₦airaland Forum

The House of Representatives Committee on Works has said
the federal government owes over N300 billion to its
contractors.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Toby Okechukwu,
revealed this during the inaugural meeting yesterday where
he added that most contracts for Nigerian roads are hardly
funded after the contract has been issued.
This, he noted, usually resulted in escalated contract price
revisions
“We have major arterial roads that lead to major cities,
intrastate roads, inter zone roads, all these should receive
attention....the earlier we begin to address funding deficit,
the better for us,” he said.
Okechukwu added that the committee would propose bills
that would consider alternative funding particularly for
roads.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/house-fg-owes-contractors-over-n300bn/226050/

Immediate past Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, may have been flown abroad for the treatment of undisclosed ailment, The Nation learnt yesterday.
Lamorde, who was scheduled to appear before the Senate
Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions
yesterday, failed to honour the invitation provoking wild
insinuation that he had fled the country to evade Senate
probe of the alleged diversion of N1 trillion leveled against
him.
An activist, Dr. George Ubah, wrote a petition to that Senate
claiming the Lamorde in his capacity as the EFCC Chairman
diverted over N1 trillion recovered by the commission.
Lagos lawyer Festus Keyamo, who stood in for Lamorde,
defended him.
Keyamo said, “He (Lamorde) is still a policeman, he has no
reason to go on exile. Lamorde has served this country very
well and let me tell you this if you don’t know. The only way
to succeed as the chairman of EFCC is for you not to succeed
at all.
“Lamorde is not here today, not out of disrespect to the
committee. It is a matter of complete misunderstanding of
issues at stake. When Lamorde was invited to this
committee, he was invited as chairman of EFCC and between
then and now circumstances had changed.
“He is no longer the chairman of EFCC. So, because of that,
he thought that would be the end of his invitation because
he was invited in that capacity.
“He then handed over the case and traveled for medicals. It
was in his absence that the second letter came and
addressed as the immediate past EFCC chairman. The fact
that he is no longer the chairman, he can no longer be
invited except as a witness.”
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu,
noted that Senate does not accept representation when it
invites anybody to appear before it.
A member of the committee, Senator Obinna Ogba,
wondered why Lamorde failed to live by example being a
man who was a former boss of the anti-graft agency that
usually invited people to appear before it.
He said the non appearance of Lamorde at the probe was an
insult, and disrespect to the Senate.
Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who is also a member of the
committee, said: “We are in a situation whereby people are
showing their shamelessness.”
Alasoadura queried the capacity in which Keyamo was in the
Senate being a lawyer to the EFCC “and the man he claimed
to represent is no longer in office as chairman.”
The Chairman of the committee stopped Keyamo half way
insisting that anybody could be invited by the Senate panel
to come and give evidence.
What followed was hot exchange of words between Keyamo
and members of the committee.
At end Anyanwu insisted that Lamorde should make himself
available on November 24 notwithstanding the plea by
Keyamo that his client would not be available until
December 15.
Keyamo later told reporters that the committee was wrong
to have insisted that Lamorde must appear before it.
He said: “The constitution is very clear as to those who can
be subject to investigation by section 88, 89 of the
constitution. By section 88, 89 of the constitution the Senate
has powers over two categories of persons.
“The first are those who are subject of investigation. They
can be summoned before the committee and the second are
witnesses to appear in respect of that investigation.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/alleged-n1tr-diversion-lamorde-ill-flown-abroad/

More than 12 days after his appointment as the acting Vice- Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Prof. Fidelis Njokanma has refused to occupy his office at the Ojo campus of the institution, our correspondent gathered on Tuesday. Instead, Njokanma, who is a professor of Medicine, is operating from the institution’s College of Medicine at Ikeja. It was learnt that the delay in resumption was because the acting VC was scared of the charms surrounding the Administrative Block and the Senate Building of the institution. The Admin Block houses the office of the VC as well as those of other principal officers of the institution. Our correspondent gathered that Njokanma presided over his first Senate meeting last Wednesday at LASUCOM amid tight security. The Lagos State Government through the university’s Governing Council led by Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo, appointed Njokanma, who hitherto was the Deputy VC, Academic, as the acting VC on November 7. He took over the reins of office from the immediate past VC, Prof. John Obafunwa. The desecration of the Admin Block and the Senate Building with charms reportedly took place on March 16, 2015, at the height of the dispute between Obafunwa and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, among other unions in the institution. Obafunwa, who the union members accused of maladministration, also did at use the building in the last six months leading to the end of his tenure. His first four years as the VC of the university ended on October 31. Other principal officers of the institution also shunned their offices in the building. Meanwhile, the leadership of the Student Union of the university on Tuesday frowned on the recent increment of the new students’ Acceptance Fee and Indigienship Verification Fee. Whereas the Acceptance Fee increased from N10,000 to N20,000, the verification fee rose to N5,000 from N1,000. Reacting to the increment on Tuesday, the SU President, Adeyemi Onikoro, described the action as “shocking and unwarranted.” According to him, the authorities did not carry along the student body in carrying out the exercise. He added that the move was akin to “introducing tuition in the institution through the backdoor.” He said in a statement, “Our position is that this increment is unwarranted and unnecessary at this point in time. It is our strong belief that the university management never thought of the consequences of this before rolling out information to the effect of the increment.”
http://punchng.com/lasu-acting-vc-shuns-office-over-juju-scare/

