapping this idea of extensive traveling! If you were in Nigeria recently, can you give any tips? I am thinking of avoiding flashy clothes when I am outside. . .so as not to become a "target" LOL. . .but how bad that I cannot be so free in "my" native country? Well, don't ask about the ear-rings and watch. . .I think that will only wear those at home or or as close to home as possible. My phone also worries me. . .I don't want to be in trouble because of the phone but how can I not check my email and have some semblance of regular life? My temporary solution is to go with 2 phones - the main one and support one. . .LOL. So, I will keep the main one at home and take the average phone out with me! One of my friends told me of how she was dispossessed of her phone recently, it was terrible! Anyways, please give some more "stay safe" tips while in Nigeria!

The Abuja High Court was today asked to declare Umaru Yar’Adua’s failure to transmit a written declaration to the leadership of the National Assembly before proceeding on medical vacation three weeks ago to be a violation of the Nigerian constitution.

In the suit, filed against the Attorney-General of the Federation by Mr. Femi Falana of FALANA & FALANA’S CHAMBERS, Abuja, the court is also asked for:


* A declaration that the meetings of the Federal Executive Council held since November 23 2009 and the decisions taken at those meetings are illegal and unconstitutional as they violate Section 148(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
* AN ORDER OF MANDATARY INJUNCTION compelling Yar’adua to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives that he has proceeded on medical vacation (and) to empower the Vice President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to discharge the functions of the President as the Acting President of Nigeria.



The Attorney-General has eight days to respond to the summons either personally or through a legal representative. If he fails to do so, according to the summons, the court could determine as it pleases as the judge may think “just and expedient.”



The full text of the lawsuit is as follows:
IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA
IN THE ABUJA JUDICIAL DIVISION
HOLDEN AT ABUJA

SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/732/09

BETWEEN:

FEMI FALANA )… PLAINTIFF

AND

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION )…DEFENDANT

ORIGINATING SUMMONS

LET THE DEFENDANT within eight days after service of this Summons on him inclusive of the day of such service cause an appearance to be entered for him to this Summons which is issued on the application on the application of the Plaintiff for the determination of the following question:


QUESTIONS FOR DETERMINATION

1) Whether the refusal or failure of the President to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives before proceeding on medical vacation on or before November 23, 2009 is not a violation of S. 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

2) Whether the Vice President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan can discharge any of the functions of the President when a written declaration has not been transmitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by President Umaru Musa Yar’adua pursuant to Section 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

Read More: http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4552:falana-asks-court-to-declare-yaraduas-failure-to-hand-over-to-jonathan-illegal-&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

globalaid:
I do not know why this cyberg is always happy about yaradua misfortune, i have followed all your posting and all are negative concerning the president. Understand that you too are human.

Look, you are missing the point: It is not me being "happy" at his misfortune. . .but what happened to "telling the truth"? This douchebag was "trigger and bomb happy" when he swooped on the ND and bombed them to pieces! Have you suffered amnesia that you think everyone is like you? Now he is doing everything to stay alive. . .after telling so much lies since his campaign days! How many Nigerians have died because of his inaction since he assumed the "presidency"? I don't blame you for you have never experienced what it means for a society/country to run and be functional! If the roads that passes in front of your house (perhaps not even a "high brow" area) is better than the roads between Lagos-Ibadan, Ore-Benin, etc, wouldn't you be angry and mad about whoever is not doing his job? If you had more than enough "health care" that you are unable to use/find use for all of it, all for less than $75 a month, yet Nigerians cannot get any reasonable health care for small to life threatening sicknesses, wouldn't you be angry? Meanwhile, one person carries million of dollars of dollars to spend lying down on a sick bed. . .and you clap for him? If a so-called "foreign" country invests so much in you in a few years than your country invested in you since you were born. . .yet the resources are there, what would you do?

blacksta:
Cyber G  - If this man comes back alive and haerty  to Nigeria you will be charged with treason.

