₦airaland Forum

hisexcellency34:
We told them Obasanjo has no political value but they won't believe. Buhari should just jail him for life after winning his reelection

Are you also aware that Sanwo-Olu lost his polling unit? He also does not have political value by your statement.

Election shelving: Buhari considering Amina Zakari to replace INEC boss —CUPP



The Coalition of United Political Parties on Saturday alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is planning to suspend the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu.

Ugochinyere claimed the President was planning to name a National Commissioner, Amina Zakari, as the Acting Chairman, citing her experience as the oldest and most experienced National Commissioner.

The coalition made the allegation in a statement made available to journalists by its spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere.

Ugochinyere said, “The President is planning to use the excuse of inability to hold election today (Saturday) as a reason for the imminent suspension.

“Feigning ignorance of the real reasons behind the shift, the President in his earlier statement today did not have just a word for the shameful and despicable actions of security forces and the Central Bank’s staff who, in obedience to Presidency’s directives, deliberately sabotaged the distribution of sensitive materials in selected states.

We are aware that his hurried return to Abuja today from his home state, Katsina, is to sack the INEC boss. But this should be resisted by all well-meaning Nigerians and the international community.

“The sin of the INEC chairman is that he refused to conduct staggered elections that will allow the President and his men to manipulate the process.

The Presidency had mounted pressure on the Commission to conduct election today in states where there were no issues and postpone only the states with materials distribution issues.

“The INEC chairman insisted on conducting the election at the same time, hence warranting the postponement of the entire election.


https://punchng.com/election-shelving-buhari-considering-amina-zakari-to-replace-inec-boss-cupp/?fbclid=IwAR33otuFTH6718-E2XmZDxg1sdtleK638ZQYAFZLwsNfluqVKNAknreJ5Ow

LastDance:
Dont worry bro, a time will come and you will regret being from Nigeria.

Listen i am talking from experience.

You can only argue blindly if you have never been outside Africa.

Is this your first time outside Africa? Regret being from Nigeria comes from low self-esteem and lack of personal capacity. Do not project your perception on others.

Creed 2 2018 now available on tfp

JeromeBlack:
There was nothing really special about the movie except for Jennifer Lawrence's acting. I could tell from the beginning that she would like the guy and help the USA.

Your surface level analysis shows that you are looking for a new high in movies. Most spy movies are linked to romance. The plot is not that she helped the USA but WHY she did it. It was all about getting back at her uncle that exploited her and made her mother's well being a bargaining chip to induce her to follow a path she never desired. The movie is about how she utilized her training to turn tables and regain 100% control of her life.

alizma:
this is all baba wants, he wants everyone to come and bow before him but definitely this won't happen with the general.

Even the general bowed before him before he was elected. Nigerian politicians are the same. They will be humble before election and become Agama lizards. After the elections, they become full grown Aligators.

How come it took them this long to realise that it is a criminal case? Were they booting before?

Emekus92:
At mkvcage it's 2.3GB

Which do you prefer?

That is the size for about 6 movies.

Aquaman HC HDRIP on the netnaija 458.48MB

Grass-cutting scandal: Buhari orders prosecution of Babachir, Oke — Osinbajo





President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the prosecution of former Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, and ex-Director-General of National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayo Oke.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this at an event held in his honour by Christian youths, under the aegis of Ikeja branch of GRILL in Lagos, weekend. Lawal was sacked after a Senate committee indicted him on misappropriating funds meant for internally displaced persons, IDPs, in the north-east but denied any wrongdoing. The former NIA Director-General was also removed from office, following the discovery of $43 million at an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Answering questions from the audience on the former SGF, Osinbajo said Lawal and Oke were recommended for prosecution by the committee he heads. He said: “I think the first thing for us is that the report was acted upon; the former SGF was dismissed. Second, the President has directed that the SGF and former DG of NIA be prosecuted. “So, we are expecting that prosecution will take place. The next, of course, is that criminal allegations will be filed against them and the prosecution process will be completed.”

He blamed corruption for the woes of the country, adding that stealing was not taking place under the current government. He said: “Corruption has had detrimental effects on Nigeria’s economy. This country was subjected to corruption for many years. Grand corruption perpetuated by previous governments is responsible for the state of the economy. “Many of the projects in the country initiated by the previous government are not completed because of corruption.

Grand corruption makes people start projects and never complete them.” “Grand corruption is when the head of government takes money from the treasury and shares it to the people. “You will never find people stealing from the public treasury under this administration. The same individuals who robbed this country are saying they want to come back and fix the problems. “We should ask them what they are going to do about grand corruption. How are you sure they are not going to enrich their friends with public funds.”