A lot of bad words were said about embattled former
minister Diezani Alison-Madueke. However, Alison is
one of the most beautiful and one of the most educated
women ever in Africa.
Diezani was chosen the ever female president of
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on
November 27, 2014.
Alison-Madueke has been arrested in London in October,
but she had been granted bail after several hours in
custody.
Dele Momodu’s recent interview with the former oil minister
has caused mixed reactions online, particularly the pictures
of her looking sick as a result of cancer.
Naij.com has compiled several facts to show the good side
of the ex-minister, who is currently undergoing treatment of
cancer in London.

1. The new NNPC chief Ibe Kachikwu commended Diezani
and her initiatives before the Senate when he was being
screened for minister. Today, he is minister of state for
petroleum. President Buhari has named himself Minister of
Petroleum.
2. During her tenure as oil minister fuel scarcity was
minimal with prices remaining constant even through
Christmas period.
3. She has a master’s degree from Cambridge.
4. Alison is the first female executive director of Shell.
5. She has held three ministerial positions since 2007:
Transport, Mines and Steel, and then the position
petroleum. This woman has put in 8 years of meritorious
service to her country.
6. She is the ever first female president of Gas Exporting
Countries.
7. She is also the first ever female transport minister in
Nigeria.
8. Forbes Woman Africa features Diezani Alison-Madueke on
its cover.
9. She has not sought an injunction from any court that
would stop her prosecution.
10. She is an architect.

11. In October 2009 Nigerian Senate indicted Diezani and
recommended prosecution for the alleged transfer of 1.2
billion naira into the private account of a toll company
without due process and in breach of concession agreement.
However, the allegations have never been taken to law, and
the minister maintains her innocence.
12. She is a married woman and has two sons: Chimezie
Madueke and Ugonna Madueke.


https://www.naij.com/640131-must-read-12-amazing-facts-prove-diezani-wonderful-woman.html

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former National
Secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Dele
Adesina, has said the return of Ekiti State Governor, Mr.
Ayodele Fayose, to office exactly eight years after his
first tenure was cruelly cut short, is divine.
This is just as the President of the Igbimo Ure Ekiti and
former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adeluyi, said leading
a state like Ekiti is quite challenging.
Adesina called for support for the governor, saying whoever
is against him is against God’s will.
Adesina, a member of the pan-Ekiti group, Igbimo Ure Ekiti
(IUE), spoke in Ado- Ekiti at a dinner organised by the group
to mark the 55th birthday of the governor.
In a statement in Ado-Ekiti by the Chief Press Secretary to
the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, the former NBA scribe
urged the people of the state to rally round the governor in
the effort to develop the state.
“The second coming of the governor is divine, just as he has
said on many occasions. God does not make mistakes and I
even believe that there is no coincidence in the issues of
God. So, the second coming of the governor is divine and
everyone who does not wish to stand against the will of God
must support the governor,” Adeshina said.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/fayoses-second-coming-is-divine-former-nba-scribe/

omoelesa:
And your point is?

Let's not pretend as if the protests and agitation are no threat to Nigeria's unity. The consciousness of this necessity must be genuinely addressed for a united Nigeria or the sovereignty of the agitators is imminent.

More to worry about.

There is anxiety over the renewed agitation for Biafra
by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and
Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State
of Biafra (MASSOB).
For a few weeks now and counting, the agitation for the freedom of Biafra people in the British contraption called Nigeria have been increasingly going on both in the South Eastern region and in the Overseas. It has taken a thought provoking and worrying dimension since the Arrest and illegal detention of the Director of the Radio Biafra and Leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB in Nigeria by DSS. While the protest is raging, PMB pretends as if all is well with the continued illegal detention of Nnamdi Kanu whose parents and brethren are raising alarming doubt that their son is still alive. Some are deluded in their belief that they are mere protests even when there are reasons to think twice and review the situation.
These protests and agitation must not be taken lightly or treated with levity. A careful and closer look at the available historical facts, particularly those that related to and precipitated Biafra war fought from 1967 to 1970, provokes thoughts, concerns and perturbing as to the need for the ongoing protests for Biafra to be taken serious. The protests and agitation are gaining ground and international recognition which is a great ploy by people looking to secede. The Indigenous People Of Biafra have continued to stage protests across Europe, Asia, America and other continents. The Biafra Activists have relentlessly sought to get the attention of the United Nations and the the sympathy of the international community, a move that will be a big plus if the attention is won.
Already, Biafrans have symbols to identify them as a sovereign group. This makes them more than serious in their course. Recall that that during the Civil War, Biafrans already had their own currency with which they traded to a large extents production of Biafran currency, flags, passports and emblems are the symbols that say a lot about the current protests. They give reasons to take the people more seriously and resolve the issue while it has not gone out of hand.
The pictures below are very cogent reasons why the Biafra protests and agitation must not be taken lightly.