How has his coming back got to do with me? I posted a news item with its reference (it's called attribution). . .yet you have no idea who should answer more questions if required? Anyways, although you seem to live away from Nigeria. . .yet you have no idea what freedom of speech is??

[size=16pt]President Yar'Adua now mentally ill![/size]

…Saudi Doctors plan to give up

…Governor Yuguda shops for another hospital in London

Nigeria’s President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who is currently hospitalized at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre,  Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia for “acute pericarditis,” has now developed complications which doctors have described as a “dwindling mental health condition,” raising further fears that the Nigerian President’s health is not in anywhere near improvement.

President Yar’Adua is suffering from “acute pericarditis,” a deadly ailment which results from Churg–Strauss syndrome. Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, often with fluid accumulation. Pericarditis may be caused by many disorders such as infection, MI, trauma, tumors, and metabolic disorders.

The Nigerian President has refused to resign or officially hand over to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan on health ground and reports indicate that Governance has grounded in the once reputed “giant of Africa,” as his state of health continues to remain a secret.

However, very reliable source at the hospital confirmed to Pointblanknews.com that since last week when President Yar’Adua began to communicate, his sentences have become incoherent and psychiatrist invited to evaluate the President’s mental health gave a damning conclusion that the Nigerian leader’s mental condition is failing.

According to a source, the Psychiatrics noted that signs and symptoms observed are persistent and bothersome and as such, a psychotherapist may be required to attend to the ailing President.

The source hinted Pointblanknews.com that the current state of health of the President is not known to anyone in Government in Nigeria because the Yar’Adua family and few members of its political family intends to keep it a top secret to enable President Yar’Adua remain as President.

“We have a serious situation in our hands now and we just hope and keep hoping that Mr. President get well. Doctors just confirmed that he is mentally unstable and you know what that means. We just hope we can manage this one,” a source very close to the family confided in Pointblanknews.com.
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He continued, “You know this kind of situation is not announced to everyone so it has been deliberately kept from certain people so we can see how far the doctors can can go to keep the President better.”

The source could not confirm if the mental state of the President is as a result of several medications he has been administered at the hospital or a re-emergence of an alleged poor mental condition he had suffered during his youthful days.

A Nigerian weekly had in 2007 published an interview with one Malam Sani Maigemu where he claimed to have treated President Yar’Adua with for mental disorder with “concoction made from roots of plants, soap, and palm oil, and also applied chaining, flogging and beating on patients who proved either violent or stubborn in taking orders,” during the President’s youthful days. The interview was later republished by Saharareporters.com.

However, the source at the Saudi hospital insisted that because of the relapsing condition of President Yar’Adua’s health condition coupled with his new mental state, doctors are now beginning to consider an option of discharging the President for him to be taking to another hospital yet to be determined by the Yar’Adua family.

According to the source “the doctors have been trying and now they are considering giving up but her Excellency have been talking to them to still give him sometimes otherwise; we may have to wait for whatever Yuguda finds in London.”

Governor Issa Yuguda of Bauchi State and an in-law of the Yar’Adua’s who has been in the United States where his wife, Nafisat is schedule to have a baby, has now been asked to go to England to shop for a hospital where the President might have to be transferred to should the doctors at the Saudi Hospital decides to quit on the President.

Wife of the President, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua who was earlier reported to be making plans to return home according to the source, may have decided to stay behind to monitor the ailing President since she is about the only one who has immediate and direct access to President Yar’Adua.

No one except Mrs. Yar’Adua, her children and the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia are allowed to see the President.

Source: http://www.pointblanknews.com/os2569.html

^^^^ Obviously, you did not read the very first line of the post - The HEADER! It says: Turai Yar’adua Orders Gold And Diamond Removed From Aso Rock! The report NEVER said she was in Nigeria, much less in Aso Rock! Does she need to be in Nigeria to give an order?

Plus, think clearly: If Turai were back to Nigeria, do you think that wouldn't have been a separate news item by itself? State House reporters wouldn't know? No one would know? No one would see her at the airport. . .to at least have that in the paper if not much details are given?

