₦airaland Forum

xcolanto: @ chanchit I haven't actually said Nigeria would be fighting against syria or for syria. What I had laid down is the effects and after effects of a war spring up in syria. There is a high possiblity that after the war stock piles of arms would be available for Nigeria to effect a slipt up as predicited by the C.I.A into a predominantly muslim north and a southern Christain side based on religious grounds.

I think dat is what took place in the case of libya and boko haram.
So nigeria get ready to split.

omenka: Syria is dealing the last card left in it's deck of cards, psychological warfare. This was thesame path Sadam towed when faced with imminent strikes. He threatened fire n brimstone but in the end, he was smoked out of a hole jst like the rat he was.

You spoke well but i dnt see syria falling when the likes of iran and russia have intrest there.

One of the Syrian regime’s top diplomats threatened retaliation —as the U.S. Congress weighs military strikes against his government, according to a report by the wall Street Journal. Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al- Mekdad warned in an interview with The Wall Street Journal at his office in Damascus on Tuesday of the repercussions of a U.S. attack on Syria. He said Damascus would strike back not only at Israel, but also at Syria’s neighbors Jordan and Turkey if they take part in any U.S.-led operation. “Once the war starts nobody can control what will happen,” he said. “We believe that any attack against Syria will definitely result in chaos in the entire region if not beyond.” A green light from Congress to attack Syria would be “a tragedy against the Syrian people and the American people and all people in the region,” said the diplomat, who served as his country’s envoy to the United Nations in New York from 2003 to 2006. US President Barack Obama said on Friday that he had decided it was necessary to take military action against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and would seek authorization from Congress, after his administration reported it had overwhelming evidence that the Syrian army had used chemical weapons in the Damascus suburbs on Aug. 21. Mekdad rejected the U.S. conclusions. “I assure them that the Syrian government did not use chemical weapons against Syrians and will not use them against Syrians and will always be ready for dialogue with the American people and its representatives.” “I know Secretary Kerry personally and I hope he does not go so far in plans that will kill more Syrians,” he added, referring to the U.S. secretary of state, who has been one of the Obama administration’s most prominent advocates of military action. Asked about his feelings about what the U.S. said were the deaths of more than 1,400 people, including more than 400 children, in the attacks, Mekdad said: “Any wars of this type are horrible and are unacceptable; we are in a state of war in Syria. We cannot ignore the suffering of the entire Syrian people but those criminal gangs in Syria, the armed groups, have falsified events in Syria since the beginning.” The Syrian regime always refers to the opposition rebels who are seeking to topple the regime as criminals and terrorists. Mekdad said Syria’s two main allies, Iran and Russia, would stand by the regime in the face of any U.S. action, but didn’t offer specifics. “We are being supplied until this minute with Russian arms to defend ourselves,” he said. He said Tehran, which backs the Assad regime and the Hezbollah militia in neighboring Lebanon, would intervene to help Syria because Iran’s fundamental strategic interests would be at stake. A Hezbollah official admitted during a phone call to the Iranian
embassy in Beirut that the syrian regime was behind the Chemical gas attack according to a report by the Der Spiegel magazine.
Source :www.yalibnan.com/2013/09/04/syria-threatens-to-bomb-jordan-israel-turkey-if-attacked/

keishik: But they've denied it, according to the ALGON chairman quoted, the amount wasnt up to 18m! Lets say it was a mere 15m, and like she said, we are all supposed to be thankful afterall they've done creditably well by their own wretched standards.
APC, THE CHANGE WE ALL DESIRE!

My broda u dnt seem to get me what is on paper says the money is 18m and she was saying the money is just 10m.How many lecturals can boost of such amount of money in a year,why just a mere local govt. chairman can buy a prado jeep of 18m in just 4months of asumption into office when the roads in her local govt. Is begging for repair.

Some members of the public
have criticized Local
Government Chairmen in
Edo State for allegedly
expending eighteen million
Naira to purchase Prado Jeeps as official vehicles. Efosa Uwangue however quotes
the State Chairman of
Association of Local Government
of Nigeria, ALGON as saying that
the allegation is untrue. Information emanating from some
quarters alleged that each of
the local government chairmen in
Edo State paid the some of
eighteen million Naira to acquire
Prado Jeeps as their official vehicles. The information has however
attracted reactions from some
members of the public who
claimed that the amount is far
too exorbitant to be splashed on
only one Prado Jeep. The respondents said the local
government chairmen ought to
have expended the said amount
on basic amenities in their areas
instead of spending it on such a
luxury. Reacting, the Chairman of ALGON,
Edo State and Chairman, Ikpoba
Okha Local Government Council,
Mrs. Itohan Osahon Ogbeide who
spoke in a telephone interview
said there is no iota of truth in the allegation stressing that it
was not up to the amount
people are speculating. She stressed that the chairmen
needed to have been
commended for performing
creditably within a spate of four
months. However, it is obvious that the
issue of the eighteen million Naira
for Prado Jeep will continue to
generate reactions and counter
reactions among stakeholder for
many months to come.

ochejoseph: Mischief is everywhere this Old mama decide to donate towards the Education of the youths and we are complaining ! At her age this woman does not need anything but to impact her generation and please heaven until God calls her!

why dnt she
use her influence to
persuad her son to
accede to the requests
of the striking
university lecturers so that students could go
back to school to
continue their studies. instead of donating hostels to student dat are at home.