If people talk they call them wailers. Buhari is a risk to our Democracy. He does not obey court orders nor follow due process in doing things. The "I don't care president"

omenka:
Is there anyone else who didn't bother reading the trash like me

Abati and FFK criticised Mr and Mrs Jonathan to such extent they got sick of the attacks and placated both men by inviting them into the Yam Barn. They fed so fat they became Obese and couldn't talk anymore. They've adopted the same strategy in this admin hoping to get a similar response...

I'm very sure they know how far this would take them under a man like Buhari.

I really indulged myself in reading it. What a well articulated write-up. It is subtly and interestingly sacarstic with much comic relief. I crave your indulgence. Please, go back and read it so you can comment your reserve.

ddippset:
If amaechi was given the ministry of power, works and housing, you would be the first to say buhari has rewarded amaechi for the billions of rivers money he stole. Then you would say; 'buhari is rewarding corruption, I will never take his anti corruption fight seriously'. Isn't that what you would say? Damn you! Nyesom wike your God, was a júnior minister of education yet he rose politically by sitting on the laps of patience Jonathan, só why cant amaechi who's in charge of land transportation, sea transportation and aviation? Must amaechi be given the best portfólio because of common sense revolution? He got one of the top 5 ministries out of 24. No one is even responding to your gibberish, I don't even know I am!

Bro, it's not a fight. You could have as well read and passed without commenting. I believe that if Amaechi knew in advance that what was in it for him is Minister of Transport, he would have retraced his step. His struggle and fight was never about the masses. It was ego-driven.

The first thing Amaechi's fanatical fans did when he was named Federal Minister of Transportation was writing series of both short and long narratives of how influential, juicy and lucrative the transportation ministry is, suspecting that people were going to mock Amaechi for his portfolio. Did anybody rush to write or explain how powerful, influencial, lucrative and juicy Fashola's portfolio. The truth is that they know that the Ministry of Transportation is not a befitting portfolio for the party-acclaimed General of Common Sense Revolution. Hence, they started exaggerating the portfolio of Rotimi Amaechi to make it seem enviable even to the extent of errorneously ceding parts of the work of Ministry of works and Ministry of Aviation to Amaechi's ministry.
For a key figure like Amaechi who was instrumental to the emergence of this APC led Administration and considering the sensitive and prominent position, Director of Buhari's Campaing Organisation, he held during the electioneering process, one would expect Amaechi to be crowned a super minister in this Administration. All he could get after all the betrayal and noise is Ministry of Transportation which ordinarily could have been given to just anybody. Amaechi shouldn't be treated like just anybody in APC after painstakingly directing and leading the Presidential Campaign Organisation. Truth be told, if Amaechi saw in advance that all he passed through for APC to clinch power at the center would earn him just minister of transportation, he would have made peace with Jonathan and PDP. For someone that stashed Rivers resources, dissipated so much energy in making noise and exposed himself to various danger, to ensure that his party win elections, heading Ministry of Transportation should not be seen as befitting him when there are other prominent and palpable portfolios which would have really pronounced him outstanding without having to be defended or explained by his fans.
It does not require a streneous thinking to know or deduce that the portfolio was given to Amaechi to simply put him off public sight. They don't want Amaechi to be heard any longer. Ministry of Transport though sounds familiar but it is a hidden portfolio. Amaechi does not have business constructing roads or rails. The best he can do is formulation of road, rail or water transport policy and regulations. Worthy of consideration is how Amaechi can build and consolidate his polical base with this role. He should have been given a porfolio that people can directly feel his impact and through it regain his reputation in his own zone. If Buhari meant well for Amaechi, he would have given him Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Through it, he would be able to execute concrete and lasting projects that will eventually endear him to his people and show them cause why he had to shun his brother GEJ for PMB. Just ruminate over Fashola's portfolio and how he was crowned the special one. Same should have been done to Amaechi, not indirectly telling us that the General of Common sense revolution would be better at heading "Agbero" ministry. People would come here to say, do you how many parastatals that are under Amaechi's supervision, this and that. But the question is how will Amaechi's performance make him noticeable to the public more notably his region? How will it positively increase his political fortune and future success. People can hardly remember how many times they heard Ministers of Transport on air or in the news. It might not be completely untrue if it is argued that it was intended for Amaechi to stay out of public eye and constant scrutiny. They equally don't want him to be much noticeable and heard in this administration else he would have been given a post that his people will directly feel his impact and love him. From there, he can regain his lost political reputation. No doubt, Ministry of Transport is a very good one but I think he could have been given more and crowned outstanding just like Fashola's. The Lion of Ubima and the Leader Of Common Sense Revolution should have been given a portfolio where he will apply his revolutionary ideas to solve the society's problems

Just a brief review of Amaechi's Ministry as extracted from Federal Ministry Of Transportation website
Road Transit
The division was set up to handle road transport policy, develop interstate road regulation, been in liasion with other transport stakeholders and Federal Government
Rail Transit
Rail and Transit Department functioned as Land Transport Department, before January 2009 under the merged Ministry of transportation. The Department has two division
TPC
Transport Planing and Coordination are in-charge of NCT: National Council on Transport, monitoring and evaluation, research and statistics.

Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has appealed to the
ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), not to renege on
its campaign promise of paying N5,000 to 25 million
unemployed Nigerians.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Special
Assistant to the president’s wife on Media, Mrs Adebisi Ajayi,
on Tuesday in Abuja.
She also urged the party to fulfill its promise of giving school
children one free meal a day.
She stated this after the Senate voted against the motion
calling on the Presidency to pay the N5,000 allowance.
“The APC is a party of integrity and has assured Nigerians
during the campaign that it will pay N5,000 each month to
25 million most vulnerable citizens.
“Nigerians should be patient with the APC government as the
change they had been yearning for has come to stay,’’ she
said. (NAN)

http://dailypost.ng/2015/11/10/pay-unemployed-nigerians-the-n5000-you-promised-aisha-tells-buhari-apc/

NIGERIA IS BROKE| Buhari Approves $2.4Billion For
27km Lagos Red Line Project

The President Muhammadu Buhari has approved funds for
the construction of the $2.4 billion Lagos red line rail
project.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Dayo
Mobereola said;
“It took us four and half years to get approval for the
project. It took us another four years to get them to discuss
the technicality of the project with us. The right-of-way has
been approved and we are in full discussion with the
bidders,” he said.
“We are mindful of the problem of transportation in Lagos
State. Towards the end of next year, something will happen.
Our rail project is 27 km and we are doing it in phases. We
are doing Mile 2 to CMS now and we will do Mile 2 to
Okokomaiko later,” he said.

http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/nigeria-is-broke-buhari-approves-2-4billion-for-27km-lagos-red-line-project/

Eluwilussit:
You are wise. May God grant you your heart desires, in jesus name. Amen!

Amen and Amen!

What manner of man is this?
Towering status as moral face of democracy and transparent polling in Africa.
Back here in Nigeria, some people forget that there is no such thing like a perfect man. They choose to only judge GEJ by his tolerable weakness and forget the beauty of his irresistible strength.
GEJ, just a double portion of your Goodluck is what I pray for.

Meanwhile, the CCT sitting on Nairaland had already convicted him.

The trial of a former Niger Delta Ministry, Godsday Orubebe,
for alleged false assets declarations against former minister
of the took a dramatic turn Monday at the Code of Conduct
Tribunal after the prosecution counsel failed to produce
witnesses against Mr. Orubebe.
Mr. Orubebe is facing a four-count charge of false assets
declaration.
On Monday, after he pleaded not guilty to all the charges,
the counsel to the prosecution, Ibrahim Usman, told the
court that he would like to request an adjournment since his
witnesses were not in court.
The defence counsel, Selekeowe Larry, asked the tribunal to
demand a statement of necessary evidences, according to
rule 5 subsection 1, of the rules of the tribunal.
The tribunal judge, Umar Danladi, however, said the matter
for determination at the court was not for the prosecution
counsel to state the evidence but for them to produce the
said witnesses to do so.
He frowned at the inability of Mr. Usman and his team to
produce the witnesses.
The request by Mr. Larry to have his client released on bail
was not granted, as Mr. Danladi said the court had no
reason to discuss his arrest or bail.
He said Mr. Orubebe was expected to always appear before
the court.
Mr. Danladi ruled that the matter be adjourned till
November 26 for a definite hearing.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/192880-ex-minister-orubebe-corruption-trial-code-of-conduct-bureau-fails-to-produce-witness

Mogidi:
Who gave election tribunals jurisdiction over intra party affairs?

APC's wind of change and PMB's body language.

kaorama:
That man could be careful if his life right now cos Wike's political opponent could get him assassinated so that people could begin to point accusing fingers at Wike. He must run for his dear life now.

You're so much on point. Wike's opponents could do that.

After a week of disagreement between Governor
Nyesom Wike and , his special adviser, media and
publicity, over the comment made against the Supreme
Court and the Governorship election tribunal, Opunabo
Inko-Tariah has resigned his appointment.
Opunabo Inko-Tariah (r), when he was sworn in as in
Governor’s spokesman
Governor Wike was miffed over the comment by Inko-
Tariah, who described the dismissal of the Governor’s
appeal by the Supreme Court on the relocation of election
tribunal to Abuja and the nullification of his election as ”
judicial gang up” and “Judicial terrorism.”

In his letter of resignation made available to journalists
today, November 6, Inko-Tariah accused his boss of starving
him of funds and stubbornness in heading professional
media advice.
He stated that he has been under intense pressure
performing his duties, adding that for five months, he
operated as the media aide to the governor without funds.
He however thanked the governor for giving him the
opportunity to serve in his government.
Inko-Tariah, who is a trained journalist and publisher of
HardTruth, a Port Harcourt based tabloid was an ally of
immediate past governor, Chibuike Amaechi, before joining
the political camp of Governor Wike.
He was the secretary to the media and publicity committee
of Wike campaign team before his appointment. He was also a virulent critic of former Governor Amaechi and and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ironically, in a swift reaction, the APC in Rivers state, in a
statement issued by Chris Finebone, its publicity secretary,
hailed Inko-Tariah’s action as courageous for finally deciding
to dump Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
government.