Obviously, some people don't reason out things on their own. . .even read information properly, ask questions before jumping into conclusion!

debosky:
Can you answer the question instead of going on one of your asinine rants?

Some of you lot are speaking like you are distinguished medical practitioners - I have questioned your claims of 'true analysis' of Yardie's health and no one can come up with a credible retort beyond 'the man is clearly suffering'. I guess we need a google doctors like yourselves to tell us that. 

Let one thing be clear - I am not in support of a sick president sitting in office, but we MUST allow the qualified and informed people make the decision on his exact state of health and stop this endless speculation and claims based on fragments of information that have likely been distorted for political purposes.

The FEC must come to it's senses and institute a medical panel to assess Yardie's state of health.



If the constitution requires a medical panel to determine whether he is unfit or not, it is highly presumptuous for a group of wannabe know-alls like yourselves to sit here and claim 'facts'.

^^^^ Your comments sound like that of a 2-year old, who doesn't know when he is being deceived or maybe you are a grown man but with serious deficiency in the IQ department! The 2-year old may even be smarter! If it is not obvious to you that a person who has no skeletons in the cupboard does not need to lie or make constant misleading statements. . .then when you see your wife (assuming you are grown) is fuc.king another man on your bed, you will ask to actually look inside her to be sure something entered before you can believe it happened! Look this is your choice and it sure works for you to be led by the nose!

A man lies himself to power claiming during the campaign, he went to Germany to treat a common cold (you believed it), then he goes many more times to Germany and SA, sometimes within a few months interval. . .at sometime telling you he is going to commission a university. You still believed it. . .while the universities under his nose and he was responsible for were shut! Then, finally. . .he announces he is going to again to treat an illness (just one of several complications which in itself is a serious ailment), and you believe he has been honest all the while? Do you know that when a man (a public servant/servant leader) is found to have lied, he loses all credibility? You must have a mind that is incapable of looking at several clues, integrating it and giving you a good sense as to what you should believe! Yar'Liar is not a man to be believed for he has lied and lost any claim to credibility! But no surprise, most Nigerians are alien to credibility for they have heard lies so many times, they are unable to decipher between truth and falsehood!

Okay. . .we are waiting.

^^^^^More losers are trolling on this thread. . .must suck that SR calls out the government even on what it is planning in its closet before the pathetic Nigerian media gets a clue! Abeg. . .if SR told us more than 95% (heck 98%) of what is happening now (accurately). . .where were these bunch of pin-heads criticizing SR now at that time??

debosky:
One more question from the net doctors here - I hear organ trouble is the 'last stage' of the disease no?

How come he had kidney trouble FIRST, then the so called asthma or catarrh AFTER the organ trouble?

Then again the google doctors have concluded and we should accept their nonsense as fact.

Like this ^^^^ joker. . .like the retarded i.diot Paroh b.ast.ard who has now vanished into oblivion. . .maybe created another ID?? I think I have read some more reasonable postings of yours before. . .but you are now trending into insanity. . .the type Aro wouldn't bother to treat!

Well, 22 days after the greedy stupid so-called president went awol he is not back yet! Well, maybe he does have CSS anymore. . .he is fuc.king DEAD!

As President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is being expected back to the country any moment, the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, may likely be flown overseas for medical treatment, after he was said to have collapsed on Wednesday evening. Investigations by our source in the state indicated that the governor collapsed shortly after he came back from Malam-madori Local Government Area of the state where he paid a visit to one of his cabinet members who lost his house in a fire accident last week. A competent source at the Government House told our source that a team of doctors was invited from Kano to treat the governor after he fainted. The source further revealed that the doctors recommended that he should relax at home for a week and boycott official activities.Though the nature of the illness was not specified, it was confirmed that the governor was taken to his personal residence in his hometown, Bamaina, where he is receiving medical attention.LEADERSHIP also gathered that most government top officials have visited the governor at Bamaina. There are speculations that he might be flown abroad for more medical treatment.When LEADERSHIP contacted the commissioner of information, he debunked the report, saying the governor is healthy and he is not suffering from any sickness.“As at yesterday evening we were together with him and if he has any health problems I would have known.” The Commissioner of Health, Dr. Nashabaru, said the governor is fine and is not suffering from any disease.Nashabaru further noted that the rumor about the governor’s health condition is not true, stressing that he will not be flown abroad for medical attention.

