₦airaland Forum

Expectations that Pan-Yoruba group Afenifere would elect a new leader today during its meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, did not materialise, afterall. A RayPower FM Lagos report said Pa Reuben Fasoranti has re-considered his decision to resign as the leader of the group, and has chosen to continue the leadership.

Pa Fasoranti was aid to have changed his mind following the intervention of top Yoruba leaders, including the governor of Ondo State, Mr Olusegun Mimiko.

News Express reports that Pa Fasoranti had earlier resigned from the leadership of Afenifere, saying that the group had deviated from the aims and objectives of the founding fathers.

Source: http://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/detail.php?news=17042&title=Fasoranti-beats-retreat,-withdraws-resignation-as-Afenifere-Leader

It is no longer news that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration mismanaged the economy. It is not news either that the Jonathan administration reenacted Nigeria of 1980 to 1983 or that in the time of boom in the upstream sector of the country’s oil and gas industry, the administration left the economy gasping for breath.

Besides, we need not be reminded that it was the realisation that Nigeria needed to be pulled from the precipice that we elected President Muhammadu Buhari.

Those that have been my friends on social media especially on Facebook and followers on Twitter since 2008 will remember my activities during the US presidential campaigns and election.

Barack Obama assumed office as President in a country that was in recession. But he got to work at revamping the ailing economy immediately and left the Democratic National Convention and its fringes to tackle the immediate past government’s dismal performance. He insulated his staff from politics after the election.

It’s therefore time the President and his team stopped blaming Jonathan for the state of the economy five months after Nigerians chased out the lacklustre and inept administration.

The wheel is now in the President’s hands. Jonathan got to his point of disembarkation five months ago. The captaincy of the ship is now in Buhari’s hands.

If Jonathan and/or his appointees have stewardships to render, by all means, bring them to reckoning. Recover loot and prosecute those who cleaned up the cookies from the communal jar.

We however need to move on.

Nigerians want to know the President’s plans to revamping our economic fortune.

They want him to get his hands dirty. They want him to, quietly, provide evidence needed for the prosecution of past governments. They want to see some politicians in the slammer but they are tired of this headless and needless blame game.

I wish to remind the President of a line in Clint Eastwood’s work, The good, the bad and the ugly: “If you gonna shoot, shoot! Don’t talk.”

Oludare Taiwo,

Lekki, Lagos State

Source: http://punchng.com/2015/11/4103

BALLOSKI:
na dem de fear pass, but they beat their chest more than any group of people on earth.

How?

Is this Nairaland's CramJones?