Sincere 9gerian: friends of the first family.

Hmm i see.

kaorama: Every country plays politics with everthing. How could UK been spending as much as they claimed yet they want our people to drop £3000 before entering UK?

Pls help me to ask them.

The decision of President Goodluck Jonathan's mother, Eunice, to donate a two- block hostel to the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, raises more questions than answers, SEGUN OLUGBILE and Sodiq Oyeleke report The donation of hostel accommodation to any public academic institution, particularly any of the nation's universities, should ordinarily be a commendable initiative. This is because many, if not all public universities in the country, have inadequate hostel facilities for their students. Perhaps, this explains why a room that is to accommodate
four students would "house" at least eight undergraduates in these institutions. Indeed, in some universities, it could be more. The development, therefore, encourages, what students call "squatting" in many of the residential public universities. So, when President Goodluck Jonathan's mother, Eunice, penultimate Friday donated a two-block hostel to the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, she was very likely to have thought of easing the burden, as it were, faced by students of the institution. But the donation has thrown up a whiff of controversy in the sector. Instead of singing her praises, many stakeholders are locking horns over the desirability or otherwise of the offer. Many Nigerians, who commented on the gesture, even wondered how the woman got the money to execute the project. They also wondered why she could not use her influence to prevail on her son to accede to the requests of the striking university lecturers so that students could go back to school to continue their studies. They equally inferred that the action was to skew public opinion in the favour of her son, who, political analysts say, is planning to seek a second term in office in 2015. But while these calculations are going on, some members of the benefiting university community and their Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, look at the woman's offer from a different perspective. They have, indeed, described the donation as timely and an action capable of cushioning the effect of inadequate accommodation in the two- year-old university. Aluko, in a statement on the university website, told the pioneer students of the university, who just finished their second semester examination, that on return to the school from holiday, they would enjoy a new lease of life via the new hostel. He added, "The twin-block building donated by the mother of President Goodluck Jonathan, Eunice Jonathan, will accommodate 64 female students and will go a long way in reducing the challenges of inadequate accommodation. We just want to restructure the hostel accommodation in order to give you the best. I assure you that plans are on to ensure that when you return, all of you will be accommodated in the hostel." The students, the statement added, could not hide their excitement as they expressed gratitude to the President's mother and the management for the gesture. Of course, the students have every reason to applaud the President's mother for the offer. Hitherto, it was learnt, they did not enjoy their stay
on campus due to inadequate
hostel facilities. But some other Nigerians have taken to the social media to register their displeasure at the decision, wondering why the President's mother could not use her influence to prevail on her son to accede to the requests of the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, who have been on an industrial action for about six weeks. An anonymous commentator on Linda Ikeji .com asked, "What does she do for a living again? It's 2015." Supporting this, another Nigerian, who simply identified himself as Fehintola, wrote, "Where does she work or where did she get the money? 2015, on the way." Just as some are questioning the source of Eunice's wealth and linking the donation to 2015 politics, some others are raising other questions, which some critics may refer to as salient. For instance, an anonymous blogger wrote, "They are donating hostels while the students are at home because of the ASUU strike." Also, another unnamed commentator stated, "President Goodluck, please be wise. Do not add more problems to the ones on ground. Yes, the mum of a president will be rich but she could have opened an orphanage home rather than engaging in this publicity stunt." Some others too are, however, commending the President's mother for the offer. One of them, Aderinto Ameenah, said, "Well done, Madam Jonathan." Another one, who referred to himself as Mich, stated, "Not bad for a President's mother." Yet, as commentators express these divergent views about the development, the issue of how the nation's political leaders and their close relations acquire their "sudden wealth" has come to the front burner. Those who spoke on the issue, insisted that the source of a donor's wealth should be of concern to the benefitting university as well as other stakeholders.
mobile.punchng.com/output.php?link=http://www.punchng.com/education/mummy-jonathans-hostel-sparks-controversy/

