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Politics › "President Jonathan Is Chairman Of Boko Haram" - Maiduguri Truck Drivers To BBC by DRANOEL(op): 5:03pm On Mar 09, 2015

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31533391

Nigerian truck drivers who have survived a journey through Boko Haram territory relax out of the sun under the porch of a building.

Most of those in the group drive tankers of petrol, diesel or kerosene to and from Maiduguri - the city at the heart of the Islamist insurgency in the north-east and the capital of Borno state.

Gathered at the Ogere Trailer Park, about 50km (30 miles) north of Lagos, they say they have all been affected by the six-year conflict.

"We are all concerned about the situation, we have all lost relatives, wives and children are kidnapped and houses have been burnt," says Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking in Hausa, he and his colleagues describe the perils of the route to and from Lagos.

It takes two and a half days when a tanker is empty and four and a half days when full.

They say it is dangerous enough without the militants to contend with as there are so many potholes.

"Ten of my colleagues who ply this route have been killed in the last three weeks," says Mr Abubakar.

"The militants stopped them and cut off their heads with an electric chainsaw and burned the trucks," he says.

"Boko Haram is usually only interested in commandeering smaller vehicles, sometimes the fighters will take the lorries, but most of the time they burn them."

Another truck driver chips in to say that if a driver looks "powerful" he may be kidnapped and conscripted as a fighter, but anyone looking "weak" will definitely "lose his head".

"If you reach Damaturu by five in the afternoon, you dare not continue on the final leg to Maiduguri," he says, explaining that a driver may not manage the last 130km before the sun sets, when they would be most vulnerable to attack.

The drivers tend to work for an owner who has about 20 tankers - each vehicle also has about two assistants to help with loading and guarding the cargo, known as motor boys.

As the drivers and motor boys ease into the conversation they begin to open up about how the insurgency has directly affected them.

Driver Trap Bukar says he was in the town of Bama when it was captured by Boko Haram last September.

"It started early in the morning. Suddenly they came. There was shooting, in my presence I saw four people go down; the soldiers fled," he says.

He lifts up his shirt to show what look like bullet scars on his upper torso

"I could tell you many unhappy tales," he says, with tears in his eyes.

But he suddenly gets up and leaves the group and his colleagues say he is too traumatised by his memories to continue.

Kullima Ali, 18, who has been a motor boy for four years, says he is now his family's only bread winner.

He says it is very difficult to tell the militants from soldiers, as they dress in camouflage - with only their eyes visible.

"They stole some food, killed my two brothers and burned our house in Maiduguri in January 2013," he says.

"There's only my mother and my sister now."

He says he had wanted to go and study science, but he is unable to afford to continue his education.

"Many of the drivers have good qualifications," says Umar Hussaini, 18, a motor boy who helps his driver brother.

He introduces me to Ibrahim Abdullahi, 25, a former university student who had been studying civil engineering at the start of insurgency.

He has been working as a trucker for the last five years as there are few other employment opportunities for young men, especially in the areas affected by the conflict.

"Yes I am scared, if there was other work I would find another job," says Mr Abdullahi.

All the truckers express anger about the six-week postponement of the 14 February presidential election and are vocal in their criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan's handling of the conflict.

Some even refer to him as "the chairman of Boko Haram" - seeing him as complicit in the group's growth over the years.

Others say his complicity lies in his neglect of north-east.

"President Jonathan is just as guilty as those Boko Haram killers because he has chopped off all the money to repair the roads," Mr Abubakar says.

Life is now a constant financial struggle for them, he adds.

For each trip, a driver gets a 10,000 naira ($50, £33) living allowance but this might have to last for several weeks as he waits at Ogere Trailer Park for clearance to go into Lagos port to collect cargo.

Most of the truckers get a monthly salary of between $100 and $200 and the motor boys receive $2.50 a day.

"I spent four days in the queue in the traffic to the port - I haven't slept for four nights because I had to watch out for thieves as they remove parts from the vehicle or steal the gas," he says.

But he is only taking a short break of a couple of hours as he is anxious to put the coming dangers behind him.

"The killings are too much and have been going on for too long," says his colleague Mr Abubakar.

"President Jonathan is not doing anything. We hope he will leave - we want change."