Talk about going places

I have keenly observed the current events that have led to the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the self-proclaimed leader of the Biafran movement. I have mixed reactions to the events that have transpired and have communicated my thoughts to the Nigerian Presidency. I will attempt elucidating my thoughts here.
1. I am of the opinion that the call for Biafra is legitimate: Firstly, Biafra existed before Nigeria was created. It was made up of people with similar cultures and language (with majority tribe being Igbo). It is perfectly legitimate for the original inhabitants of the country to yearn to have back their country and resources under their control. However, I do not believe that Biafra is a viable solution at this time.
2. During the Biafran war it is estimated that at least 1 million people of largely Igbo extraction were killed! This is no doubt in mind a genocide. However, the Nigerian government has made a fundamental mistake by:
a. Not recognizing it ever took place, or playing down the number of those that died for political reasons, only serve to fuel violence and the call for secession.
b. They have also made a major mistake by not even having a memorial day to remember those that died during the genocide – This action alone will give a sense of belonging and would foster a deepened National unity.
3. If the government does not look into the creation of a true federation whilst implementing its pseudo-federalism, and pretend that a genocide never took place, then the dissolution of Nigeria or even the metastasis of the Biafrian movement becomes inevitable.
4. Despite the premise I have laid out, I still do not think a Biafran state is viable. This is why
i. The Eastern Governments are fundamentally corrupt; A visit to present day Imo and Abia will attest to the corruption and rot that have plagued the region. These leaders have all FAILED to develop the east with the resources given to them. If they had made the East the “dubai” of Nigeria, everyone including the international community would have taken the cry for Biafra serious. The argument would be if the “Biafran leaders” can develop their region with the “little” resources given them, it is only fair they secede and do even more for their people and their region. However, this is not the case. A Biafran state will only lead to another mini civil war, and a fight for resources and wealth among Biafrans.
ii. Since 1970 when the war ended the geo-political dynamics of the Biafran region has changed. For example the people of Rivers would not want to be part of a country where their individual tribes become a minority. Same will go to Akwa Ibom etc. This will then lead to a disintegration of the original Biafran state, and would lead to a battle for resource control.
iii. If the above happens, Biafra would essentially be a landlocked country, and this can lead to an invasion and fight of Rivers, in order to fight for port control, oil revenue etc. Igbos will definitely need the ports since most of them are international business men, and won’t afford to pay regions like Rivers for all the billions of dollars of imports that takes place in the region.
In summary, an eventual Biafran state through a peaceful referendum will lead to a situation worse than South Sudan.
Way forward:
1. President Buhari MUST as a matter of urgency look into the white paper of the national conference and work assiduously with congress to make sure he implements true Federalism.
2. We must as a matter of urgency accept that at least 1 million Igbos where killed and establish a day to remember these precious lives that were gone. We must go a step further to make sure we teach this history to our kids, and not ban it from being taught in schools.
3. If the Federal government treat the Biafra issue with kids gloves, we may have something worse than Boko Haram in our hands.
4. Release Nnamdi Kanu immediately! Sit down with him and lay out your plans to resolve this issue. It would be a disservice to the Igbo people to compare the rise of Boko Haram with this present agitation, but history has thought us that as dynamic and complex Nigeria is, we MUST as a matter of urgency address the agitation of the Biafrans, before it metastasize to a problem bigger than Nigeria. A stitch in time saves nine!
Personally, I have shared these thoughts to my friend and brother Femi Adeshina with the hope that he would communicate this to P.M.B.
It is my hope that this does not destroy our country in our very eyes.

CramJones


Source: http://dailyindependentnig.com/2015/11/how-nigeria-must-deal-with-biafra/

Rustlers should keep up the rustling

Abeg make dem label am boldly for easy identification.
From Chinco phone to Chinco Plane. My hand no dey o!

Very apt. Buhari over to you.

What does a 75yrs old man have in between his legs that a 25yrs old man doesn't?

We saw all this rubbish comming. The days of the dagger people are back

The body was still in tact after the blast.
Inference: Another suicide bomber amongst them detonated knowingly or unknowngly

Detective Dastardly say so

kimond101:
Praise be to Allaah.
We have already listed some of the evil consequences that result from drinking alcohol, which are the reason why drinking it is absolutely forbidden in the religion of Allaah. See for example question no 40882.

But the questioner – may Allaah guide us and him to knowledge of the truth – thinks that the prohibition on alcohol in this world, and the promise to the believers that they will enjoy it in Paradise, is a contradiction or fault in the religion of Allaah, or at best he is confused by this.

Allaah forbid that there should be any contradiction in his Book or His laws, for He is the All-Knowing, All-Wise, All-Aware. Contradictions come from others, not from Him, may He be exalted. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Do they not then consider the Qur’aan carefully? Had it been from other than Allaah, they would surely, have found therein many a contradiction”

[al-Nisa’ 4:82]

Contradictions come from human beings when they try to criticize the revealed words, and from their misunderstanding when they fail to grasp the intended meaning or the wisdom behind the words.

The Book of Allaah is protected by Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)”

[al-Hijr 15:9].

With regard to other books (scriptures), Allaah has not guaranteed to preserve them, rather He commanded their people to guard them, but they altered them and changed them, so no one longer has any doubt that they have been changed from the form in which Allaah revealed them. Indeed anyone among the people of these Books who has the slightest knowledge does not claim that this is how they were revealed from God or that the Messiah conveyed them like this during his lifetime. See question no. 47516.