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/grass-cutting-scandal-buhari-orders-prosecution-of-babachir-oke-osinbajo/

BIDOO:
In A Case Like This, Will The Sacked V.C Continue His Job As A Normal Lecturer Or This Actually Pronounce The End Of His Academic Career In That Citadel Of Learning?

Normally, they should go back to their lecturing job. But they will not because having been at the top and seeing how power is used or how they have oppressed others, they will want to do something else or move to another institution.

El-Rufai Buys Two SUVs For Sheikh Who Directed His Sect Members To Vote For Buhari



Sheikh Dr. Abdullahi Bala Lau, National Chairman of Jama’atul Izalatul Bidi’a Waikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), is alleged to have received two vehicles from Nasir el-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State, after he directed members of the sect to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming presidential elections.

At a colloquium organised to commemorate the marriage ceremony of two daughters of the Sheikh held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital last week, the cleric had expressed his support for Buhari.

The two vehicles were said to have been brought to his residence located at 23, N'Djamena Crescent, Wuse 11, opposite Gombe Jewel Hotel in Abuja, two days after he made the declaration.

The Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep 2017 model and a red Space Wagon Sienna 2017 model were said to have been brought from Kaduna for the religious leader. When SaharaReporters visited the house in Abuja, the two vehicles without number plates were sighted in the compound.

Lau had hinged the association’s support for the Buhari administration on its achievements in fighting corruption, commitment in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency, the reform and diversification of the economy, and agriculture revolution.

"The people have endorsed the performance of the Buhari administration at the centre during the past three-and-a-half years and that is why we have decided to tell all our members in Nigeria to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and all other candidates working with him,” he had said at the event.


According to the Islamic leader, the Buhari-led government is moving in the right direction and the Izala movement has put its seal of approval on it.

The Imam, who emphasised Buhari’s personal qualities and humble background, warned against dishonest people who had embarked on propaganda and incitement to thwart the President’s re-election.

“Buhari is a honest person. He has kept the public trust. He was a Governor and Minister of Petroleum. He was a General Officer Commanding and Military Head of State. He chaired the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). He ended all these assignments without an oil well or personal fortune. Come out and vote for him,” he told the crowd.

Meanwhile the decision by Lau to align the sect to Buhari's reelection bid has led to division within the movement, as a group led by the Deputy National Leader, Sheikh Yusuf Sambo Rigachikun, has called on the members of movement to vote for Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Rigachikun, who spoke to BBC Hausa Service, said Atiku has contributed immensely to Islam and built more than 300 mosques across the country.

He also claimed that he had been associating with Atiku for the past 30 years.

“Whenever we approach him on issues to do with Islam, or Islam-related matters, either to sponsor symposiums, to build schools for Islamic activities, to help the underprivileged or to make money available for the day-to-day activities of Islamic leaders, Atiku has never turned down our request in all the over 30 years that I have been close to him," he said.

The Izalah movement is one of the largest Islamic societies in Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.



http://saharareporters.com/2019/01/18/el-rufai-buys-two-suvs-sheikh-who-directed-his-sect-members-vote-buhari

alexistaiwo:
Are you sure that you got the message?
You should be telling this to her not me because what you just said is exactly what I told her.

Told her that every movie has its intended target audience so she should stick to whatever catches her fancy.
She no wan hear at all

Check below.

I did not know that you guys had a history with this kind of issue. Since she is your sweetheart, I guess, as they say, all is fair in love and war. My apologies.

alexistaiwo:
My E-sweetheart called Ready Player One, The Expendables and All transformer movies childish stuff for simple minded man child.



One word for her fellas.
Let me show her the screenshot.
Make she feel the wrath of Nairalanders small

But this act of yours is actually childish. Your brand of movies does not mean that you are more mature than others. Stop the ego trip. A twelve year old watching adult movies does imply maturity. Everyone watches movies that tickle their fancy. To each their own.

Show evidence I benefitted from N156m slush fund, Atiku tells FG


The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Federal Government to show evidence that he benefitted from the N156m slush fund that allegedly led to the collapse of the defunct Platinum Habib Bank.

Atiku made this challenge in a statement issued by Mr. Phrank Shaibu, his Special Assistant on Public Communication, on Friday.

He said, “It is disgusting to continue to spin allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office.

They just suddenly woke up to the reality that, their lies about Atiku being corrupt can no longer hold? I challenge the federal government to come up with evidence that I benefitted from N156 million slush funds through Claremont Management Services Account on 13th January, 2009 as well as the collapse of Bank PHB as they have alleged.