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Politics › Re: 17 States That Might Make Buhari To Lose Presidential Election- Adedayo Ademuwag by DRANOEL(m): 4:04pm On Mar 09, 2015

chukwudi44:
Benue state worst affected by fulani herdsmen attacks would vote for a fulani man? Bros are you for real?

https://www.nairaland.com/2181847/2015-results-benue-shock-jonathan
2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion

Politics › Re: 17 States That Might Make Buhari To Lose Presidential Election- Adedayo Ademuwag by DRANOEL(m): 3:59pm On Mar 09, 2015

ejiro2130:
Have you ever visited plateau and Benue States?? I am sure the answer is no, GEJ will lose Benue clearly plateau state is too close to call

Lol 90% of Benue State will vote for GEJ, why don't you ask ppl in Benue or visit them and see

DRANOEL:
Firstly, this is my opinion which was built on interactions, the tempo of the people and the general feeling in the State.

All lot of permutations are being made with most(if not all) showing Benue as a sure state for Goodluck to win convincingly, this permutations are made on the premise that Gabriel Suswam will pull his weight as the sitting governor added to the force of David Mark. Also, some believe that Benue being the only Northern State with a 98% Christian majority and with their experience with the Fulani herdsmen, a vote for a Fulani man talkless a muslim will be a no no for them. All these are far from the reality on ground, the Benue electorate (both in town & grassroots) in this coming elections are perhaps the most politically conscious electorates in the country right now, from the farmer in the thick village to the fisherman in the riverine areas to the white collar jobber in the towns, the political discussions are centred on voting individuals and not party and considerations are placed on antecedents, baggage, goodwill and sense of injustice. The principal supporters of the president in Benue (Suswam, Mark, Ayu, Morro) are actually the principal reasons the president will not be getting a slice of Benue. Suswam is considered by almost all in Benue as the dark spot of the state, in eight years apart from raising the financial status of various girlfriends, putting money in the hands of thugs and cultist, the governor has really not done anything in the State. This is evidenced in the fact that during the President's visit, He had to commission a renovated primary school as the achievement of the governor. Suswam is basically hated by the Benue electorate, so much that the PDP governoship candidate in the state despite being a young man with the potential to move the state forward, has a herculean task to climb because of his association with Suswam, whenever he goes campaigning and tells the electorates to vote for him so as to continue the good works Suswam started, the people ask; what continuity,? the continual owing of civil servants salary (now 5 months), the continual looting of state funds, the continual nonchalant attitude towards the Fulani invaders, the continual funding of babes, or the continual elevation of thugs? To paint a better picture of how Suswam is a liability, Barnabas Gemade a hitherto selfish and unliked politician in the state is now praised to high heavens, simply because he is battling Suswam for the senate sit, Suswam winning Gemade is day by day becoming an impossible task talkless of him garnering votes in his senatorial zone for Jonathan, in fact Suswam is rumoured to have lamented to some close aides about the President's inefficiency in handling INEC and making Jega to fall in line, He is rumoured to have said his and others election is now a tight rope, something that would have been a walk over if only the President had hoodwinked Inec from the get go.

David Mark, though his senate sit is more or less guaranteed, the same cannot be said about his zone's support for Jonathan and/or the governorship candidate. David Mark will be riding on the back of the fact that he paid off every reasonable challenge against him and is smart enough to understand that the general feeling of his people towards Jonathan is low, He has infact through his own campaigns (not the presidential or governorship rallies) managed to sub consciously pass the message across that he is only asking for his senate sit and it shouldn't be confused or mixed up with any other election. Ayu and Morro are political liabilities in Benue, the surest way to lose an election in the state is having them on your train.

Added to all this is Goodluck himself who despite the huge support he got from the state, has managed not to do anything in the state for the past 4years. In addition, the Tivs who have a 70+% majority in the state have been politically side-lined in the national level. Besides, the general feeling in the state is that of a President who has no idea what his job functionality is, mention the name Goodluck in the villages and you will be lucky if you are not vulgarly insulted. Posters of Jonathan are only displayed in a few towns as he is tied with Suswam as one and the same person. It is even said that if Goodluck rigs Benue the best he can get is 30% of the votes, the situation you have in Benue according to the people is a useless Suswam teamed up with an unpopular President and supported by Ayu/Morro who have lost every respect of people against a Buhari who is seen as someone different from the usual, supported by Akume who has a cult following and Ortom, who even though has issues with how he became APC governorship candidate, has lots of respect in the state for giving back to the people by propping up small industries across the state.

