₦airaland Forum

EU Observers Express Encouragement at Nigeria’s Legislative Elections

The head of the European Union Election Observation Mission said the weekend legislative elections in Nigeria represented a positive step in the country’s fledgling democracy.

Alojz Peterle said his group found the overall conduct of the election encouraging.

“This election was done in a good atmosphere. It is important that generally, the atmosphere was peaceful and that a majority of the polling stations were operational,” he said.

But the process was not without its hiccups, said Peterle, noting areas he says need improvement.

“We observed some problems with the voter register then some inconsistencies in implementation of the electoral procedure. We also saw underage voting…and a lack of display of results at different levels. We are particularly sensitive to these elements of election process, which could influence the final outcome,” he said.

The chief observer said he hopes the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed during the legislative elections is maintained to instill “continued trust” in the electoral process.

“Of course the presidential elections are considered to be more important. But, if what we saw on Saturday is the basis for expectations, then we will wish that this peaceful atmosphere is maintained” he said.

Peterle said his team and international counterparts have requested to meet with INEC chairman Attahiru Jega.

INEC spokesman Nick Dazan says the electoral body will continue to improve the electoral processes for this week’s presidential vote as well as future elections.
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/EU-Observers-Express-Encouragement-at-Nigerias-Legislative-Elections--119627024.html

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the way he handled the April polls beginning with the Senate and House of Representatives election last Saturday.

In a Press statement signed by the National Vice President of the Congress, Issa Aremu, the congress said the President’s consistent support for INEC’s independence is commendable, notwithstanding the national postponement of the elections on April 2, and the cowardly act of bombers in Suleja on the eve of the election which claimed many lives.

“Truly, the President so far delivered on his promise of free and fair election which had seen his political party like other political parties winning some seats and losing some seats in the concluded Senate and the House of Representatives polls”, the statement said.

Mr Aremu also gave credit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Attahiru Jega. According to him, “INEC has shown sufficient sensitivity to the outcries of voters on some observed shortcomings in the past. The pro-active press briefings of INEC last Thursday notifying the nation about areas of shortcomings where election would not hold was commendable. That singular proactive step minimised avoidable costs.

Praises for INEC

“Last Saturday’s election shows significant and commendable improvement on the part of INEC’s service delivery. However, INEC will not be totally discharged until it carries the same spirit and energy for the subsequent Presidential/governorship/House of Assembly polls. INEC and security agencies should further deepen the integrity of the process.”

The NLC also commended all candidates that lost and have accepted the outcome of the elections. The congress described the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole who acknowledged an electoral loss and promptly saluted his opponent who won, as the real hero of the historic poll.

Mr Aremu said: “Dimeji Bankole is the true face of Nigeria’s democratic renaissance. He that accepts legitimate defeat is the true ‘winner’. Dimeji’s remark that ‘the race was not a life-and-death duel. Of more importance is the building, maintenance and development of our democratic institutions and processes toward true national development and greatness’ should become a new mantra for all contestants in subsequent elections.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5689362-146/story.csp

For most South-South political leaders and elite of Bayelsa State, Goodluck Jonathan does not just represent a huge chance for the Niger Delta or the oppressed minorities to mount the throne in Aso Rock, but a big chance to launch Nigeria on a possible path of change. Many young politicians in the region believe that Jonathan would create a legacy that would dominate political thinking for many years to come- a legacy of good education, thoughtfulness in authority, calm disposition, humility and rare courage to solve problem, backed by ability to ignore “special interests”.

Kemedi Von Dimeari, a fast-rising technocrat, a political force in the president’s home state (Bayelsa), who is also a member of the Timipre Sylva administration think-tank, told BusinessDay in Yenagoa at the weekend that most intellectuals and progressive elements in Nigeria were quietly lining behind the Jonathan change project, not just because it is real but because it has an acceptable national platform to materialise.

Many may think the President comes from a small state but Von (as he popularly known around the country) insists that the village a leader comes from reclines into insignificance the moment the platform for realistic change is found by those seeking a new way for Nigeria.

“The President comes from Nigeria, and it is the totality of the votes that would make him a president, not just the ones from his village. He embodies a lot of hopes and aspirations of the nation, not just where he comes from,” he said.

Von further declared: “I hear about change from characters from the past, and I wonder who represents change. I see Muhammadu Buhari talking about change, but he was a head of state and did not add one mega watt to the national power grid. Instead, we got double standards even in his major slogan, discipline. Take a look at religion and ethnicity in Nigeria and see where to place him. This man comes from the past; he headed NNPC, worked with Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, etc.”

He charged further: “Take a look at Nuhu Ribadu. Between 2003 and 2007, was he not the most influential man in Nigeria after President Olusegun Obasanjo. Between him and Jonathan then, who was more influential in PDP? Yet, he now attacks Jonathan and PDP as if he was not the number two man in power in the PDP government after Obasanjo. He was accused of abuse of power, and to me, arrogance of power as a form of corruption is bad too. Today, many believe that Obasanjo’s record is the same with Ribadu’s, which is PDP’s record.” He said Ribadu cannot run away from Obasanjo’s records, and Ribadu cannot run away from PDP record, whether that record is good or bad.