Now let us return to the question and ask the questioner:

Are you objecting to the prohibition on alcohol in this world? Do you want it to be permitted as it will be a delight for the people of Paradise? In that case we ask you: Wasn’t alcohol forbidden in your holy Book, and is that not mentioned repeatedly in the Old Testament in which you believe? If you do not know about that, then listen:

“Woe to those who are champions at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks”

Isaiah 5:22 (New International Version)

“Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor”

Proverbs 23:20-21 (New International Version)

“Then the LORD said to Aaron: ‘You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You must distinguish between the holy and the profane, between the unclean and the clean.’”

Leviticus 10:8-10 (New International Version)

This is sufficient evidence for anyone who is wise; as for discussing these verses in detail, we do not have room to do so here.

Even in the New Testament of your holy Book, there remain some verses which point to that:

“But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, and idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard of a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.”

1 Corinthians 5:11 (New International Version)

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of Gos.”

1 Corinthians 9:9-10 (New International Version)

“Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

Ephesians 5:18 (New International Version)

And there any many similar verses.

“Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?”

[al-Rahmaan 55:13]

If you claim, as you do, that this prohibition was abrogated and that it became permissible for you, then why do you object to the idea that the Qur’aan abrogated that permission and that Allaah has forbidden it to people in this world?

Or are you objecting to the fact that it will become a delight in the Hereafter after it was forbidden in this world? Do you want it to be forbidden in both realms?

In that case, it remains for us to ask you: if you accept that the prohibition of alcohol in this world was abrogated, so it became permissible – as you claim – then is it not more appropriate that you should accept that in the Hereafter? Even though the Hereafter is not a place of obligations, rather it is the place of delight for the people of Paradise and the torment of Hell for the people of the Fire.

But we say this simply for the sake of argument, to show to him that he was being fair to his opponent when he did not look at what he has (in the Bible).

But if the questioner really wants to know the truth, then the truth is simpler than that, for it is light, and in that case we say to him:

Allaah has forbidden alcohol because it is an evil abomination, of the Devil’s handiwork; it destroys the mind of the one who drinks it and distracts him from worshipping and obeying Allaah, and leads him to disobey Him, and it generates enmity and hatred in the hearts of the believers. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al‑Ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols etc), and Al‑Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.

91. Shaytaan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allaah and from As‑Salaah (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain?”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90-91]

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr and all khamr is haraam.” Saheeh Muslim, 2003.

This is what it says in your holy Book:

“Then the LORD said to Aaron: ‘You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink ... You must distinguish between the holy and the profane, between the unclean and the clean.’”

Leviticus 10:8-10 (New International Version)

As for the wine of the Hereafter, it is delightful and is free of all the filth and impurities of worldly wine. Paradise is the abode of the good and pure, and there is nothing in it but good things. Our Lord says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine —

46. White, delicious to the drinkers.

47. Neither will they have Ghoul (any kind of hurt, abdominal pain, headache, a sin) from that nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom”

[al-Saaffaat 37:45-47]

They will not suffer any kind of hurt, pain, or headaches, and it will not destroy their wealth.

The wine of the Hereafter bears no resemblance to the wine of this world except in name. As for its real nature, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it entered the heart of man. Our Lord says (interpretation of the meaning):

“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do”

[al-Sajdah 32:17]

The one who contaminate himself with the wine of this world deserves to be denied the wine of the Hereafter. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr and every intoxicant is haraam. Whoever drinks wine in this world and dies having persisted in drinking it and not having repented, will never drink it in the Hereafter.”

Saheeh Muslim, 2003.

We ask Allaah to guide you to the truth and help you to give up specious arguments.

And Allaah is the source of strength, and there is no lord but He
Source:islamqa.com

Thanks for this clarification.

Do not question Allah

Allahu akbar!