Anyone who says Goodluck will win Benue is only living a day dream, for the indigenes of Benue, Goodluck will definitely lose Benue; the question is, how bad will he lose? Discussions are not on whether he will lose or not, discussions are on the extent of his losing.

3 Likes

Nairaland General › Re: If Tarzoor Were Not From The Royal Family, I Would Have Questioned The Source Of by DRANOEL(m): 10:28am On Mar 09, 2015

Jakaya:
IF TARZOOR WERE NOT FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY, I WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE SOURCE OF HIS WISDOM.

When I see the wisdom in the way our Governor in waiting handles issues, I am left with no option than to thank his father for inculcating in him the needed discipline and maturity needed to approach matters of leadership; calling to mind his royal background.

I feel very bad when I see young girls out with their boyfriends at moments when their mothers should be teaching them how to cook and treat their future husbands well. TARZOOR is an example of a good family upbringing, 4 those of us with a photo-mind; we can picture the young Prince sitting at the feet of his father, while pronouncing judgement in wisdom and truth. No wonder then, he can speak with such confidence. He is eloquent enough, full of vigour, articulate in his speech and with the command of the language: Tiv, English, pidgin, Ijaw, et cetera

Sai TARZOOR kawai!

What is this non sense? I believe you are a young man right? Instead of putting your energies and resources into positive rewarding ventures, you are here fooling around playing the political arz licker!!

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 8:06pm On Mar 06, 2015

drtwist:
how I wish u can bet ur money about benue state. even by % Gej will pull up to 65% because Election is won in nigeria mainly by the number of top men u have behind u. That is the only reason Buhari can Even talk abt change because he knws he now have Men behind him. So hook me up if u want a Bet.

Name the big local govts in Benue, then tell me where their sentiments lie

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 7:57pm On Mar 06, 2015

Aspireahead:
while i tink Buhari will win the election, Benue is in support of GEJ. Who do u tink vote base on performance? Oga forget what u have seen in MKD and Gboko and go to villages. Enter Vandeikya, Zaki biam, Chito and other villages to find out.

did you even read the original post? It is the villages that dont want to here GEJ

Politics › Now Buhari’s Brain Is Bracing Up - VANGUARD by DRANOEL(op): 5:16pm On Mar 06, 2015

In his fourth pursuit for the presidency, Muhammadu Buhari is in his old age adopting new patterns of political behaviour. How the rebranding will help him is another matter.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

DEMENTIA is an ailment of the old and it was not surprising when First Lady Patience Jonathan, at a campaign rally in Lokoja last Tuesday, warned Nigerians about the prospects for Nigeria if an old man like Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is elected president.

“Wetin him dey find again? Him dey drag with him pikin mate. Old man wey no get brain, him brain don die pata pata,” Mrs. Jonathan was quoted as telling enthusiastic supporters of her husband before doling out rice, meat and brocades in thankful appreciation of the women.

The assertion remarkably did not go down well with the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation which in response urged President Goodluck Jonathan to warn his wife for taking the campaign away from the issues of concern to Nigerians.

Alleged degradation

If President Jonathan cautioned his wife on the matter, no one can for now say. Buhari has himself not personally responded, neither had his wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari spoken out on the alleged degradation of her husband’s mental faculties.

Irrespective of Mrs. Jonathan’s delivery, the issue of Buhari’s age and mental alertness is a matter for any one wishing to lead a country of more than 170 million people.

It is thus not surprising that Buhari’s handlers and associates are prompt to assure the citizenry of the mental alertness of the candidate.

“If you watched or listened to the Chatham House lecture, you will not condone anything of that sort that the PDP people are saying of him. Especially the question and answer session where he interspersed his answers with humour,” an associate of the general told Vanguard.

“He is someone that listens a lot and would wait until the end of a discussion before giving a response. He is very diplomatic and tactful, and when he speaks, he is very deliberate in his choice of words as you saw with him at Chatham House,” the associate, a member of the APC’s Presidential Campaign Council said.

General Buhari has also sought to reach out to voters in other ways, moving out from his closest as a taciturn, conservative that only associates with fellow Fulanis.