Von said he did not see Ribadu with the level of integrity that he (Ribadu) ascribes to himself. “He went beyond the dictates of the law to selectively rope people in. This is high indiscipline. On the contrary, Jonathan is highly disciplined. He constrains self, ties self to give a level-playing field. I respect him for what he is doing. For once, Nigerians believe in the power of their votes”.

The DG, whose activities have turned around the way government does things in Bayelsa State, warned that Nigerians should be careful with the kind of political parties they think should replace the ruling party in the search for a credible alternative.

He rather wants Nigerians to take a deeper look on the Jonathan project and find that Nigerians now have a government that talks to them. “His facebook page is one of the highest in terms of those that have signed up with him, more than 500,000, which is the second highest after Barrack Obama of the US. Ribadu is simply confused while Buhari is a man from the past,” he said.

According to him, “I am proud of Jonathan for power project he did in Yenagoa (capital of Bayelsa State), new gas turbines he installed (which is what he is doing at the federal level). He took young villagers to schools in Ibadan to gain wonderful experience under the Gifted Children’s Project, made heavy investments in the NDU, gave some indigenes scholarships to UK, Russia, USA, Canada, etc. He focused on education, power and roads. Today, as President, he is pushing these same programmes”. The DG took the President’s critics to the cleaners in the most critical areas of the Excess Crude Account (ACA) and External reserves. He said contrary to insinuations, it is the governors who own and decide the fate of the ECA, and that all political parties with governors have sinned in this case, except Nigerians wanted Jonathan to be like Obasanjo who used unilateral force to over rule the governors.

“On External Reserves, we do not notice that prices of foodstuff did not change drastically in Nigeria when it did all over the world. This is because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) defended the naira; else, there would have been food crisis like elsewhere. By this, the common man was saved”.

He observed that Jonathan rather created the Sovereign Wealth Fund by law to save some funds for the future. He explained that major pressure on external reserves came from importation and food was a major chunk of this. “It is not frivolous expenses that really depleted the foreign reserves. So, he is tackling food security through broad agricultural reforms. Transportation is also much related to this because it helps to transport foodstuff to other areas. This is why he has placed rail transport at the height of his priority to facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce,” Von observed.

On what exactly Jonathan did to change the fuel situation in Nigeria, he said the President was courageous enough to stand up to the “mafias” who were feeding fat from the perennial fuel scarcity.
http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/news/111-politics/20365-jonathan-is-change-agent-nigeria-needsnot

30 Mar 2011


Sokoto State Deputy Governor Mukhtar Shagari has never hidden his admiration for President Goodluck Jonathan. In this interview with Imam Imam, he emphasized the need for the North to vote for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying if the late Premier of Old Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello was alive, he would have done the same

With the PDP having held its final presidential rally in Abuja,how will you assess the campaigns leading up to the grand finale?


Well, if you remember in one of my interviews, I did say the PDP is the most organised party in Nigeria. And that at the time we start our campaigns people would see a very
good organisation and people will also see a number of people that will come out to attend our rallies and how successful our rallies will be. I should say that from the day President Goodluck Jonathan kicked off his rally till today (last Saturday), it has been extremely wonderful and the organisation, the maturity and also the vision have shown that PDP is the best party in Nigeria. What happened at today’s rally, the attendance, the maturity, the orderliness, the enthusiasm and the momentum have shown that PDP is the party we believe in and I believe by the grace of God, we are coasting to victory during the general election in April.


The thinking in many quarters is that PDP may perhaps win the presidential election, but what people are asking now is, is the President a competent person to lead Nigeria?


Well, I have looked at all the candidates politically in terms of political experience and so on and any fair assessor will tell you that the President is the best in terms of experience. In fact, he was a deputy governor, he was a governor, he was a Vice President, he was also an Acting President before he became the President of Nigeria. Among all these candidates that we have today, none could boast of the experience the President has. And besides, he is the only one among all the candidates that has a Ph.D. which means academically also, he is an excellent person. So, all the sayings that the President is not experienced is simply politics. But when you look at it practically, you see that Jonathan is the best Nigeria can offer today and I am happy that it’s our party that is offering him to the Nigerian public.
Because I believe he can make it, I believe he can make this country a better place. I believe he can make this country the kind of country we have been yearning for where everybody can feel he belongs, where everybody can see development and where everybody will have hope and where hope can be translated into reality.


Do you think his achievements in the last nine months are yardsticks to consider while voting him?