“It is instructive to note that the same Bank PHB is now Keystone Bank, which was said to have been acquired by Buhari’s cronies through AMCON last year,”Atiku said in the statement.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Friday said the PDP candidate has a case to answer over the collapse of Platinum Habib Bank.

He revealed that the case would be started as soon as Atiku returns from the US, his first trip in more than a decade.


https://punchng.com/show-evidence-i-benefitted-from-n156m-slush-fund-atiku-tells-fg/

Poverty is a bastard. People who have not traveled out of the country before, by their comments, you shall know them. Do you know the roles that embassies play? What is my business with Nigerian embassy in any country I travel to when I do not have any problem with my passport or with the host country? Or is it our embassy that is now issuing visa or a go between for me and the country that I visit. Kai! Who do una this thing? Your suffering under this regime has made you lose every sense of reasoning. The Nigerian embassy in the United States has no business with Atiku's visit because their help is not needed. The ambassador should be preparing his handover notes.

Show evidence I benefitted from N156m slush fund, Atiku tells FG


The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Federal Government to show evidence that he benefitted from the N156m slush fund that allegedly led to the collapse of the defunct Platinum Habib Bank.

Atiku made this challenge in a statement issued by Mr. Phrank Shaibu, his Special Assistant on Public Communication, on Friday.

He said, “It is disgusting to continue to spin allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office.

They just suddenly woke up to the reality that, their lies about Atiku being corrupt can no longer hold? I challenge the federal government to come up with evidence that I benefitted from N156 million slush funds through Claremont Management Services Account on 13th January, 2009 as well as the collapse of Bank PHB as they have alleged.


“It is instructive to note that the same Bank PHB is now Keystone Bank, which was said to have been acquired by Buhari’s cronies through AMCON last year,”Atiku said in the statement.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Friday said the PDP candidate has a case to answer over the collapse of Platinum Habib Bank.

He revealed that the case would be started as soon as Atiku returns from the US, his first trip in more than a decade.


https://punchng.com/show-evidence-i-benefitted-from-n156m-slush-fund-atiku-tells-fg/

Slymonster:
https://my-subs.com/versions-2437-1-1-money-heist-subtitles

I appreciate your help. Thank you.

DayoNiyi:
Check addic7edDOTcom

Thanks. I think that was were I downloaded it from. Can you suggest other alternatives where I can get subtitles for series?

I need help to with subtitles for Money Heist. I can't remember where I downloaded the first three episodes of season one. But the subtitle for episode three is not problematic and doesn't fit with the flow of the video.

slawomir:
isoright

You nor go green nag adesua belle now

Untill one sharp guy load her with the akamu and i bet she nor go tell you

Record has it that 60% of the first child in a marriage belongs to another man

Are you one of them?

NothingDoMe:
It seems to be for now. Abi nor be diplomatic passports? Someone educate me biko.

It is for everyone. The idea has been mooted for a while. It is the implementation that remains.

festacman:
My SUBJECTIVE take on the ongoing trial of CJN Walter Onoghen is captured by the following assumptions, scenarios, conspiracy theory, deductions and implication.

1. Some highly placed politicians in Nigeria are experts in using blackmail to have their ways. Recently, the former Finance minister Mrs. Kemi Adeosun' NYSC certificate "mistake" was used as a blackmail tool by key NASS members into making her to agree to anything they put on the table.

2. By their nature people like Atiku, Saraki & co "buy" relevant and strategic decision makers as 'franchises' and manipulate them to do their biddings in subtle ways. At the height of his problem with Obasanjo, former VP Atiku boasted that he had control of Governors' Forum, NASS leadership, and the judiciary and could easily remove former president Obasanjo if he so desired. To which Obasanjo quipped that unfortunately for Atiku, he had no control over God.

3. So this "mistake" by CJN Onnoghen constitutes a potential weapon of blackmail and manipulation to control the CJN in post elections matters. I am suspecting that this "mistake" might have been used by Senator Saraki to stunningly wriggle out of his false asset declaration case.

4. As stage is set for 2019 elections, APC strategists may have been scared that Atiku, Saraki, Wike & co may use this 'mistake' to blackmail and manipulate the CJN into doing their biddings. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the immediate Justice following CJN by seniority cannot be engineered by PDP heavyweights to raise a damning petition against the CJN thereby forcing the president to appoint their man as CJN.

5. So the FGN decided to nip it in the bud before election by hurriedly arranging this trial.
Bypassing NJC when they know the position of law appeared deliberate. Of course, referring the matter to NJC will require CJN to recuse himself, which will be counter-productive.