Remarkably, the general has been almost reticent on responding to insinuations of him being a religious fanatic, only saying that he had more Christian associates than Muslim in the army.

Gen. Sam Momah (retd.), a Christian who worked as Principal Staff Officer when Buhari was General Officer Commanding, GOC, of one of the army’s divisions said: “if anybody is trying to input that Buhari is a religious bigot, just know that the person is playing naked politics, far from the truth.”

The Chatham House lecture was only one opportunity for Buhari to show the world that he is not the kind of person that his political adversaries have sought to project.

In a number of other ways, the candidate has also rebranded including in his dressing and political strategies.

Several dimensions of the new look Buhari, it was gathered were worked out by Governor Chibuke Amaechi, the Director-General of his campaign organisation. Indeed, the appointment of Amaechi was the first indication of Buhari’s determination to branch out from the stereotype he had been used to.

Northern eggheads

In the past, his campaign had been managed by a few northern eggheads within The Buhari Organisation, TBO, who were seen at that time as being narrow minded and only preoccupied with projecting Buhari as a champion of the north.

Unlike in past campaigns, when he only donned the Hausa-Fulani attire in his campaign outreaches to some other parts of the country and when he did not even visit many areas, this time, Buhari has worn different attires to reflect the custom and attire of everywhere he went.

That, coupled with the challenges of the incumbent president, have helped to blossom support for Buhari in distant places.

From the South-East through the South-South and to the South-West, support for Buhari has skyrocketed to the point that he has become a potent threat to the PDP’s Jonathan in a number of southern states.

In the Southeast, a number of dissidents within the PDP are believed to be covertly or openly working for Buhari including a son of a foremost crusader of Nigeria’s independence.

Buhari’s associates say he is also not that dry and humourless person. A member of his campaign team disclosed how one occasion as the campaign bus travelled through the night bushes in Delta State, some campaign officials decided to loosen up and framed a song: “we no go tire…we no go tire. Until we win, we no go tire..”

As they sang, Buhari who all the while kept mum, received a phone call and all of a sudden everyone kept quiet. Once he was finished with his call, he now bellowed unto the singers, “Now you can continue with your noise,” the official said and everyone burst out into laughter.

“He has a sense of humour which you will not get until you come close to him,” the campaign official told Vanguard.

Mr. Uche Ofearoh, who served as Anambra State Coordinator for the Buhari Campaign Organisation, BCO, prior to the presidential primaries spoke in the same manner.

According to him, the general had been widely misconceived, but he expressed satisfaction that a number of the misconceptions have been widely seen to be ill-founded.

But even as he crusades for change of the Jonathan administration, Buhari campaign insiders say he remains stuck in his old conservative ways of handling relations especially exposing his family to campaign. Though his daughters, Halima Sherrif and Safina Buhari, represented him at a Valentine Night outing themed for his political campaign, the candidate remains stuck in the culture of keeping one’s wife and family out of the limelight.

It is one argument that Mrs. Jonathan sees as a threat to her personal crusade to project Nigerian women as she had in the past warned that Buhari could cancel the office of first lady.

After Mrs. Jonathan’s dig on Buhari’s brain, there was pressure from his sympathisers for Aisha to respond. Those who suggested this were motivated by the fact that Aisha is regarded as a better speaker than Mrs. Jonathan and would as such rubbish her. But few dared to personally bring up the matter with the general.

“We know what it took for him to allow his wife come out at campaign rallies, and I am not prepared for that again,” a source within the Buhari circle confided. So even while he may have branched out in terms of political pattern, Buhari remains dogged-in in his cultural upbringing.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/now-buharis-brain-is-bracing-up/

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Politics › Re: Boko Haram On The Back Foot - The Economist by DRANOEL(op): 4:37pm On Mar 06, 2015

ROSSIKE:
You're a foreign plant pretending to be one of us, and you're here to promote your racist Economist propaganda which we reject. "British trained troops" my foot. Just get lost.

https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m69kty2TUW1rwtbsro1_500.png

Politics › Re: Boko Haram On The Back Foot - The Economist by DRANOEL(op): 4:25pm On Mar 06, 2015

ROSSIKE:
Who are you anyway? Kindly get lost. I bet you're not even Nigerian.

what am I ? Togolese? get lost to where? Otouke sure pass 2015

Politics › Re: Boko Haram On The Back Foot - The Economist by DRANOEL(op): 4:19pm On Mar 06, 2015

ROSSIKE:
The Economist labelled Mandela a terrorist back in the day. They still are anti-black, and it shows in their condescending reports, such as this one. I wouldn't take them seriously.

yeah right, because they bashed your goody doodluck

Politics › Re: Boko Haram On The Back Foot - The Economist by DRANOEL(op): 4:11pm On Mar 06, 2015

you gotta love the professionalism of the Economist, they tell it like it is; your positives, they tell you, your negatives, they tell you.