The party called on all well meaning Rivers people to dump
the Wike’s government as the party opined that the governor never prepared to govern the state but to propagate personal agenda.
It will be recalled that the election petition tribunal sitting in
Abuja and headed by Justice Suleiman Ambrosa on
Saturday, October 24 nullified the April 11, 2015 election
that produced Wike as governor of Rivers state.
Wike, had in a notice of appeal dated November 3, and filed
by his lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), asked the Court of
Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgment of the tribunal
which nullified the April 11, 2015 governorship election.
In reaction, the APC in Rivers state said it is not bothered
about Wike’s decision to appeal
the ruling of the tribunal and it was ready to meet the PDP in court.

https://www.naij.com/629726-wikes-media-aide-resigns-accuses-governor-refusing-professional-advice.

Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser
(NSA), has vehemently accused the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) and the State Security
Service (SSS) of highhandedness and abuse of power.

He said this in the narration of his fresh ordeal with the SSS
noting that the way the security outfit was handling the
matter was exactly how things were poorly handled in the
past which then led to the Boko Haram insurgency.
He also accused the SSS of taking laws into their hands
instead of following the legal way of doing things stressing
that it is for such reason that makes cases in Nigeria remain
stagnant.
Speaking with Premium Times, the embattled former NSA
accused the security agency of violating the law and
harassing him when the case against him was already before
a court disclosing that they were determined to re-arrest
him without any court warrant or fresh charges.Dasuki further said that the security operatives arrived his
home in Abuja early Thursday, October 5, and told his
personal security at the gate that they needed to deliver a
letter of invitation for him to report at the SSS office by
11am same day.
He said: “I told them that if it is just a letter of invite, they
can drop it with my domestic staff, but they insisted that I
must come out and collect it myself.”
“I told them that unless they had a warrant allowing them to
arrest me, I do not have to collect the letter from them and I
am also not going anywhere without my lawyer.
“After making my position clear, the SSS operatives
threatened my personal security saying they can force
themselves into the House.”
The Federal high court had on Tuesday, November 3,
ordered that the travel documents of the ex-military official
be released
to enable him travel abroad for medical checks.
However, The Nation reported that shortly after Dasuki had
left the court building, he was invited for questioning by the
security.
Dasuki further told Premium Times that he received
“intelligence” that an order was given to the operatives to
effect his arrest at the airport.
Owing to such hints, Dasuki had to call off the trip which was
scheduled for Wednesday
.
He also said that the SSS invited a former governor of
Adamawa state, Boni Haruna, who stood as his surety in
court, and intimidated him.
Dasuki said: “They brought Boni Haruna to my house
yesterday asking him to invite me to go with them just to
clarify something. I told them that since this matter is in
court, I am not under obligation to deal with them and
advised them to go to court if they have any issue related to
the case.
“We were also in power and if we had abused it the way they
are doing now, they would never have been here… it is
unfortunate.
“The way the SSS is handling the matter was exactly how
things were poorly handled in the past that then threw up
the Boko Haram insurgency.
“Instead of following the legal way of doing things, some
people decided to take the laws into their hands and see
where we are today.”
Information emerging from Nigeria’s security sources
indicates that the present ordeal of former national security
adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki
, is due to the alleged mismanagement of funds while he
served as the NSA.
It is rumoured that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered
the arrest of Dasuki because he was the army officer who
led soldiers to arrest him (Buhari) on the day he was
overthrown as military head of state in August 1985.

https://www.naij.com/628925-dasuki-accuses-apc-sss-abuse-power

Flets:
When we told them the change was a scam, they said they were ready to vote for people without certificates

Today, we are all reaping the fruit of ignorance, ethnocentrism and gross stupidity by the most of us.

Under GEJ, the argument was that either the lagos ibadan expway upgrade was not fast enough or that the agricultural exploits are centered in the north or that the airport upgrades were not speedy or that the trains were not speed trains. We argued that the improved economic indices were not well reflected at the level of the masses. But at least, the arguments were about issues affecting Nigerians directly

Under this APC govt, arguments have been Saraki and trial, amaechi, Tinubu, ministerial nominees, stalwarts, obasanjo, secession, armed robbery, economic downturn, denial of campaign promises etc which are of no tangible value to Nigerian masses. No arguments on policies or capital projects. We have even seized objective arguments on bokoharam and chibok girls despite their everyday rampage

This is clearly a very bad retrogression.

You are there. You couldn't have been more analytical, objective and logical.

speedyGonzales:
the court gave him permission... didn't it? why the DSS disobeying court order?

I wonder what Nigeria is turning into. PMB and APC only obey court order when it favours them.