Source: http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/index.php/news/headlines/9641-health-condition-lamido-to-be-flown-abroad-for-treatment

[quote author=OYB_MEND link=topic=365964.msg5106930#msg5106930 date=1260749158]Tell him to name any Nigerian news media better than Sahara at the moment and why?[/quote]Your question is in order. . .hope he has an answer.

bawomolo:
saharareporters and their "sources" have come again.

Ignore any thread with news from SaharaReporters and spare us the whining!

I looked and saw a strange thing emerging. It was a bright cool morning. The national anthem was playing on the radio. After that, this is what I heard a clear but sober voice say: Good morning Nigerians. Nations are built, not by cowards who wish things to work the way they have imagined them, but rather by heroes who know that nothing works until requisite efforts are applied. Nigeria is not working, not because it can never work, but because those who have the position, authority, and trust to enable it to work have become untrustworthy, incompetent, and timid. I would like to inform you that we have taken over. We are neither military people nor civilian; we are simply Nigerians who have decided to stand up when history beckons.

There are seven reasons why this intervention has become necessary:

1.    The nation is adrift: The confusion that has set in because public officials such as members of the Federal Executive Council and the national assembly, who have the constitutional responsibility to prevent a vacuum in leadership, have rather chosen the path of anarchy as they have neglected and abdicated their duty under the constitution. A serious people cannot simply complain if they have the wherewithal to intervene and cure the situation. We happen to belong to this category.

2.    The Nigerian has lost a voice. Public opinion is not regarded by Nigeria’s public officials. The votes of Nigerians don’t count. All these have consequences, not the least being poor governance; this is because a strong motivation for good governance is the consequence of the opposite—rejection by the people at the ballot.

3.    The cry of injustice in the land has met only either shameless pretentious cosmetic approach or outright tyranny. The issue of resource control is not an economic matter, but a social matter; it is about justice. Inequality in state and local government creation has an indelible coloration of injustice. Egregious inequality in social wages is an injustice. Brutality of the Nigerian by the state police and other security services must be countered by the defense shield of justice. We are compelled to intervene because the cry of justice is becoming so faint, being swallowed up by the cacophony of injustice in the land. Constitutional demands for justice are either completely forgotten or ignored by Nigeria’s public officials. In the circumstances, refusal to intervene and stem the tide could be viewed as a transgression. We are therefore convinced by conscience and bound in the grip of urgency to act.

4.    The nation is at the brink of complete social break down. The thousands of graduates being produced by our universities year-by-year are without jobs either because they are unemployable or the jobs are simply not there. Even governments at various levels have placed embargo on employment, without providing the necessary physical infrastructure that will encourage private investors to create the needed jobs. The few industries that brave all odds to keep operations going are daily being tempted by government to close shop. Factory workers are being laid off in their thousands; hundreds of thousands of companies are being de-listed by the Corporate Affairs Commission. The only response of government is sloganeering without results; empty promises, which by the deadline of fulfillment are rather being filled with excuses. Crime—unbridled crime is the consequence. Kidnappings, armed-robbery, hired-killings are on the increase. Government is to blame. We can’t hold our peace just because we must have “democracy”, which is not what we have anyway. Democracy is not a label that all nations must have. If it is simply a label, as it is by our common and present collective experience, then it is a fraud that we have all been engaged in; the content is something else. We have stepped in to discard the fake pack.