Politics › Boko Haram On The Back Foot - The Economist by DRANOEL(op): 4:09pm On Mar 06, 2015*

ALMOST two months ago, Abubakar Mohammed fled from Boko Haram as it overran his home town in north-eastern Nigeria. Since then he has been among the wandering ranks of 1m-plus displaced people. But a glimmer of hope now shines on the horizon. Monguno, the fishing village on the edge of Lake Chad that he calls home, was liberated by Nigeria’s army last month. Mr Mohammed is now planning to return.

Monguno is one of about 30 villages reportedly reclaimed from Boko Haram since February 7th. That was the day Nigeria announced a delay of the presidential election until the end of March to give the army time to quell the insurgency, which would have prevented a vote in large parts of three north-eastern states. After years of rampaging almost without opposition, Boko Haram now faces a fight. [b]This change is well timed for the government, since it faced the prospect of electoral defeat before the poll was postponed, not least because of its failure to provide better security.

Locals wonder why it has taken so long. Army spokesmen say better arms have arrived. Many are said to have come from Russia after America blocked the sale of sophisticated weapons, such as attack helicopters, because of human-rights abuses by Nigerian soldiers.

[/b]New tactics are helping. Demoralised battalions have been replaced and new generals have taken command on the front line, says Mike Omeri, an army spokesman. British-trained units have been praised for advances in Adamawa, one of the three most afflicted states.

The army also cites better co-operation with neighbouring countries, which are gathering an 8,700-strong force to fight the rebels. Troops stationed along the borders with Cameroon and Niger are trying to block escape routes. Chadian forces, which entered Nigeria in January, have reclaimed territory. (They helped defeat fighters linked to al-Qaeda in Mali in 2013, and reckon they could end this insurgency on their own.)

But regional relations are still tense. Chad does not take part in joint operations with Nigeria, whose government wants to claim victories for itself. And far from being defeated, Boko Haram has responded with a string of suicide-bombings and attacks on countries that have joined the fray. One of its recent videos shows two victims being beheaded.

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21645737-west-african-forces-may-last-be-gaining-ground-back-foot
cc: Seun, Lalasticala, Ngwakwe, Ikenna351, Afam4eva, OAM4J, maclatunji

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 3:58pm On Mar 06, 2015

coldFLARES1:
I may have to disagree with you. The most likely consequence of having a non-perfoming 'brother' run in an election as an incumbent is aparthy and not sentiments. His people would be totally indifferent whether he wins or loses.

However, loopholes in the electoral system have given politicians the leverage to commit fraud and make it seem like it is possible to be a failure yet to be overwheming loved by your people. As a matter of fact, politicians simply connive with electoral officials to either totally deny some people of their right to vote on election day or simply use up unused ballot paper.

For instance, check the rate of collection of PVCs in Bayelsa and tell me if the president's kinsmen are quite keen about his re-election. It is following from this that you can situate PDP's agitation for non-accreditation using the Card Readers and a call to accommodate the use of TVCs so that they can replicate their fraud of a 90 percent voter turn-out in the SE and SS and justify the kind of postulation you make.

Personally, I only desire the process to leave very little room for manipulations so we can have an election that is substancially credible, free and fair. But make no mistakes, I am for Buhari all the way!

some people just think that the no shoes and Christian/Muslim sentiments used in 2011 will work again in 2015.

Politics › Re: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Has Formally Sued African Independent Television (AIT) by DRANOEL(m): 3:12pm On Mar 06, 2015

I see Dokpesi going bankrupt again, most of the things in the documentary were allegations and unconfirmed. That is why a man is guilty until proven otherwise by the courts.