T.Y Danjuma Blasts Buhari, Says Boko Haram Better In
Intelligence Gathering Than Security Agencies

Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) has opined that Boko
Haram was 100 per cent better in gathering intelligence than
Nigeria’s security agencies.
Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma was speaking at the opening of
a new secretariat for the Catholic Diocese built by Bishop
Matthew Kukah, in Sokoto. Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma
then went ahead and called on Nigerians to “brace up” and
weather the new challenges posed by Boko Haram as the
war against Terror enters its critical stages.
Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma also stressed that the terrorists
have now devised a strategy of disappearing into the wider
civilian population and setting up sleeping cells who wreak
havoc on softer targets, adding that this new strategy has not
only bolstered the intelligence capability of the terrorists but
has made them have superior surveillance techniques than
Nigeria’s security agencies.
In his address, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma who is the
Chairman of Boko Haram Victims’ Support Fund stressed
that “When Boko Haram openly denounced all religions,
Muhammadu Buhari called them terrorists and urged all
Muslims to consider them as such,” he said.
“Later, some who chose to remain on the fence realized the
threat posed to all and reluctantly joined in condemning
Boko Haram.
“Having sleeping cells among the generality of the
population has made them have intelligence capability that
is 100 percent better than that of our security agencies,”
Also present at the occasion, was Edo State Governor,
Adams Oshiomhole who added his voice saying “religious
harmony was the only panacea to a peaceful country”.
Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said that
‘’Nigerians must not let the activities of Boko Haram sow the
seed of doubt and mistrust among themselves as allowing
such will be detrimental to the peaceful coexistence of
various religious and ethnic groups in the country’’, adding
that “now is the time for leaders to close ranks and work for
the stability and progress of the country”.
The Governor said the unity of Nigeria has been threatened
by the emergence of Boko Haram; a tragedy which he said
has deepened anxieties across the country.
According to him, all Nigerians must learn to put the nation
and the survival of the citizenry first before any other
consideration. “Because if there’s no nation, there will be no
space to practice our faiths”.


http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/t-y-danjuma-blasts-buhari-says-boko-haram-better-in-intelligence-gathering-than-security-agencies/

Rivers state is witnessing uncertain apprehension as a result of
the recent judgements of the Rivers State Election Petitions
Tribunal that nullified the election of the State Governor,
Nyesom Wike and that of twenty members in State House of
Assembly.
The judgment of the April 11 Governorship and House of
Assembly election may not have gone down well with the
Governor Nyesom Wike-led PDP in the state, the victorious
petitioners are also not celebrating.
The tribunal nullified the election of 20 House of Assembly
members including the Speaker, Ikunyi-Owaji Ibani.
The Defendants have since gone to appeal the judgements.
Ordinarily, the petitioners, the APC and its candidates led by
Dakuku Peterside were expected to be basking in the
euphoria of their victory. Unfortunately, it is not so. The APC
openly celebrated their victory at the tribunal but it lasted
for just 24 hours.
As a first time visitor to Rivers state, it would be quite easy
to notice that the heart of the state is beating faster than
normal.
Adding more salt to the injury, the Rivers state caucus of the
PDP were thrown off balance after the ‘controversial’
confirmation of Rotimi Amaechi as Minister by the Senate
after many weeks of horse-trading.
Though Wike said he is unperturbed by the nomination of
Amaechi as a Minister, inside reports has it that he
contributed immensely to the delay in Amaechi’s clearance.
Wike at a thanksgiving programme held at the Obi Wali
International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt said, “See
how some people have made a Ministerial position a big
deal. Celebrating just because somebody was screened as if
some of us have not been a Minister before. Danagogo here
was a Minister, kenneth Kobani was also a Minister.”
Politics in Rivers state has been termed by many as priced
ego and pride.
The rift between the then Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and his
one-time subject and incumbent Governor, Nyesom Wike
has escalated to the level of bitterness and hatred.
For almost three years since the beginning of the Amaechi-
Wike grandstanding, the average Rivers citizen has been the
worst hit. The level of insecurity spiralled from bad to worst.