Angeltoyo:
This interview can comfortably give 'official'. answer to the question Nigerians have been asking for years, "Who killed Dele Giwa"

Enough of misteries in our land. Will buhari probe his former colleagues and brothers? I doubt

whirlwind7:
Explosive.
With revelations such as this, you know that this country is in a stranglehold.
we are in a sham country where evil and institutional corruption can never be silenced.
Even the president has been put in check after his initial chest beating and promises to end it all.

We may never recover from this legacy of the past military governments.

Buhari must look in this direction wheither he likes it or not. Enough is enough. This is way to go for we youths. We need to be cleared on the sins of this our so called fathers.
#BuhariMustInvestigateThisGate

chiwetaluAGU:
Too bad. And same people are still around controlling billions in various sectors of our economy. Cursed Country indeed! Permit to refer to Nigeria as ZOO.

Cc
Lalasticlala
Farano
Seun

So painful that GANI FAWEHINMI is no longer with us. He would have picked it up from here. The likes of FALANA can't do anything cause of their hopes of crumbs and appointment from govt.

HonSuQMaDIQ:
This here will serve as compass for the dull-one if he really wants to taken serious!

This needs to be addressed ASAP if the incumbent is to be taken serious. The problem with Nigeria is facing today are the TOES we have refused to step on. They are the TOES of the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's ARMY and their GENERALs who are today's behind the scene Mafian Dons.

The Sad and dark secrets of the Nigerian Army from 1966 to 1999 is what still haunts Nigeria today. They operated like cultists and are still very active behind the scenes.
If Buhari is sincere, this expose is enough to start an inquest. Even if nobody is finally jailed but let Nigerians know the truth.

On Sunday, Professor Taiyemiwo Ogunade gave a bombshell interview to the NATION newspaper in which he made startling revelations about those who killed Dele Giwa in 1986. In a subsequent chat with Saharareporters, he spoke specifically about the role of former military administrator of Lagos State Buba Marwa in the assassination of the journalist.


Dr. Ogunade disclosed that soldiers loyal to the slain General Mamman Vatsa identified Marwa as the person who delivered the parcel bomb that killed Giwa, the Newswatch magazine founder.

He said the revelation came from a confidential discussion he had with one of the military boys who came to the City University of New York (CUNY) to press the college to train Nigerian military officials in “Peace and Conflict Resolution”. He said that Vatsa gave a four-hour long testimony to the military tribunal that tried and later sentenced him to death for a phantom coup plot against former military dictator, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

Saharareporters: Do you know who delivered the bomb that killed Dele Giwa?

Ogunade: I believe that Buba Marwa did it. Some Mamman Vatsa boys told the full story in New York during a visit to my college to lobby our college to accept to train Nigerian military officers. Ambassador Olusola was on that entourage. [My informant] told me Dele Giwa was killed because he was in possession of a tape containing Vatsa’s testimony before the military tribunal. For four hours, Vatsa requested to tell the full story about how the Babangida regime was operating and his knowledge of the workings of IBB’s mind. He pointed out that after Halilu Akilu and Col. A.K Togun of the military intelligence prepared the parcel it was handed over to Buba Marwa to deliver to Dele Giwa. Marwa is a well–known “IBB boy”. But I was the one who gave Dele Giwa the tape.

Saharareporters: How did you get the tape?

Ogunade: Vatsa had a copy made by his friends in the tribunal and smuggled out to me and I “loaned” it to Dele Giwa who got on the case immediately. I still don’t know how Dele Giwa found out that I had the tape till this day.

Saharareporters: Do you still have a copy?
Ogunade: Yes, but you know I left Nigeria hurriedly after the death of Dele Giwa. I left [the tape] with my aged mother, who did not know the value then. I won’t say more, let the military release that tape to the Nigerian public.

Saharareporters: Did Dele Giwa return the tape to you?

Ogunade: Yes, he returned it after 24 hours. Don’t forget that I loaned it to him; I think he went and played it to Babangida’s people and they eliminated him after they heard the tape.