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Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 12:39pm On Mar 06, 2015

akumada1:
Im in benue and i interact with my people. Benue is in full support of Gej. The OPs is just an apc sympathiser creating self opinion claiming people's opinion.

let me make a wild guess, you are Idoma, and you are a David Mark follower. I guessed that, because those are the only set of people that can make the above statement

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 12:16pm On Mar 06, 2015

janus05:
the answer is simple : politics of convenience. APC is deceiving themselves with benue. APC can never win Benue. Okorocha is a confirmed goner, and peterside of rivers will cry like a baby.

Chairman can you name the 19 northern states? are you aware that presently, APC has two of the three senators in the state?

2 Likes

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 11:45am On Mar 06, 2015

kokoA:
Sadly, this is the reality on ground.. GEJ MAY lose Benue or win with the slightest of margins.. GEJ is so hated in Benue that one risk been lynched saying anything positive about him.. Drive around towns and villages, the only posters you'd see are those of Buhari/Osinbajo and Ortom/Abonu and torn PDP posters. GEJ cannot win Benue if a free and fair election is conducted.

exactly what I am saying, some people come online throwing assumptions about Benue being Christian and Buahri being Fulani hence the state will vote GEJ whereas the reality on ground is totally in contrast, you hardly find anyone confidently and openly campaigning for GEJ in Benue, they are simply no achievements to campaign with, GEJ winning Benue will be a miracle.

1 Like

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 11:37am On Mar 06, 2015

Splashme:
OP, on what grounds will Benue not vote GEJ?
Below are a few of his projects in that state. There are many others:

* Reconstruction PH-Enugu-Makurdi Rail way lines

* Reconstruction of Lafia – Makurdi Road, Aliade to Uturkpo Road

* SURE – P Projects in the state

* Construction of new library at the Federal Government College Otobi, Benue state

* Supply of new improved seedlings to boast groundnut and sorghum production

* Palliative reliefs for the Flood victims

* Construction of Perishable Cargo Terminal in Makurdi

* Ongoing construction of Oweto Bridge to link Benue and Nasarawa State (85% Completed)

* Ongoing reconstruction of Makurdi – Gboko, Wannune – Yandev Section Road

* Completion of the Greater Makurdi Water Supply Scheme

* Construction of Oju – Obussa – Ainu Road

I am sure they are other BENUE indigenes on this forum that can give you good answers to the above

1 Like

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 11:02am On Mar 06, 2015

Rad1cal:
How can the OP call Benue a Northern state ?

Benue is politically in the North but geographically in the south, before independence, the state was mostly under northern protectorate and partly under southern protectorate.

Politics › Re: 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 10:50am On Mar 06, 2015

capricon:
Let me tell you why you wrong. From history people vote based on sentiments and not perfomance

For example what did obasanjo do for the south east? Yet he was voted in TWICE from that zone

Jonathan, a political neophyte trounced buhari.

Jonathan will win though with a slim margin only because buhari and ribadu votes will be merged together from last time to shore up buhari votes this time

Jonathan will win whether he did something or not.

what sentiments are they going to vote for? have you been to Benue lately?

5 Likes

Politics › 2015: Results From Benue Will Shock Jonathan - opinion by DRANOEL(op): 10:33am On Mar 06, 2015

Firstly, this is my opinion which was built on interactions, the tempo of the people and the general feeling in the State.