The IGR of the state which was pegged at more than N8b
monthly as April, 2015 (2nd to Lagos) has now dropped
drastically to less than N5b. Investors are no longer keen on
investing in the state. The economy of the state which is
knitted to government cum politics is almost grounded.
In the wake of the announcement of the outcome of the
tribunal and the subsequent confirmation of Amaechi,
newsmen got feelers that some prominent politicians in the
state have started negotiating with leaders of the APC in the
state. Some are already planning to pitch tents with the APC.
Local media in Port Harcourt reported that a meeting of
political leaders from the riverine part of Rivers State have
resolved to shun the candidature of Nyesom Wike in the
forthcoming Governorship re-run election in the state.
The elders were said to have risen from the crucial meeting
with a resolution that the ousted Rivers state governor failed
to keep to his part of their plan for appointment and
infrastructural development.
In the same vein, reports also has it that some elders
statesmen are making moves to meet with Amaechi in his
Abuja residence.
Meanwhile, Market Women under the aegis of Rivers state
Market Women Association staged a protest in the heart of
the city questioning the rationale for nullifying Wike’s
elections. The women in their number marched through the
popular Aba road in Port Harcourt, chanting solidarity songs
in support of the Governor.
Youth groups and government affiliated organisations have
also taken to the media to declare support for Wike.
Military checkpoints have been stationed in major locations
in the state. Obviously, to stem any breakdown of law and
order. The Police on the other hand has been up and doing,
raiding criminal hide-outs to reduce the proliferation of
arms.
Feeling the pulse of the people of the state, while some
strongly hold on to the belief that Wike will return re-
elected, others insist Wike lacks the capacity to rule the
state. A few others are indifferent.
One of the pro-Wike respondents, Emmanuel Cookey said,
“They should leave Wike alone. Why will they remove him.
He was the one we voted for. After All, when Jonathan lost,
he did not fight back. Wike will win even If they do this
election hundred times.”
For him, one Granville Sotonye believes that Governor Wike
will meet his waterloo if elections were re-held. He said “we
have heard information that this Governor wants to sideline
us, the Kalabari people. We have been praying for this day
to come. We supported him before because of our brother
but it cannot happen again. Our eyes are now open.”
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, and a
Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers
state, OCJ Okocha has boasted that the PDP will defeat its
closest rival, the All Progressives Congress, APC if elections
are held. OCJ Okocha who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
SAN has been a strong advocate of Governor Nyesom Wike.
OCJ Okocha said, “I have not gone through the judgment per
se, but I have read and heard from others who have read
the judgment and from commentators, that the main
ground upon which the judgment was delivered was that
INEC officials did not comply with their regulation which
stipulated that they should accredit voters with the card
reader machine.’’
One of the Lawmakers whose election was upheld by the
tribunal, Hon. James Ogbonda told House of Assembly
correspondents that , “the House is not deterred by the
outcome of the tribunal but I want to assure our people that
the business of government will not stop. We don’t need to
appear at the Appeal court anymore. Our Lawyers will do
that. We are back in the state to make sure we run
government. We will take back our mandate. ”
However, as the national leadership of the PDP called for a
crucial meeting with governor’s bearing its flag, the Local
chapter of the party called for an emergency stakeholders
meeting. The meeting which held in the morning of Friday,
Oct. 30 was called to inform members about the need to “go
back to the grassroots and start stimulating the people for a
possible election re-run”, according to sources. The meeting
was led by the Acting National chairman of the party, Uche
Secondus, Governor Nyesom Wike, Senators of the 3
Senatorial zones in the state and other members of the
National Assembly and State Assembly as well as leaders
and elders of the party representing all the 23 Local
government areas in the state.
In the long run, it is quite hard to say who will be favoured.
The Dakuku Peterside-led APC is strongly optimistic that the
Appeal court will uphold the judgment of the tribunal. The
Governor Nyesom Wike team also shares the same
optimism with the belief that the Appeal court judgement
between Ambode v. Agbaje has set a precedent for them to
regain their mandate especially on the use of the Card