5.    Our natural resources are ours to explore, exploit, and experience. Our oil reserves cannot be sold to foreign nations at a pittance. For instance, China can make the joke of offering a paltry 50 billion US dollars to buy 6 billion barrels of our crude oil reserves (approximating 8 US dollars a barrel!) only because they know that our rulers are the hirelings that they truly are! How can we build a nation and bequeath to our children a better future when our rulers are allowed, not only to steal what they presently should dispense for our common good, but have resorted to selling future generations’ commonwealth, so that our children will be under the yoke of the children of foreign nations? We have refused to accept that Nigerians have already been conquered and there is nothing we can do. We the Nigerian people have taken over in order to manage our affairs by ourselves, putting our national interest first. Besides, the present government of Yar’Adua has taken us by the throat, forcing down it sovereign debts. Now, our pile of sovereign debts is growing again, approaching the 4 billion US dollar-mark. The latest loan Nigeria has taken is one which attracts annual service and other charges of more than 1.2 percent, with a repayment period of 40 years! What does Nigeria need loans for when we the people have not seen what the government spends the tens of billions of dollars earned annually from crude oil sales alone, except to use about 50 percent of national budget as wages and allowances for less than 18,000 public officials. We can’t allow this to continue.

6.    The incompetence and derelictions of government officials over the years have imposed on Nigerians a false belief and an inconvenient
acceptance that Nigeria cannot build and manage refineries; Nigeria cannot generate, transmit, and distribute enough power to ensure uninterrupted power supply; Nigerians cannot explore and manage their natural resources without external assistance; government-owned enterprises cannot be efficiently managed, and so the only solution is privatization. Why then have the same government officials, who are the custodians of those degrading notions, not outsourced and privatized governance and resigned? The time has come for all sons and daughters of our nation to reject those lies!

7.    Colonial overlords came and explored and exploited our natural resources. They did the high-tech processing overseas, just to keep us in the dark about those matters. Almost 50 years after we got political independence, our home-grown Geologists, Engineers, and Scientists have not yet gained the confidence of our rulers. Consultancy jobs are still being outsourced, which can be done by the children of the land. Every now and then we hear of hundreds of millions of naira announced by government as consultancy fees for one project or the other. Who gets the money? We are so distressed that the dredging of the River Niger has become a money-guzzling issue just like the national identification card and Ajaokuta steel projects were. The federal government has just announced about three hundred million naira as consultation fee for the dredging of the River Niger. Is the construction work not supposed to have almost been completed by now? The Nigerian news media have gone to sleep. They have failed to remind the people when monies for certain projects have been announced many times over. They have failed to keep the count. They are watchmen who have gone into a deep stupor. We cannot be spectators of this ugly game of deceit and self-infliction.

Nigerians, the following are a few decisions we have taken for a start:

i.    The national assembly is hereby dissolved.

ii.    The current 1999 constitution has been discarded and outlawed.

iii.    The current state structure ceases to exist. In it place we have the following six states :

a)    NORTH-EAST; capital is Maiduguri (comprising the old states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, and Bauchi).

b)    NORTH-WEST; capital is Sokoto (comprising the old states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa).

c)    CENTRAL STATE; capital is Jos (comprising the old states of Plateau, Nassarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, and Niger).

d)    SOUTH-SOUTH STATE; capital is Port-Harcourt (comprising the old states of Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross-river, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, and Edo).

e)    SOUTH-EAST STATE; capital is Enugu (comprising the old states of Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, and Abia).

f)    SOUTH-WEST STATE; capital is Lagos (comprising the old states of Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Ondo).

      ABUJA remains the Federal Capital Territory.

iv.    All the 774 local governments shall remain. However, the states shall have the power to create as many local governments as are administratively required. The federal government shall have no powers over such a matter. However, with respect to revenue sharing at the national level, only the States and federal governments are recognized.

v.    Each town or city with a population of 1000 and above must have an elected Town (City) Chief or Mayor, whose tenure shall be 5 years (There shall be no term limit). The Mayor and elected Town council shall be responsible for revenue generation, physical planning, development and maintenance of the town, and town security. The jurisdiction shall not exceed 100 kilometer radius.

vi.    All public officials in Nigeria (elected or appointed) must have post-secondary education.