Abuja – President Goodluck
Jonathan on Tuesday directed
the two Federal Government
committees negotiating the
requests by Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU), to take immediate measures at
ending the on-going strike. The Chairman of the Universities
Needs Implementation
Committee, Gov. Gabriel Suswam
of Benue, made this known
after a closed-door meeting of
the two committees and other stakeholders with President
Jonathan at the State House.in
Abuja. Vice-President Namadi Sambo,
the Chairman of the Earned
Allowance Committee and the
Secretary to the Government
of the Federation (SGF), Sen.
Anyim Pius Anyim were in attendance at the meeting. Jonathan Also in attendance were,
Ministers of Education, Prof.
Ruqayyat Rufai, Labour, Emeka
Wogu, the Executive Secretary
of National Universities
Commission, Prof. Julius Okogie and the Chief of Staff to the
President, Chief Mike Oghiadome. Speaking with State House
correspondents, Suswam said
that the meeting was
summoned by the President “to
take some decisions that would
end the strike’’. “The President has instructed
us, as to what to do, and he
has shown a lot of commitments
to flagging off projects worth
about N100 billion in all the
universities in the country, about 61 of them. “So, we are hoping that we will
be able to see the end of the
strike very soon. “At the end of the day, we
hope ASUU is satisfied with the
measures that have so far
been taken. “The federal government will
also be meeting with the
Universities Councils and Vice
Chancellors of our universities
within the week towards
updating them on some of the decisions taken,’’ he said. Suswam said about N100 billion
had been approved by the
Federal Government to his
committee to address
infrastructure deficit in all the
Universities. “The president has graciously
agreed that in the first week
of September he will be able to
flag-off the projects. “You also know that the
procurement process will have
to be followed and these
projects include hostels in our
universities, classrooms and
theatres, libraries and laboratories among others. “Some are renovation some are
new and all the 61 universities
are going to benefit from one
project or another. “So, it is not going to be
selective, all the universities are
going to benefit from this
infrastructural revitalisation of
our universities. The governor said that the
Earned Allowance Committee
being headed by the SGF, where
there were contentious issues,
would be addressed. “As you must have heard, the
federal government made an
offer of N30 billion to assist the
various Councils of our
universities to be able to pay
the earned allowances,’’ he said. The News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) recalls ASUU had rejected
the offer of the N30 billion by
government and stood on its
N87 billion demand to settle the
earned allowances. Asked whether government
would be willing to shift ground
on the ASUU insistence, Suswam
said negotiation was still on-
going, “The federal government has
opted to also meet with the
Councils and Managements of
the Universities, because Earned
Allowance is something that can
be certified by the management and councils of the universities. “I think that the government
has demonstrated some
substantial faith,’’ he said. NAN also recalls that the
meeting between the striking
university lecturers and the
federal government delegation
on Monday was reportedly
deadlocked. (NAN)

The National Space Research
and Development Agency,
NASRDA says Nigeria did not
seek or receive any financial
grant from the United Kingdom
for its space programmes. Director General of NASRDA, Dr.
Seidu Mohammed stated this in
Abuja while debunking a claim
that the country has
approached UK for space
grants. He acknowledged that Nigeria
and a UK based satellite
company, SSTL, went into
partnership in 2002 to build and
launch Nigeriasat-1, Nigeriasat-2
and Nigeriasat-X, but noted that the partnership never
translated into granting Nigeria
a grant by the UK. He further describing the claim
as false, saying that the
relationship between Nigeria and
UK with regards to space
programmes has purely been on
a commercial basis and never on grant. “NASRDA has not at any time
received financial aid or grant
from the UK for space
programme, besides the existing
cordial relationship established
with Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), a UK based
company, in our quest for the
utilization of space and science
technology for the socio-
economic development of our
nation. Let me say point blank here that the partnership has
been purely on a commercial
basis”, said Dr. Mohammed. The NASRDA boss further stated
that the country has been
reaping bountifully from its
satellites, adding that such
claims that Nigeria received
grant for its space programme was meant to distract the
country from its space
technology advancement drive.
www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/nigeria-denies-seeking-uk-aid-for-space-programme/

Officials of the Lagos State
Taskforce on Environmental and
Special Offences (Enforcement)
Unit have impounded a police
bullion van, loaded with money,
for driving against the flow of traffic on Agidingbi Road, Ikeja in
Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. The bullion van with registration
number PF 4582 SPY was
impounded around 12.00 noon on
Tuesday, according to Taskforce
Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman, also a
Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP. The bullion van and the driver
were taken to the taskforce
office in Alausa, while the driver
would be arraigned in court for
violating the Lagos Road Traffic
Law 2012. Under the law, the bullion van
will be forfeited to the
government while the driver will
be made to pay N20,000 fine
being a first time offender. The bullion van driven by the errant driver Sulaiman said the the police
officer escorting the bullion van
was also arrested, adding that
the taskforce was on a routine
patrol of Agidingbi and other
areas in Ikeja. “While coming through ACME at
about 12noon, we saw the
driver, driving the bullion van
against the traffic. He had no
reason to have done that
because the road was free. So, we tried to stop him but he sped
away. We chased him for several
minutes, and succeeded in
blocking his course. “He attempted to hit me and
some of my men but we were at
last able to arrest him and the
police escort, while we seized the
bullion van with the cash and
moved it to our premises in Alausa,” he explained. According to him, the driver, who
was moving cash from an
undisclosed bank at the time of
his arrest had been charged to
court while the officer had been
handed over to police authorities for disciplinary actions. Sulaiman lamented that several
bullion vans had been violating
traffic laws with impunity, saying
that government would ensure
that they go after such and
punish them according to the law. “The fact that police are
involved in the movement of
cash did not exempt them from
the law. Erring drivers would be
made to face the wrath of the
law. Security personnel, especially those escorting bullion
vans must not disregard the
state`s Traffic. The law is no
respecter of anybody “Police officers are not above
the law. Remember what
happened recently, the case of a
police vehicle which drove
against the traffic to injure and
kill somebody; the law took its course,” he stated.
pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/08/20/lagos-taskforce-impounds-police-bullion-van/