6. In spite of all the drama, I suspect that this strategic move is all a well-scripted ploy that will legally remove both legal and moral burdens from CJN and give him freedom to do his job. In other words, CJN Onoghen may come out of this case looking "smelling roses".

On The Flip Side
However if this trial is not a script, it will surely have a far reaching consequences as it will instill feverish apprehension in Nigerian politicians who all have skeletons in their cupboards. The issue is, "if a whole CJN cannot be spared before elections, what will happen to mere politicians after elections and swearing in". Consequently, to save their heads, these politicians will secretly but strongly collaborate across party lines to stop president Buhari from getting 2nd term.

**********
As I said in the beginning, it is a purely subjective view, which eventually may turn out as the opposite of the eventual outcomes. But hey! I love brainstorming.

Your brainstorming is sound. The only problem is that this government is not cerebral enough to pull that kind of stunt. Judging by their past behavior, they cannot see beyond their nose.

Liliyann:
There is nothing like a woman proposing to a man!!!
It isn't done!!
Biblically it is wrong!! Morally, it is unheard of, a man should be the one to make the first move, most guys are just stupid, don't be surprise, that they may decide to use it against you in the future!!
There are some things a man should do like paying of bills, taking care of his woman and helping in the household chores as well as proposing to a woman!!
I wonder why most guys are turning to weakling this days!!

1 One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for?

2 Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.

3 Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do."

5 "I will do whatever you say," Ruth answered.

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down.

8 In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet.

9 "Who are you?" he asked. "I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."

10 "The LORD bless you, my daughter," he replied. "This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.

11 And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.

Ruth 3:1 - 11

Is this not proposal from Ruth? The Bible condemns it abi?

googlepikins:
Ambode is a pussyy

Joblessness is a disease. It is your peers that you will be dragging lines on jeans trousers with. The issue of fashion is for youths who are still trying to impress others. When you get to the level of awesomeness, you don't care about what others think about you. The circle of influence of the person you are attacking only care about the bottom line.

Chizuru01:
Dangote never made money through oil blocks. I respect him for that.

You guys that have no clue on how the rich make their money are talking about respect. Do they care about what you think?

iPhone Users Are Poor While Huawei Users Are Rich, According To Research


Apple iPhone users are less educated and make less money than Huawei users, according to a report by research agency MobData.

The research, published in South China Morning Post, looked at income and education background of smartphone users in China.

It revealed iPhone users were among a group called “the invisible poor” and were more likely to be unmarried females aged 18 – 34 with only a high-school certificate and a monthly income of less than $430.

Conversely, Huawei users were more likely to be married males aged 25 – 34 with a diploma or bachelor’s degree and a monthly income of between $720 - $2,800. More than half of all Oppo and Vivo users earn between $430 - $1,400.

The report claims that while a large proportion of Huawei users own apartments and cars, Apple users do not.

The research by the Shanghai-based company did not disclose the number of respondents who participated in the study.

Apple is the third-largest smartphone company globally after Samsung and Huawei, however, the brand has struggled to maintain share in the China market under increased pressure from China’s homegrown brands. Samsung has also lost share to the local vendors.

Huawei remains the market leader in China, and together with Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo the brands account for a combined share of nearly 80% of the market. Apple holds just 9%.



https://www.lucisphilippines.press/2018/11/chinese-iphone-users-are-poor-while.html?fbclid=IwAR3iBPJoTIzKHJV9Iz3PTwkBatXqTKibz41siudGFNgERGx9ozsZ1k-GEp8&m=1

Tanko Yakassai To Ndigbo: You Won’t Get Presidency In Next 20 Years If APC Wins In 2019



Second republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has raised the alarm over the fate of the Igbo in the present political arrangement, expressing fears that the Southeast might be shut out of the presidency for the next 20 to 28 years should Muhammadu Buhari win the forthcoming general elections.

The octogenarian, who wants the people of the region to support the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, warned that the region may have none to blame, but themselves if they vote otherwise.

The elder statesman also cast a view on the forthcoming general elections, saying that the contest between Atiku and Buhari would be close in the North even as he argued that the President Buhari we have in the Aso Rock is the real Buhari and not a double as have been alleged in some quarters.

Excerpts:

Ahead of the 2019 elections, what is your assessment of the political activities across the country?