Saharareporters: What about Gloria Okon? It’s been said that Dele Giwa’s discovery of her was the reason he was killed?

Ogunade: Gloria Okon is actually Chinyere, that’s her real name. She married Charles "Jeff" Chandler, the fellow who killed Nzeogwu and was killed a day later. Chinyere, Maryam and Princess Atta were young friends who hung out together. They all married into the military, because the military was a proud and respectable profession then. Charles Chandler, who was Tiv, married Chinyere who I think is from Imo State. IBB married Maryam from Asaba and Mamman Vatsa married the princess. So Chinyere became a widow and resorted to trading between UK and Nigeria. And then she was caught with drugs; Mamman Vatsa was the person who put Chinyere on the next available flight from Kano to London – and then claimed that she was dead by parading a dead woman picked out of the mortuary. Dele Giwa later found out that she was in London having delivered a baby by another man. He sent a French photographer to the place and they saw Maryam Babangida at the event. Kayode Soyinka brought back the photographs.
Dele was sitting across the table from Kayode examining the photos taken of “Gloria Okon” (Chinyere, Richard Chandler’s wife) at the naming ceremony in London. Maryam Babangida was there. And then a letter parcel was delivered to him and he said excitedly that it must be from “Mr. President” referring to the discussions he had with IBB days earlier. The bomb exploded and severed his lower abdomen; he died a few hours later.

Saharareporters: Did you ever meet Marwa again? And did you ask him about his involvement?

Ogunade: Yes, Marwa was very active in the Nigerian embassy in New York. For a long time he was the “military attaché” to the Nigerian mission in New York while I was a professor of Black Studies at the City University of New York. He came to my college to sign a $30 million contract with the college so that members of the Nigerian military could attend a “Peace and Conflict Resolution program” and then be awarded a masters degree upon completion of the program. I fought bitterly against it, but the chair of the department, John Muyibi Amoda, badly wanted the money. I kept fighting and one day the college authorities acceded to my request. When I got home the college had dismissed me, but also I got a fax message saying the $30 million had been returned to Marwa. But between Marwa and Abacha they never returned that money to the Nigerian treasury. They shared it. I heard between him and Abacha, over $250 million was laundered through an account used by the New York mission of the Nigerian embassy. Marwa later set up an airline with his share of the loot. When he showed up to run for president I was the one who petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate him. He confessed to money laundering in handwritten statements to the EFCC, but today he is the ambassador of Nigeria to South Africa. The police officer that investigated him, Ibrahim Magu, is permanently suspended from the police force after he was humiliated by the EFCC. It is a shameful country.

Saharareporters: What else did you do?

Ogunade: We helped start the Obama phenomenon in Chicago.

Saharareporters: How?

Ogunade: We fought and exposed Carol Mosley-Braun who was Abacha’s agent in the US Senate. She was removed from the US Senate because she took $5 million from Abacha to help cover his tracks in the US. We exposed her, which was how it became possible for the brilliant Obama to become the US president today. We set the stage for it.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2009/06/08/%E2%80%9Cmohammed-buba-marwa-delivered-letter-bomb-killed-dele-giwa%E2%80%9D-dr-taiyemiwo-ogunade

It is finished! World don end already
Lalasticlala , na last trumpet we dey wait so o!

The police in Benue State has arraigned a 42-year-old-man, Mr Thomas Akate, before a Makurdi magistrate court for allegedly impregnating his twelve year-old daughter.

The accused, Akate, who is a native of Adi-Etulo community in Buruku local government area of the state, reportedly defiled two of his daughters and the eldest, Miss Onazi Thomas, became pregnant.

The police prosecutor, Mr Omaye Ujata, told the court yesterday that one Francis Omanga of Adi Etulo, Buruku local government area had reported the matter at the Police B Division in Makurdi.

According to Ujata, the accused Thomas Akate, had forcefully engaged in sexual intercourse with his two daughters, Onazi 12, and Esther 10, without their consent.