vii.    REVENUE: Each town shall keep 50 percent of all revenues generated; 30 percent shall be paid to the respective local government; and 20 percent to the state. 50 percent of all revenue obtained directly from natural resources (licensing fees, royalties etc) shall be kept by the state of derivation; 30 percent shall be paid to the federal government; and 20 percent shall be paid into the Nigerian Trust Fund (NTF) created by an appropriate law. Local government areas of derivation shall be given 20 percent of the state’s share.
Revenue from federal government’s investments shall be shared as follows: 50 percent shall be for the federal government; 50 percent shall be paid into the NTF kept with the Central Bank of the federation.
States, individuals, companies, and organizations shall be free to make contributions into the NTF. Amounts in the NTF shall be announced quarterly, and allocations from the NTF shall be in the form of intervention grants and according to an agreed formula between the six states and federal government.

All sea and airports built by the federal government shall remain the assets of all the people of Nigeria, and revenues generated by the ports shall be shared as earlier prescribed for federal investments
Determination and collection of taxes shall be by Town councils under the leadership of respective Mayors. They may enlist the assistance of the local, state, or federal governments as they choose. But there shall be no multiple- taxation in Nigeria.

viii.    We have composed a Truth and Recovery Commission (TRC) which shall operate under an Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Act, which shall be in place in the next one week. Members are people of proven integrity who have never been in government. All men and women who have ever served in government are hereby directed to submit their traveling documents (normal and diplomatic passports) to the nearest police station and sign and collect a deposit form that has already been designed for the purpose. They are forbidden to travel outside Nigeria until they have kept their appointment with the TRC. Details shall be announced in the next 24 hours. Should any former public official be allowed to travel outside of Nigeria through seaports,  airports, or land borders without first being cleared by the TRC, the chief supervising Immigration official of the route shall be prosecuted whenever this comes to knowledge, under an Emergency act. An Emergency Act Regime (EAR) shall be put in place in the next one week.

ix.    Importation of generators is banned one year from today. In the interim, each unit of generator imported shall attract 50 percent tax, which will be invested in building of Electricity power plants. Furthermore, importation of all luxury vehicles is banned one year from today until Nigerian-made automobiles find markets overseas. Only utility vehicles for production purposes shall be allowed into the country. One year from today, only locally assembled vehicles shall Nigerians use. If we cannot design, manufacture, or assemble automobiles, we had better ride on the back of animals. Design and construction of refineries shall commence one week from today. Besides, each state must embark on its power project; but no state shall invest in less than three sources of energy. Executives of the six states shall be announced within 24 hours from now.

x.    Each federal university shall receive a Renaissance grant, which shall be targeted at enlarging student capacity and improving on quality of teaching and research. The leadership of each of the federal universities shall within the next one week furnish the National University Commission (NUC) with a vision and mission statement, together with a revenue generation plan. 10 billion dollars shall be set apart for those universities. Transparency in the managing of the funds shall be aided by the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, which I have already assented to; the Act shall be included in the EAR. Details of the Education Renaissance shall be provided by the Education Minister, who shall be announced in the next 48 hours.

xi.    In order to guide the federal government, there shall be convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to frame a constitution of the people. Representatives shall be chosen by various interest groups and elected by the people to examine the various proposals we have received at different periods of our nationhood and receive new proposals. Details shall be announced in the next one week. The SNC shall start off in the next three months, and sit for at most nine months. Its outcome shall be taught to the people within one year and then put to a referendum.

xii.    Before a new constitution of the people is made and passed through the vehicle of a referendum, the EAR shall establish a People’s Court (PC), which shall comprise one representative from each ethnic nationality; one student representative; representative of labor; representative of the disabled; and one representative from each of the Armed forces. The PC shall be responsible for lawmaking on per diem basis. Once the constitution of the people is passed, elections as prescribed by the new constitution shall be held within one year. The PC shall be dissolved 24hours before the swearing in of the new president, state governors, state and national assemblies. It must be noted, however, that Nigeria shall not have a bi-cameral legislature. There shall be a House of Representatives whose representatives shall be according to ethnic nationalities, and shall serve only part-time and remunerated on per diem basis.