All lot of permutations are being made with most(if not all) showing Benue as a sure state for Goodluck to win convincingly, this permutations are made on the premise that Gabriel Suswam will pull his weight as the sitting governor added to the force of David Mark. Also, some believe that Benue being the only Northern State with a 98% Christian majority and with their experience with the Fulani herdsmen, a vote for a Fulani man talkless a muslim will be a no no for them. All these are far from the reality on ground, the Benue electorate (both in town & grassroots) in this coming elections are perhaps the most politically conscious electorates in the country right now, from the farmer in the thick village to the fisherman in the riverine areas to the white collar jobber in the towns, the political discussions are centred on voting individuals and not party and considerations are placed on antecedents, baggage, goodwill and sense of injustice. The principal supporters of the president in Benue (Suswam, Mark, Ayu, Morro) are actually the principal reasons the president will not be getting a slice of Benue. Suswam is considered by almost all in Benue as the dark spot of the state, in eight years apart from raising the financial status of various girlfriends, putting money in the hands of thugs and cultist, the governor has really not done anything in the State. This is evidenced in the fact that during the President's visit, He had to commission a renovated primary school as the achievement of the governor. Suswam is basically hated by the Benue electorate, so much that the PDP governoship candidate in the state despite being a young man with the potential to move the state forward, has a herculean task to climb because of his association with Suswam, whenever he goes campaigning and tells the electorates to vote for him so as to continue the good works Suswam started, the people ask; what continuity,? the continual owing of civil servants salary (now 5 months), the continual looting of state funds, the continual nonchalant attitude towards the Fulani invaders, the continual funding of babes, or the continual elevation of thugs? To paint a better picture of how Suswam is a liability, Barnabas Gemade a hitherto selfish and unliked politician in the state is now praised to high heavens, simply because he is battling Suswam for the senate sit, Suswam winning Gemade is day by day becoming an impossible task talkless of him garnering votes in his senatorial zone for Jonathan, in fact Suswam is rumoured to have lamented to some close aides about the President's inefficiency in handling INEC and making Jega to fall in line, He is rumoured to have said his and others election is now a tight rope, something that would have been a walk over if only the President had hoodwinked Inec from the get go.

David Mark, though his senate sit is more or less guaranteed, the same cannot be said about his zone's support for Jonathan and/or the governorship candidate. David Mark will be riding on the back of the fact that he paid off every reasonable challenge against him and is smart enough to understand that the general feeling of his people towards Jonathan is low, He has infact through his own campaigns (not the presidential or governorship rallies) managed to sub consciously pass the message across that he is only asking for his senate sit and it shouldn't be confused or mixed up with any other election. Ayu and Morro are political liabilities in Benue, the surest way to lose an election in the state is having them on your train.

Added to all this is Goodluck himself who despite the huge support he got from the state, has managed not to do anything in the state for the past 4years. In addition, the Tivs who have a 70+% majority in the state have been politically side-lined in the national level. Besides, the general feeling in the state is that of a President who has no idea what his job functionality is, mention the name Goodluck in the villages and you will be lucky if you are not vulgarly insulted. Posters of Jonathan are only displayed in a few towns as he is tied with Suswam as one and the same person. It is even said that if Goodluck rigs Benue the best he can get is 30% of the votes, the situation you have in Benue according to the people is a useless Suswam teamed up with an unpopular President and supported by Ayu/Morro who have lost every respect of people against a Buhari who is seen as someone different from the usual, supported by Akume who has a cult following and Ortom, who even though has issues with how he became APC governorship candidate, has lots of respect in the state for giving back to the people by propping up small industries across the state.

Anyone who says Goodluck will win Benue is only living a day dream, for the indigenes of Benue, Goodluck will definitely lose Benue; the question is, how bad will he lose? Discussions are not on whether he will lose or not, discussions are on the extent of his losing.

https://thenationonlineng.net/new/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Buhari-620x330.jpg https://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Jonathan-Suswam.jpg

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Nairaland General › Re: Who Are The Oldest Members Of Nairaland by DRANOEL(m): 9:02pm On Nov 26, 2013

Old timer reporting

Politics › Re: Is The Northern Part Of Nigeria Marginalized by DRANOEL(m): 11:26am On Jul 09, 2012

revomind: You may like to remove Falae from that list. You're clutching at straws bruv. The simple fact is if the North is marginalized or if they feel marginalized, the blame should be placed at the feet of the members of the Northern elite for they have been the ones calling the shots for the better part of our history.

And why should falae be removed? wasn't he part of those that ravaged the country? is falae not a nigerian elite? wasn't he part of the military eras that destroyed the country? wasn't he the mouthpiece of SAP? wasn't he one of the finance ministers? Was a gun pointed at falae to remain as minister under the military?

Some of you post rubbish because you have access to a computer. If falae had(has) any moral sense in him, he shouldn't have been part of the military governments.

Politics › Russians Discover Oil,gold & Silver In Taraba by DRANOEL(op): 11:07pm On Apr 23, 2012

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Russian scientists from the Instituteof Aerospace Instrumentation havediscovered deposits of silver andtraces ofgold andoil in central andnorthern parts ofTaraba.
Mr Valery Shaposhinkov, the EconomicCounsellor ofRussian Embassy inNigeria, disclosed this on Monday inJalingo while briefing Gov. DanbabaSuntai on their survey for mineraldeposits in the state.
READ MORE IN LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER ONLINE

Politics › Re: Church Collapses During Easter Vigil In Benue. 40 Killed by DRANOEL(m): 1:23pm On Apr 08, 2012

R.I.P to the departed of vandiekya (am half from there). May God grant their families the strenght to bear the loss.