My general assessment of the 2019 general elections is that it would be something like the 1964 elections, where you had two major groupings, namely UPGA comprising the NCNC, Action Group, NEPU and others and NNA made up of Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), Midwest Democratic Front (MDF) led by James Otobo, Niger Delta Peoples Congress (NDPC) led by the late Chief Dappa Biriye, Chief SLA Akintola’s Nigeria National Democratic Party (NNDP) and some others. This kind of divide is what is going to play out in the general elections. APC and their allies in the Southwest already have their candidate in the person of President Muhammadu Buhari. And the other block is the PDP, which has Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi as their candidates. This is a divide with far reaching implications. Now, if Buhari who is now looking for a second term wins the election, he would complete his second term of four years. Since his running mate is from the Southwest, the natural thing is for APC to nominate his running mate from the Southwest. The candidate of the party would then come from the Southwest, who will naturally nominate his running mate among APC supporters from the North. If they succeed in winning the elections after Buhari, whoever wins the election on APC’s platform would likely run for two terms of eight years. If you put the eight years plus Buhari’s four years, it would amount to 12 years. And that is not all. After the man from the Southwest, it is impossible for somebody on the platform of the APC to aspire to be nominated to contest election from the entire South and, therefore, the candidature would now come back to the North after the Southwest. The North, naturally, with the trend started by Obasanjo, would also like to have two terms of eight years. If you put together that eight years, plus the eight years of the Southwest and the remainder of four years for Buhari’s second tenure, that would be a total of 20 years. That would be the time that it would take for anybody from the Southeast to have an opportunity to become the President of Nigeria, if elected. That is not all. The scenario is that by the time APC candidate from the North has competed his two terms, the slot will not automatically go to the Southeast or Igbo land, it will be available for both the Southeast and South-South geopolitical zones. But if, on the other hand, PDP with Atiku and a running mate from the Southeast in the person of Peter Obi, wins the election next year, they would run the government for a maximum of eight years, that is two successful terms. And after that government of eight years, automatically the shift would go to the Southeast and the possibility is that his running mate, who is from Igbo land and from the Southeast would become the candidate for the position of the President on the ticket of the party. In other words, if Buhari wins the coming election, it would take Igbo and the Southeast a minimum of 20 years or more before they can have the possibility of producing the President of Nigeria. Therefore, PDP’s victory in next year’s elections is the surest way of giving the Igbo man the opportunity to have one of their own becoming the President of Nigeria.

The way you talked, you must have been concerned about something. What are your worries and fears? What is pushing you to go public, at this time, with this kind of insightful political calculation?

My observation is this… you know I was a member of the NPN in the Second Republic. We in the NPN then decided to adopt zoning and rotation for the country in order for power to rotate among both the majority and minority ethnic groups both in the Southern and Northern parts of the country. Had President Shagari completed his two-term tenure, the late Dr Alex Ekwueme or somebody from Igbo land would have become the next President of Nigeria in that succession. That did not happen because of the military take over in 1983. So, the idea behind NPN adopting the concept of rotation is to ensure that every region or sub-region of this country has a taste of the Presidency within the quickest possible time. Now, the Yoruba under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has had the opportunity to run the country for two consecutive terms of eight years. The South-South has had their opportunity under President Jonathan, but unfortunately, he could not make it because of the stiff resistance from the North on power shift because they believed that Jonathan should have allowed the North to complete the two term tenure of Yar ‘Adua. Now, we are back at it again. My sincere concern is that if it would take 20 years or more for an opportunity to present itself to the Southeast to produce the President of Nigeria, and in my judgment, that would be grossly unfair to the people in the Southeast, because all along, apart from Zik who held the position of ceremonial president and the brief stop by Ironsi, the Southeast has never produced a president for Nigeria from Independence to date. That does not and would not in future augur well for the unity and solidarity of the people of this country. This is my point.

You have spoken well. One thing is to perceive a problem, but another and most important is to find the solution to the perceived problem. What, therefore, do you advise the political elements in the Southeast to do at this point in time to avert your fears?

You earlier asked me about my concern? Didn’t you? My concern is that I have seen some elements in position of influence in Igbo land thinking of their immediate interest rather than the overall interests of the Igbo as a people in Nigeria. Those of them who are complaining that the PDP candidate did not consult them and all that stuff are complaining so that they could draw the attention of the PDP candidate – probably to settle them, failure of which they would support the other side or they would remain aloof, which is the same thing as supporting the other side. This is the reason I am concerned and I feel that Igbo people and their leaders should not sacrifice their overall interests on the altar of their narrow personal ambition or interest.

The EFCC was recently alleged to have frozen some accounts belonging to the vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Peter Obi. What is your reaction to that development?