xiii.    Importation of foods such as rice and beans is hereby banned. A Green Belt project that will involve members of the Nigerian armed forces shall be launched. Details shall be worked out within few weeks. If Nigeria must import food at all, it will be by choice (because we want variety) and not by necessity. The Land Use Act is hereby abrogated. People must own their land and claim royalties on whatever resources may be discovered on their property. If government needs right of way, it must be understood that the owners of the land have rights and can negotiate terms that are beneficial. The nation belongs to all of us. Sacrifice cannot be extracted from anyone; then, it would be oppression. Nigerians love their country and would give up what they feel is in the public interest. But that is a choice we all must be allowed to make.

Nigerians, I shall address you tomorrow on our common task as we together shape our nation. Appointments shall be announced soon. Thank you.

What have I heard? Keep tuned!


Leonard Karshima Shilgba is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics with the American University of Nigeria and President of the Nigeria Rally Movement (www.nigeriarally.org)
TEL: 08055024356; Email: leonardshilgba@nigeriarally.org

Source: http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4526:re-engineering-nigeria-part-1&catid=81:external-contrib&Itemid=300

In a sign of increased uncertainty about Umaru Yar'adua's ability to return to Nigeria's presidency, his wife, Turai is anxiously moving to protect her most prized possession from the presidential lodge in Abuja also known as Aso Rock Villa.

http://www.saharareporters.com/images/stories/nafeez_gold_diamonds.jpg

Saharareporters learnt that the Turai Yar’adua has commenced the removal of a cache of gold and diamond kept in the inner recesses of the presidential villa. The precious metals, described by our sources as “large in quantity,” are tied to a business co-owned by Turai and her daughter, Nafisat Yuguda, but run on their behalf by a Lebanese businessman Joseph Zeitoun and his Nigerian wife, Zainab Zeitoun. “The fact that the First Lady is removing the jewelry from Aso Rock shows that the president’s condition may not be that good,” said one of our sources.

Nafisat, Yar'adua's daughter who is married to Governor Isah Yuguda of Bauchi, recently arrived in the US to give birth to their first baby.

The Zeitouns operate the jewelry business for the Yar’aduas out of the pricey shopping mall called Dunes Center. The jewelry shop, named Nafeez, is located in Suite 105 at the Dunes Center on 44 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. General Jeremiah Useni (ret.) allocated the land to Zainab when he was the minister of the Federal Capital Territory under the Sani Abacha regime.

Mr. Useni briefly dated Zainab. Our sources said that Zainab was then also dating Joseph at the time, but introduced the Lebanese to Useni as her business partner. The sources revealed that Zainab hit it big when she was introduced to Turai and “the First Lady found her partnership very rewarding.” One of our sources said the Zeitouns helped open Turai’s eyes to the tremendous profits that she could reap from the jewelry business. The sources said Turai had used “First Lady” pressure to force male and female government officials as well as business owners to purchase expensive gold and diamond from her front jewelry business.

Saharareporters has reported on Turai’s extensive business deals, making her one of Nigeria's sleaziest First Ladies. A source close to the Yar’aduas said that Turai “exploits every opportunity to make money – through kickbacks, the charging of $30,000 fee for anybody who wishes to see her, and establishment of phony foundations through which unscrupulous businessmen are forced to make donations that are then rerouted into her personal accounts.”

Our sources further revealed that the m=Minister of Agriculture, Abba Ruma, maintains an apartment at the Dunes center and holds business consultations in the building. The Zeitouns have received huge contracts to construct "Agricultural Storage Silos" and have helped the Yar'adua family developed properties acquired in Abuja.

Saharareporters also learnt that Zainab and Joseph Zeitoun were responsible for planning and executing the “Arabian Nights” theme for the gaudy and opulent weeklong wedding of Nafisat Yar'adua and Governor Yuguda. The wedding featured Senegalese music sensation, Youssou n'Dour, who performed alongside imported Lebanese belly dancers.