Why am i not surprised,NL's resident junk bag is here as usual drooling all over the place.

Politics › Re: Is Tb Joshua Getting It Right?: Malawi's President Suffers Heart Attack by DRANOEL(op): 6:56pm On Apr 05, 2012

^^^^chief i said "is tb joshua getting it right?" not "tb joshua got it right". the two statements have different meanings

Politics › Is Tb Joshua Getting It Right?: Malawi's President Suffers Heart Attack by DRANOEL(op): 5:49pm On Apr 05, 2012

LILONGWE (Reuters) -MalawiPresident
Bingu wa Mutharika was "very critical"on Thursday after a heart attack andwas being flown to South Africa fortreatment, a minister said, raisingfears of a political crisis in theimpoverished southern African nation.
A Reuters reporter in Lilongwewitnessed chaotic scenes as the 78-year-old leader's wife, Calista, andsenior cabinet ministers left thecapital's Kamuzu Central Hospital,where Mutharika was admitted onThursday morning after collapsing.
"There was panic," one hospitalstaffer told Reuters. "We have neverbeen prepared for such an eventuality.He suffered a cardiac arrest and thecondition is still unstable."
Vice-president Joyce Banda had wishedMutharika a speedy recovery, domesticmedia reported, although therelationship between the two has beenrocky since she was kicked out of theruling DPP party in 2010 after a rowover succession.
However, the constitution makes clearshe is first in line to take over, puttingher on a collision course withMutharika's inner circle, inc

Politics › Re: Understanding Benue! by DRANOEL(m): 8:15pm On Apr 03, 2012

@nanos
did you go through the thread before posting all you just posted? they are political rivalries in every state in nigeria,this thread wasn't talking about that. sometimes its good to enlighten yourself properly before making a fool of yourself. theres never been an ethnic clash between tiv and idoma. its just politics of appointments and positions like every other state.
did you go to school at all? go back and read the first post and don't bother us with your trash.

Politics › Benue Governor Accusses Nasarawa State Of Habouring Fulani Militia by DRANOEL(op): 12:13pm On Mar 30, 2012

Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue
State has accused the
neighbouring Nasarawa State of
harbouring Fulani militia,
responsible for the spate of attacks
on the Tiv communities in the
border between the two states.
Suswam made the allegation at a
church in Taraku, during a recent
service in his honour.
He alleged that some individuals in the
border towns in Nasarawa State were
providing logistics support for the
Fulani invaders.
“There is no dispute whatsoever
between Benue and Nasarawa states,
but the Fulanis, who are causing
problems in Benue State find shelter in
the neighboring communities in
Nasarawa State. And if the Tiv
communities eventually become
enraged and decide to cross into
Nasarawa State to pursue the
attackers, it will become a major
problem. This is what we are trying to
avoid,” Suswam said.
He promised to find a lasting solution
to the problem, while disclosing that
the two governors would soon hold a
meeting with traditional rulers from the
affected communities.
He said adequate security measures
would also be put in place to prevent
further attacks.

Source http://nationalmirroronline.net/news/34596.html

Politics › Re: Hembe & His Deputy Chris Azubogu Admit Collecting Estacode For Trip by DRANOEL(m): 8:35am On Mar 27, 2012

@poster

how did you come up with your heading ' ibo senators' when 1. they are house of rep members and 2. one of the two (hembe) you mentioned is from benue? are you trying to incite another e-war?

Politics › Re: 15 Feared Killed In Fresh Fulani, Tiv Farmers Clash, Again! by DRANOEL(m): 5:47pm On Mar 25, 2012

bakila bakila bakila. are you still on my case? i tell you what, since i know what makes you happy i call for a truce. and in the spirit of the new truce i offer you 72 virg.in cows for your unsatisfiable a.nal desires! don't worry i made sure no infidels touched the cows!

Politics › Re: I Want To Recruit A Person Who Can Appreciate The Help Of Others by DRANOEL(m): 3:42pm On Mar 24, 2012

nice

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