Although there are speculation that they (EFCC) have denied the report, when I first heard the story, my immediate reaction was that this combination of Atiku and Peter Obi is now making the APC and its presidential candidate quite jittery to the extent that they can see themselves losing the coming election and, therefore, they are becoming more and more desperate. I have held the view all along that the security forces and INEC, whether anybody likes it or not, would like to dance to the tune of the APC and to the tune of President Buhari because to my mind, Buhari has carefully chosen the people who would definitely not go against his interest and put them in positions of authority in our country, including in INEC. I don’t want to deal with individuals, but I know that some of the key figures at INEC are very close to President Buhari; some of them owe a favour to him because he had favoured them before – either by working under him in the PTF or by getting contracts from him under that organization. So, there is a natural feeling on their part to return this favour to Buhari. So, INEC and the some individuals in the security in the country are intentionally or otherwise skewed to support the candidature of President Buhari. If you look at this fact, some of them who have completed their time in the service, have had their tenure of service virtually extended, despite reaching the stipulated retirement age of service as provided by our law. I cannot expect such individuals to become unconcerned on a possibility of their benefactor losing power. They can hardly be neutral in such a situation. The possibility of that type of people becoming neutral in the forthcoming elections is very difficult to imagine.

But do you think that there is anything that can be done to address the issue of neutrality that you have just highlighted? The election is just weeks away?

I don’t know… I don’t know. But the question is why must we not allow the law to take their natural course? Why shouldn’t they be allowed to retire like any other public servant and enjoy the rest of their lives like their likes as stipulated by the law? The aspiration of any employee is to reach the age of retirement so that he can join his loved ones to live in peace and harmony with them without let or hindrance from any unnecessary incumbency.

Of late, your friend, Ango Abdullahi is singing a different tune about Buhari, indicating that himself and his group are not with him anymore. What do you think could have led to the sudden face-off? Is it that Ango didn’t get what he wanted from the administration or he is crusading for the Nigerian people?

Well, Ango has never been my friend. He has been my junior brother. We maintain a very cordial relationship. I don’t know what happened, but I know that Ango Abdullahi and his friend, Sani Zango Daura had been together politically for many, many years. They are age mates and I don’t know whether they went to school together. I don’t know. They came from two different old provinces – Ango from the old Zaria Province while Sani Zango Daura from the old Katsina Province. But they were very intimate friends all along. I have been reading the discordant views that are being expressed by Ango and I take note of it and I feel that even the organization that they formed and are running together from the onset, Northern Elders Forum, is now virtually divided between a group led by Ango, who is the overall chairman and a group led by his deputy, Sani Zango Daura. My belief is that either Ango has genuinely realized the mistake they made in supporting Buhari in 2015 and he is now trying to amend or the way things happened in the administration did not match his expectation. Whichever is the case, I’m not sure, but I know it is one of the two, and things are not the same.

We are faced with one interesting drama, a very funny one indeed. Is there one Buhari? Does Buhari have a double as alleged? What is your reaction?

The way people are doubled in the past is that it is not done permanently. It is only done for an occasion. You find your look-alike, and you keep him for a purpose. When the need arises, you bring him to appear on your behalf. You don’t do it permanently. You do that only occasionally.

I know that the late Fuhrer Adolf Hitler was said to be doing that. So, also the late Saddam Hussain of Iraq was also alleged to have had a double. But such doubles are only used momentarily and only appear for a moment and disappear as soon as the occasion was over. If it is done for a long time someone clever enough would discover the trick. But it is not done continuously. The double doesn’t appear all the time. He only comes out at a particular time when he is needed. The moment he serves that purpose, he goes back to where he belongs. But he cannot be on a permanent basis.

In the light of this background, how do you see this claim of a Buhari’s double?

It was just an academic exercise, a mere academic exercise. The Buhari we have is the real Buhari. I have not seen anything to convince me otherwise. This is not his replica. It is him.

There is a feeling that 2019 presidential election would be mainly a contest between Buhari and Atiku in the North. How do you size the strength of the two leading contestants in the North?