It was gathered that one of the defiled daughters, Onazi conceived as a result of the constant forceful sexual intercourse with her father. But the accused, it was said had reportedly threatened to kill the victims if they exposed his unholy act.

Yesterday, the accused who had earlier confessed to the crime while being arrested by the police however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when the case was mentioned.

The magistrate, Mr David Agada, however, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in the like sum but further added that the offense contravened Section 390 of the Penal Code Laws. He adjourned the case till November 16, 2015 for hearing.

Source: http://leadership.ng/news/470455/incest-man-42-arraigned-for-impregnating-12-yr-old-daughter

boombay:
Fool!!
name any top ten greatest managers in the history of football mourinho is in top five!!!
I'm open to corrections tho

Pls, i am fussy about kids quoting me. Thanks

The BringBackOurGirls group has called on Nigerians to rally behind the military and security agencies in the fight against insurgency, so that the fight against insurgency can be won.

Speaking at the group’s sit-out yesterday, one of the members of the group, Shehu Abubakar stated that the fight against insurgency would progress only when Nigerians support the military adding that the welfare of the military should be paramount.

He stated that in other parts of the world, countries win wars against militancy and insurgency when there is cooperation within the communities where the fight is going on.

The group also called for improved welfare of the military in prosecuting the war against insurgency, while urging the military to intensify efforts towards intelligence gathering in order to be ahead of the insurgents.

Recall that the leader of the group, Dr Oby Ezekwesili had called for more intelligence and increased strategy in order for the military to tackle insurgency and win the war against the Boko Haram insurgents.

Dr Ezekwesili, who made the call through her twitter handle, noted that she believes in the ability of the military to handle the insurgency and called for more intelligence gathering in order to achieve this.

She further noted that continuous sympathy and empathy for the people who lost their lives or for the families of those who lost their lives will not stop their pains, rather, every hand should be on deck to stop the menace of insurgency.

According to her, “Condolence does nothing to assuage our fellow citizens. I don’t want to have to say ‘be comforted’ to another family again. Let it end. I am positive that Nigeria will win and see the end of these terror strikes. The almighty plus a reinvigorated strategy anchored on intelligence. The three game changers for the bomb blasts are intelligence, more intelligence and even more intelligence.”

Source: http://leadership.ng/news/470358/boko-haram-support-military-bbog-group-tells-nigerians