When our reporter called the telephone numbers on the Nafeez business card obtained exclusively by Saharareporters, the lines had become inactive.

http://www.saharareporters.com/images/stories/dunes_center.jpg

Source: http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4527:turai-yaradua-orders-gold-and-diamond-removed-from-aso-rock&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

netpro:
R.I.P. May God grant the families the strength to bear the loss.

Haha. . .Naija man in Naija. . .this is the only kind of prayer people pray over there! No one talks about fixing the road, traffic laws and compliance? Look, God will not do anything about those roads for before the end of this year. . .several prayers will be made for even more people who have perished with fat bank accounts they will never use because of their greed and not doing what is right for infrastructure!

It's amazing some people can claim to have 0.5 functioning brain cell in their head from their posts! Haha. . .OAM4J. . .I think you should just leave the deluded posters alone! If this Yar'HasDoneNothing "president" was worth anything, he should have spoken up since but maybe he is now like a shigidi who needs to be carried all around and spoken for. 21 days. . .Nigerians are still counting and some people are questioning SR and a doctor who spoke from her experience??

Well, lies can go for a millennium. , truth catches-up but in a second!

Has anyone noticed this clueless Jonathan spots a tiro tilala on his eye lashes? Well, maybe this is just my own observation! This guy is worse than a shigidi!!

Road wey them refuse to fix. . .just sharing money?? Hahaha. . .the day of reckoning cometh! How pathetic that the so-called "major roads" in Nigeria do not compare with the one I will step out to in the next few minutes. . .right in front of my house! Nigeria is a joke. . .but Nigerians can pray, so keep praying while doing nothing!

Haha. . .super dumb "president", super dumber "vice president". . .two peas in a pod. . .LOL!

chidichris:
@cyberg,
if u are in canada as i suspect, u are a canadian, slowpoke.
ribadu is of the nigerian police which has no difference with what we have in the police of today.
in canada, who is their corruption czar there? can u name one person in charge of the country as a corruption guru? societies and states are built on structures and organisations and not on ribadus and el rufias.
as we speak, there is no file or documented evidences of most of the transactions handled by your ribadu and el rufai as they were just operating on obj's instructions.
any developed country must be based on structures and organisations which will definitely make rooms for continuity but what do we have here. a ribadu and an el rufai leaving office with all files and documents so that a new person will start afresh and when calls are made for certain information, things like u will start displaying ignorance in the name of wisdom.
pls tell me, how come all the indictments and judgements passed against atiku are yet to take effect till date. ribadu convienced us all that atiku was a criminal but we saw atiku at the presidential polls and when ribadu and obj achieved their political objectives of imposing yar adua on us, nothing happened to atiku and he seized to be a criminal.
u are right if you say interpol will not arrest ribadu but be rest assured that all the funds that he has been throwing about will finish one day and if he is unlucky, he will come back to face the music.
in a simple language, tell us the difference between the case against alams in london and that of andy uba in the usa under the same ribadu. in addittion, tell me why one had to go to jail while the other remains a saint.
the name of the game is selective justice and that did more harm than help to nigeria and nigerians and i will be here to lecture on my position in case u are not well informed on his role as a mad dog against all anti third term politicians.

Look, you indeed are the big fat idio.t for stepping to someone you know not! If you have a comment, stupid or sensible, make it but don't attempt to play way out of your league! Don't step out of line for you will be fishing in trouble waters!

HAHAHA. . .this Yar'Mugu has seen something we have not: A powerful man who died and took his power to hell or wherever! Live you days. . .if you will in just as much pain as you have caused the weak, down-trodden, voiceless and unfortunate people of Katsina and Nigeria. This idiot couldn't even build a decent hospital in 8 years + 2 years as "President"? What a joke! Well, enjoy yourself on the life support machine as you drift in and out of consciousness! What an ingenuous was to play squash and watch football!