You know that this is an era of hired crowd and all that. So, I do not judge one’s political popularity based on the gatherings that appear at rallies and political occasions. Having said that, let me begin by saying that there are three important factors that helped Buhari in 2015 to win elections that year which would not be the same next year. One is the fact that he was a Moslem and his opponent was a Christian. That played a very important role particular here in the North. This is so when some Imams in their various Mosques, the Friday before the elections, had urged their respective congregations to vote for somebody who would promote interest of their religion. In other words, they were urging the people to vote for Buhari. That is factor number one. Factor number two, Buhari was a Northerner and Jonathan was a Southerner and as I said at the beginning of this interview, Northerners were itching for the North to complete the eight-year tenure of President Umaru Yar’Adua. There were a lot of people in the North who felt the region had been short-changed by Jonathan, and it was a genuine feeling. Number three, there is the factor that the Hausa-Fulani are largest ethnic group in Northern Nigeria and they have their cousins who always think and act together with them on matters of politics and other aspects of life. For instance, the Nupe people, the Igbira people, the Igala people, the Jukum people, the Camba people, Gbagi and many others. They have been together with Hausa-Fulani for 100 years, they intermarry and do things together. These three factors contributed to the success of Buhari in the North in 2015. They are not there anymore. Today, Buhari is Hausa/Fulani, his rival Atiku is Hausa/Fulani. Buhari is from the North, his rival Atiku is from the North. Buhari is a Moslem, his rival, Atiku, is a Moslem. So, the tendency is for the two of them to share the votes cast in the North, maybe somebody would get 55 per cent of these votes while the other would get 45 per cent. But the scenario would certainly not be the same as what happened in 2015. That I am very sure would happen.

Some Northern states with huge population like Kano are more favourably disposed to Buhari. Don’t you think Buhari would take advantage of this, especially when we are already hearing of claims of five million votes and 2.9 million primary election votes in favour of Buhari?

Well, I am basing my political calculation on genuine votes that would be cast by Nigerians, not on rigging or votes that would come from rigging the polls. Honestly, I fear that an attempt at rigging these would be made particularly by those who control power and resources in order win power in the coming elections. But things will not be the same as before.

But do you, like many, smell the possibility of rigging in this election?

I do.

What makes you think this election could be rigged?

Buhari could not have ensured that he has influence in INEC and in the security establishments all for nothing. I don’t know and I am not in his mind to know why he felt the need to retain some people in that area at all costs? But as a human being, I don’t think he was doing all that for nothing.

A few days ago, a number of political parties formed an alliance with the PDP ahead of the polls. Looking at this development, do you expect their alliance to be as successful as the alliance, which was formed against Jonathan in 2015?

I think that most of the parties in Nigeria have no alternative than to support Atiku and the PDP. And this is for two reasons. One, Nigeria has tested Buhari twice and Buhari has nothing to show for it. In his first coming, you cannot remember Buhari for anything apart from his notorious War Against Indiscipline (WAI). Now, he has spent more than three and half years since his election as a civilian president and there is nothing he can show for it except for some developments in dealing with Boko Haram insurgency. Even in that, the general belief is that Boko Haram has only changed their tactics by now turning their guns against the security forces instead of against the civilian population. This can be seen from the casualties inflicted by Boko Haram against the military and the police. He talks of fighting corruption, but ask yourself: How many people have been convicted? How many important personalities? I can only remember just two, Jolly Nyame and Dariye and if you remember well enough, their cases started with Obasanjo and Jonathan administrations. Their cases did not start with Buhari and if Buhari is claiming credit for these cases, he is not being fair.

But since he came to power, yes, he arrested people through EFCC, ICPC and so on, but none of them is convicted. Majority of those arrested are members of opposition parties. And interestingly, if an opposition party member is arrested the day he decamps to the APC, his case would go into limbo. The case of former Senate minority leader is a classical example. He is now a beautiful bride as Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe once said after the 1959 general elections in this country. Apart from that, Buhari administration did not suffer the kind of sabotage, which the Jonathan administration experienced.

Everybody can remember the case of diversion of huge funds approved by President Jonathan for the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram as we now know that was done by some leading members of the military high command like the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badey and many others and the purchase of unserviceable military equipment which retarded progress in the prosecution of the war against the Boko Haram insurgency. Well, we have only two months to the elections and let us see if some miracles would happen to change the narrative in the management of this country and if any physical change will happen between now and then. But I doubt.


http://saharareporters.com/2019/01/06/tanko-yakassai-ndigbo-you-won’t-get-presidency-next-20-years-if-apc-wins-2019

Buhari approves N161bn for 2019 TETFund interventions in varsities, others


President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N161bn for the 2019 Tertiary Education Trust Fund Intervention activities in Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The Executive Secretary, TETFund, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday at a news conference.

Baffa explained that the approval of TETFund 2018 Intervention Guidelines of N161bn represented the education tax collection for 2017, which was a boost to the higher education institutions in the country.


He stated that the money had been allocated to eligible institutions for 2019 intervention activities in accordance with the provisions of the TETFund Act 2011.