I’m not greatly enamoured by the style of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). I feel there’s too much hypocrisy around it. Unlike the PDP which, we all know, was ‘sharing the money’, the APC is not sharing any money. But I can swear by Amadioha’s left foot that money is still being stolen – if not by the politicians, then, by the civil servants to whom we have since abandoned the running of the country.
In fact, in the build-up to the last elections, Alhaji Sule Lamido, the then governor of Jigawa State, had raised one fear: That Nigeria was between the devil and the deep blue sea; that whoever emerged president between Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari notwithstanding, Nigeria would be the loser for it. His summation stemmed from the fact that the campaigns were based on outright blackmail, hate and threats. He said both men appeared to be seeking the office for purely selfish ambition – not necessarily to steal money, but just to occupy the office. None seemed to have dispassionately addressed his mind to the major problems confronting Nigeria. The preoccupation was just to grab power.
Lamido’s words were rather prophetic.
Now, like under Jonathan, there appears to be this seeming cluelessness on how to confront the problems. The simple task of forming a government is becoming insurmountable. Meanwhile, there is so much anger and hunger in the land – even within the ruling party. Only last week, I asked myself: Who is really happy in APC? The president? The governors? Tinubu? Saraki? Amaechi? The lawmakers? The South-east? South-west? The five governors who joined from PDP? Just who? The anger and frustration is worse outside government. Importers can’t import, manufacturers are stranded, employers are toying with retrenching workers, bankers and investors are all futilely trying to read the president’s body language. In spite of bailout, state governments still owe workers and pensioners the stipends we call salary. Three square meals have become a luxury in many homes. And to make matters worse, we, like the North Koreans, can’t talk – unless it is to hero-worship the supreme leader. If he says Treasury Single Account is the way to go, we all begin to sing the praise of TSA. Of course, it does not matter if none of us praising the policy to high heavens today runs a single account regime in our private dealings. And while they are at it, the rest of us are starving to death.
A few days ago, I spoke to Lamido again and he assured me that PDP was still ruling Nigeria. How? His explanation was simple: The opposition was only able to defeat the PDP in 2015 after PDP joined the opposition. So, basically, PDP (Team A) defeated PDP (Team B) – for, on the average, more than 70 per cent of those today accusing the PDP of 16 years of misrule were in the same PDP for, at least, 10 of those 16 years.
But I disagree with him that PDP is still in power. For if it were so, there would since have emerged a stop-gap measure to address the current hunger and economic stalemate ravaging the land, even as the politicians continue to run around rudderless.
Of course, I’m not in doubt that things will improve with the new approach to managing our economy by the new administration. I’m just worried that our situation is now being likened to the proverbial life assurance policy, which basically forces you to live poor and die rich. Haba! Shouldn’t we be alive to reap the future fruits of our today’s unofficial austerity measures and sacrifice? Won’t this belt-tightening thing kill us before the benefits begin to mature? I’m sure if it were a PDP government, we’d by now be contemplating a few palliative measures to cushion the effect of the current hardship in the land. But it’s not so with APC. They presume that we should all understand what they’re trying to do for us – to secure our future. But how many of the robbers, touts and other social miscreants that daily storm our homes or accost us in the traffic gridlock are ready to listen to this our impressive economic postulations? How do we explain to the red-eyed traffic robber that the pockets of we, the motorists, are just as empty as theirs? How do we explain to them (and convince them not to pull the trigger on us) that we are not trying to play smart by going about without any money in our wallets and refusing to ‘settle’ them as we used to do? Hungry, angry, desperate and vicious! Those are increasingly becoming a second nature of our people today.
That is why I’m missing PDP. If they were the ones in charge, by now, they’d have conjured up one reason to share money, to put some money in our pockets and keep us from starving. Because they know it is not all of us that understand this dogon turenci about FDI, exchange window, Cash call, GDP, rising and falling inflation, stock index (whether bullish or bearish), forex customer verification portals, interbank rate, overnight cash, MPC, etc. We just want to eat, pay our children’s school fees, commute from point A to point B with relative ease, and sleep with our two eyes closed – irrespective of whether or not they give us light or increase the tariff on the power they have yet to supply. But even these most basic needs are now shrouded in mystery, hypocrisy and propaganda.
The hypocrisy I see in APC runs very deep. For instance, although I’m not one of those who insist the current anti-corruption war is selective, I have still managed to come to one conclusion: If you steal and remain in PDP, then you’re a thief. But if you steal in APC, or in PDP but cross over to the APC with your loot, then you’re a saint.
Despite this distrust of APC, however, I once wrote on this same space that I did not believe Rotimi Amaechi lost the elections in Rivers State by as wide a margin as the results would have us believe. There were just too many things that did not add up – and the situation was not helped by the seeming desperation of the then first family to take Rivers. In fact, the governorship battle was not really between Nyesom Wike and Dakuku Peterside; it was between Amaechi and Jonathan. The presidential ballot was no different. You’d almost think it was Amaechi (and not Muhammadu Buhari) that was running against Jonathan.
APC is already in control of Imo and Edo (even if Oshiomhole’s state can boast of only a few gallons of crude oil deposit), so rather than falling for the allegation that the APC was desperate to take control of an oil-producing state, I feel that the then ruling PDP took things for granted in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta (which, ideally, were supposed to be their own version of ‘swing states’). That explained why Godspower Orubebe was almost running berserk when it appeared Attahiru Jega’s INEC was going to cancel the result from Rivers State.
But while PDP was busy tweaking things in its swing states, it forgot that APC also had its own swing states. So, while APC was tweaking things in Kano, Sokoto and so many North-east and North-west states, unmonitored, it was, at the same time, giving PDP very close-marking in the states where the PDP was traditionally popular and could, therefore, rig with relative ease. The result was that while APC collected evidence of PDP’s rigging, PDP collected no evidence of APC’s rigging. So, from Day One, I knew it would be easier to upturn the results in states won by PDP than those states won by APC.
Now, I wouldn’t vouch that the Amaechi machinery, could have swung Rivers for APC in the last general elections, but I can swear that he could, at least, have split the votes right across the middle. But the PDP simply overdid things. And now that the APC is in power at the centre, coupled with Amaechi’s successful screening for ministerial appointment, the odds have again swung in his favour in Rivers in the event of a re-run. But then, Nyesom Wike (who has never been a push-over in the politics of Rivers State) has assured that he would complete his tenure. More exciting days are definitely ahead – and I’m not just talking about the planned appeal of the verdict.