http://dailypost.ng/2015/11/04/wikes-judgment-amaechis-confirmation-a-state-coated-in-uncertainty/

There's none so blind as those who will not listen.

For President Buhari, forming the cabinet is the easy part
for obvious reasons. Getting the economy up and running
again won’t be a child’s play. According to Teriba, the
problems he inherited from the past administration is
quite intimidating. Among the tests he’ll face is the matter
of the 2016 budget, whose presentation to parliament is
already running late. Crude oil theft and the fuel subsidy
trouble, with the fraud associated with it, will be crying
out for attention, not to mention the destructive
insurgency in the North-East. Government will need to
find alternative sources of income to make up for
dwindling oil revenues.
Civil society organisations in Nigeria had an unusual
meeting in Abuja on October 29. They didn’t gather to
demand social justice or political reforms. The agitation was
over the deplorable state of the economy. Led by Clem
Nwankwo of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, the group
decried the “steady and continuous decline of the Nigerian
economy” since President Muhamadu Buhari reported for
duty on May 29. Should we be concerned?
Truth be told, the economic indicators are not looking too
good. The Nigerian Stock Exchange’s All-Share Index is down
15 percent since the inauguration of the new administration
on May 29. In other words, investors have lost about one
trillion naira or $5 billion as share prices continue to fall.
The naira has also been officially devalued by more than 20
percent against the US dollar in the past year. The National
Bureau of Statistics put the gross domestic product in the
second quarter of this year at 2.4 percent, down 1.6 percent
from 4.2 percent in the same period a year ago. To put this
in perspective, GDP averaged about 7 percent annually for
almost a decade before the downturn set in this year. The
country’s foreign exchange reserves have dropped 30
percent since last year to $30 billion, according to data
obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria. It may well be
harsh to blame President Buhari for the state of the
economy. He took over at a time of falling prices of crude oil
– the country’s top revenue earner and main export product.
But it’s his response or body language, in current parlance,
to the economy that irks many observers. Beyond his
commendable stance against corruption, the CSOs believe
the President has not done much to reassure Nigerians and
foreign investors that he has a game plan for reviving the
economy. The fact that the ministers who will help steer the
ship are yet to be assigned portfolios strengthens this
argument. As Nwankwo, their spokesman, put it, “the major
challenge we are currently facing is that we cannot see the
urgency of this administration to improve the (depressing
economic) situation.” Nor does it appear that it has a good
grasp of the issues, he added. For instance, the decision of
the central bank, backed by the government, to control the
foreign exchange market rather than devalue the currency in
the face of the persistent pressure on the local currency, has
elicited criticism from both local and foreign analysts.
As we wait for the ministers to take office, all eyes will be
on the persons who will be in charge of key ministries
such as finance, trade, mines, transport, aviation, works,
agriculture and industries. The occupiers of these
positions matter a lot to economic observers. Journalists
and analysts will show more than a keen interest in
certain ministries because if the financial markets like
them, sentiments toward the government may turn
positive.
To be fair, the whole world is experiencing economic slump.
Some nations are even in a worse state than Nigeria. It’s so
that Nigeria does not become one of such basket cases that
the Buhari administration needs to act fast. “This regime
should do quick, wake up and address the problems”, Ayo
Teriba, chief executive officer of Economics Associates, an
economic think tank, pleaded. To make up for lost time, Mr.
President will do well to inaugurate his cabinet this week
without further delay. Thank God the Senate has cleared the
ministerial nominees. So after five months of waiting, the
wheel of government machinery should therefore begin to
turn again. This will ease everybody’s concerns. Foreign
investors can then decide to either invest in the country or
go elsewhere. Local businesses can expect to be paid money
owed them and bid for new contracts while millions of
unemployed youths can expect to get hired as economic
activities resume.
As we wait for the ministers to take office, all eyes will be on
the persons who will be in charge of key ministries such as
finance, trade, mines, transport, aviation, works, agriculture
and industries. The occupiers of these positions matter a lot
to economic observers. Journalists and analysts will show
more than a keen interest in certain ministries because if
the financial markets like them, sentiments toward the
government may turn positive. As a result, the floodgate of
foreign direct investments could be opened. But if they are
disliked, foreign investors may likely prevaricate. This was
why four South African presidents from the late Nelson
Mandela to Jacob Zuma retained Trevor Manuel as Finance
Minister for 13 years between 1996 and 2009. It was also
why former President Olusegun Obasanjo hired Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala to head the finance ministry and why
Goodluck Jonathan anointed her as Coordinator of his
Economic Team, a powerful position that was until then
unknown in Nigeria. Businesses and financial markets
usually seek any information on these pivotal ministers to
help understand them and so be able to predict their policy
bearing. The reason is because markets dislike surprises.
They prefer people they know and can trust. If they are
former colleagues on Wall Street or the City of London, or
Ivy League classmates, or pro-business eggheads whose
temperament they can forecast, fine.
For President Buhari, forming the cabinet is the easy part for
obvious reasons. Getting the economy up and running again
won’t be a child’s play. According to Teriba, the problems he
inherited from the past administration is quite intimidating.
Among the tests he’ll face is the matter of the 2016 budget,
whose presentation to parliament is already running late.
Crude oil theft and the fuel subsidy trouble, with the fraud
associated with it, will be crying out for attention, not to
mention the destructive insurgency in the North-East.
Government will need to find alternative sources of income
to make up for dwindling oil revenues. Otherwise, it will be
impossible to fulfill campaign promises. And away from the
usual lip service paid to diversifying the economy, it’s this
administration that will have to actually do it.
Unemployment must be confronted, inflation must be
tamed, and exchange rate stabilised. Then with corruption,
despite President Buhari’s body language, we don’t need a
prophet to know that corruption won’t be an easy nut to
crack.
Paul Okolo is an Abuja-based public affairs
commentator


http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=169459

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has come hard on the
National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress,
Lai Mohammed, for claiming that the opposition party will
likely go down if it does not urgently rebrand itself.
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Olisa Metuh, on
Saturday, the PDP described Mohammed, who is a Minister-
designate, as “a quarrelsome and misguided individual” who
will end up as a minister without portfolio in President
Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
While alleging that the APC spokesman is “completely unfit”
to hold a responsible national office in a democratic
government, the party wrote that his cantankerous nature,
resort to personal attacks and uncouth description of a rival
political party while responding to critical issues were
indicative of his background, pedigree, upbringing and
emptiness as a low life.
PDP went on to admonish Mohammed to “shed his offensive
narcissist tendencies even in his desperation not to end up
being a minister without a portfolio.”
It reminded him that ,“having been a beneficiary of the
benevolence and forgiving spirit of the Senate President,
one would expect him now to be mature, decent, civil and
more organised in his responses to public comments.”
Just yesterday, Mohammed had reacted to PDP national
leadership’s recent communique on the recent political
happenings in the nation by saying it is a rehash of the
party’s “infantile whining”, which will not save it from going
down unless it rebrands most urgently.
He further stated that “It is time for the PDP to take a long,
hard look at itself in the mirror and change everything that
is ugly about the party, instead of wasting its energy and
time on irrelevancies.”


http://dailypost.ng/2015/10/31/lai-mohammed-will-be-a-minister-without-portfolio-pdp/