He explained that each public university would get an allocation of N785,832,700, while each polytechnic would be given N536,703,502 from the N161bn.

He also noted that each college of education would get N510,084,900 of the amount.


‘‘The approval of the 2018 Intervention by President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2018 heralds the commencement of the 2019 TETFund Intervention activities.

‘‘The approved N161 billion has been allocated to eligible institutions for 2019 Intervention activities in accordance with the provisions of the TETFund Act 2011.

‘‘Consequently, each public university will get an allocation of N785,832,700; each public polytechnic N536,703,502; and each college of education will get an allocation of N510,084,900 respectively,’’ he said.

Baffa added that detailed breakdown of the allocations would be released after the fund would have communicated the allocation letters to the institutions.

He, therefore, called on all institutions that are entitled to come to the Fund’s head office to collect their allocation letters from Monday, January 7.

The executive secretary further said the fund would focus on providing essential physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, providing support research and publication and instructional materials and equipment.


He said other area of focus was funding to support academic staff training and development, as well as funding to support the maintenance of educational standards in the institutions.


‘‘In 2018, the fund fully implemented the 2017 Revised Guidelines for accessing Intervention funds by beneficiary institutions to ease the processes of submission and approval of projects proposals for the various Intervention lines of the fund.


‘‘This contributed significantly to beneficiary institutions delivering their 2017 Intervention projects within the specified project cycles.

‘‘The internal controls introduced by the fund in 2017 resulted to high level of compliance with the guidelines for accessing funds by beneficiary institutions throughout 2018,’’ he stressed.

Baffa added that as at November 2018, the total education tax collection stood at N200, 793,193,208.54, which showed an increase of 25.47 per cent over the previous year’s collection of N154.9billion.

He explained that the growth in the education tax collection was a clear confirmation that Nigeria’s economy had recovered from avoidable recession it was earlier plunged into.

He expressed optimism that the increased collection would translate to bigger allocations to public Tertiary Education Institutions leading to more projects, scholarship and research funds for the institutions.

He thanked the President for supporting the board’s management in its activities.



https://punchng.com/buhari-approves-n161bn-for-2019-tetfund-interventions-in-varsities-others/

oyaskii:
I saw 13, how many did you see?

I saw 20.

FUTA alumni reject call to rename institution after Shagari


Following the call to rename the Federal University of Technology Akure, after the late former President Sheu Shagari, the alumni of the institution have kicked against the call, saying it might mar the brand of the institution.

It was gathered that after the death of Shagari, there have been calls from some quarters, that the former President be immortalised by naming one of the federal universities, established during his administration between 1979 to 1983, after him.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, the President of the FUTA Alumni Association, Olaitan Adesomoju, appealed to the Federal Government to disregard the suggestion that Shagari be immortalised by renaming FUTA after him.

According to the alumni president, a name change for FUTA would do more harm than good to the institution, which he said, had over the years created an international brand for itself with the name FUTA.

Adesomoju said, the focus for the institution should be how its infrastructural and academic advancement would be uplifted by the Federal Government, stressing that aside FUTA, one of the other institutions established in various parts of the country by Shagari could be renamed after him.

He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), in his tribute to the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari with the title ‘’Name Federal University of Technology, Akure after Shagari ‘ published in several National daily newspapers.

“We, the entire members of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Alumni Association worldwide, view this as a personal opinion or a mere suggestion from Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), whom most of us refer to as a father.

“After extensive consultation and discussions with alumni members globally, we wish to state clearly that the overwhelming majority vehemently oppose any name change to our great alma mater.


https://punchng.com/futa-alumni-reject-call-to-rename-institution-after-shagari/?fbclid=IwAR12S-ewybrRAKTS47XHNpCuvPMkC-xq8qrNtlDDUWUslyC7PV4KEhT-iUM

MetaPhysical:
Look, I don't care what anyone said, Obasanjo is a bad dude. 150 yrs in the wilderness, that's a lot! So, how many do they have left? Even the Children of Israel didn't take that long in the wilderness. Now, I see why the issue of Biafra is a pressing issue for the Igbos. Would Yoruba or Hausa accept 150yrs blockage and just sit waiting and counting? Im sure they would start a rebellion also.

Most of you people don't know how to analyze historical facts and work with them. He said that it took the Southern part of USA 150 years for one of them to become president. It does not mean that it will take the igbos that long but it will surely take a long time to gain the trust of other regions. The signs that the igbos will still be in the wilderness is by the body language they are still showing. When you are still attacking other regions and shouting Biafra and claiming superiority, it shows that you have not repented.