ademusiwa5:

I see you

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday deliver a judgment on whether or not the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which nullified the election of Governor Nyesom Wike on Saturday had the jurisdiction to hear the case against the governor.
The Justice Mohammed Ambrosa-led tribunal had on Saturday nullified Wike’s election as it upheld allegations by the All Progressives Congress and its governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside, that the election which held on April 11, 2015 was conducted in substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
But Saturday’s judgment would amount to nullity if the Supreme Court holds on Tuesday that the proceedings of the tribunal had been conducted without requisite jurisdiction.
Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, had in an appeal filed before the Supreme Court, challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal on the grounds of its relocation from Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, where the election took place, to Abuja.
The appellants argued that the tribunal lacked territorial jurisdiction to hear the petition by the APC and Peterside in Abuja.
Dissatisfied with the ruling of the tribunal which affirmed that its relocation to Abuja because of security concerns was in order, Wike had appealed to the Court of Appeal.
The governor, who lost the appeal at the Court of Appeal, took his appeal to the Supreme Court.
A panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice John Fabiyi, had on October 16, heard the appeal by Wike and adjourned till Tuesday for judgment.
President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, who exercises administrative powers on election petition tribunals in the country, had directed the relocation of the sittings of the tribunals in Rivers, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Taraba states to to Abuja due to security concerns in the states.
But Wike had contended that the tribunal lacked the territorial jurisdiction to hear the petition in Abuja.
Wike challenged the powers of the President of the Court of Appeal to order the tribunal’s relocation to Abuja.
The governor argued that the tribunal’s relocation to Abuja was in breach of Section 285 (2) of the Nigerian Constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010.
He urged the tribunal to relocate to Port Harcourt in compliance with provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act.
The tribunal then led by Justice Mu’azu Pindiga, who later handed over to Justice Ambrosa, had in a ruling on July 27, 2015 dismissed Wike’s motion.
Justice Pindiga held that contrary to Wike’s argument, the tribunal had not violated any provision of the law since the relocation to Abuja was for security reasons.
The judge faulted Wike’s argument that proximity and accessibility were major determining factors in deciding the venue of a tribunal.
Justice Pindiga held that proximity and accessibility could not be determined in the absence of security for the tribunal members and litigants.
He said the President of the Appeal Court acted within the ambit of the law, which emphasises the need for a proper atmosphere for the tribunal to hold its proceedings.
He held that the tribunal had not violated any provision of the law since the relocation to Abuja was for security reasons.

Source: http://dailyindependentnig.com/2015/10/scourt-delivers-judgment-on-wikes-appeal-today/

Better to push for what doesnt go for you and not succeed, than pretend its well and fooling yourself out of corwardice that you are loved by a determined born-to-rule parasitic enemy.



My brothers i see una

Lesson: Never look down on others, nor call them specialists in failure as no one knows tomorrow and no condition is permanent!



I say, DOWN WITH MOURINHO!!