Yes. I think his achievements are very glaring for all to see. I said in one of my past interviews that Nigerians will see the real Goodluck Jonathan now that he is the President of Nigeria and I believe in his ability to keep this country strong and united. One thing I admire in him is what he was able to achieve in Niger Delta by consolidating on the gains of the Amnesty programme initiated by late President Yar’Adua. Jonathan’s success in that regard has ensured an increase in the production of crude oil in the country. I was impressed after he went round this country to interact with the people and blend with their culture all in an effort to understand them. Despite a lot of provocative statements from many quarters, he has remained calm and calculated.
You can see that his calmness has translated into the political scene and today, the PDP especially has had a very successful campaign. You can see how big the grand finale was. So while judging the President, we should look at his achievements in areas like power, railway, infrastructure and the likes. I passed through Gusau (in Zamfara State) and I have seen the kind of job that is being done along Gusau- Zaria road and I know that the country is changing.
Look at his intervention which led to the re-opening of Kaduna textile industry which is now on stream. It’s actually the biggest of its kind in West Africa, his ability to do that has shown me that this man is the kind of person we are looking for. His plans for education, water supply, the economy are all good and will lead to the development of this country.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/

@babaearly,
I do feel you, but this is Nairaland where we make issues out of rumours or nothing. You'd be surprised to learn that GEJ did not meet with Tinubu. It is better to amuse yourself with these emotional outpourings than worry. Some of the posters are not even resident here nor voting, yet make definite statements like they really are in the know- and the fun is, a lot of folks here believe it. I've come to understand it as the norm in Nairaland.
The elections are not over yet. What is most important is that Nigeria shall come out stronger to the chagrin and consternation of many.
Cheers

Before nko?

We don hear. Im do well. Tan shu!
Oya, make we continue the yarn bo

@Nich and Ode Remo,
Sorry guys, I can't be of help here. Any explanation will remove the punch lines and it will no longer be a joke.
Where you don't understand the same, ignore it and move on - knowing fully well that not all jokes can be understood by everybody. this is because our perceptions and understandings of the said jokes are influenced by various factors of which our background and exposure plays a very important part.
there are some jokes here I do not claim to understand - I just move on.
Hope your day has been cool. Cheers
Ps:@ Baby.me - Sorry, I can't help you out of your disappointment for the same reasons as afore said

Laws of Life:

When one wishes to unlock a door but has only one hand free, the keys are in the opposite pocket. (Von fumbles law)

A door will snap shut only when you have left the keys inside. (Yale law of destiny)

When your hands are covered with oil, grease or glue, your nose will start to itch or you'll need to pee. (Law of ichiban)

Your insurance will cover everything but what has happened. (Insurance so sorry law)

When things seem easy to do, it's because you haven't followed all the instructions. (Destiny awaits law)

If you keep your cool when everyone else is losing his, it's probably because you have not realized the seriousness of the problem (law of gravitas)

Most problems are not created nor solved, they only change appearances. (First Law of Persistence Dynamics)

When you run to answer the telephone, you will pick up the receiver just in time to hear the other party hang up on you. (Principle of Dingaling)

The call you've been waiting for all day will arrive when you are about to make a call. Or just after. (Principle of Bellsouth)

If there are only two programs on TV that are worth your time, they will always be on at the same time. (Law of wasteland)

The cost is always higher than one budgets for, and it is exactly 3.14 times higher, hence the importance of pi. (Law of pi eyed)

The probability that one will spill food on one's clothes is directly proportional to the need to be clean. (Law of Campbell scoop, Children's edition)

The probability that one will spill food on one's clothes is directly proportional to price of the clothes. (Law of Campbell scoop, Adult edition)

Sitting down on the commode will cause the doorbell to ring. (Law of O Golly Gee!)

Wind velocity will increase proportionally to the cost of one's hairdo.(The donking principle)

One week after discarding something you haven't used for years, you will need it. (Law of fatal irreversibility)

Arriving early for an appointment will cause the receptionist to be absent, and if you arrive late everyone else will have arrived before you. (Law of deLay)

Do not take life too seriously, because in the end, you won't come out alive anyway." (Theory of absolute certainty)

When I arrived for my daughter’s parent-teacher conference, the teacher seemed a bit flustered, especially when she started telling me that my little girl didn’t always pay attention in class and was sometimes a little flighty. “For example, she’ll do the wrong page in the workbook,” the teacher explained, “and I’ve even found her sitting in the wrong desk.”

“I don’t understand that,” I replied defensively. “Where could she have gotten that?”

The teacher went on to reassure me that my daughter was still doing fine in school and was sweet and likeable. Finally, after a pause, she added, “By the way, Mrs. Johnson, our appointment was for tomorrow.”

The following questions were set in a GED examination
These are said to be genuine answers from 16 year olds.

Q. Name the four seasons
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar

Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, dead sheep, and canoeists

Q. How is dew formed?
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire

Q. What causes the tides in the oceans?
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight

Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed

Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election

Q. What are steroids?
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q, What happens to your body as you age?
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental

Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.

Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
A. Premature death

Q. What is artificial insemination?
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow

Q. How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow (Simple, but brilliant)

Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorized (e.g. The abdomen)?
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I,O,U.

Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie

Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby

Q. What is the most common form of birth control?
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium (That would work)

Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome

Q. What is a seizure?
A. A Roman Emperor. (Julius Seizure, I came, I saw, I had a fit)

Q. What is a terminal illness?
A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable)

Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight (brilliant)

A plane takes off from New York's Kennedy Airport. After it reaches a cruising altitude, Captain Sparks makes an announcement over the intercom. 'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to flight 293,' he says.

'The weather ahead looks clear, so sit back, relax and - OH MY GOD!' The intercom falls silent.

A minute later, Capt. Sparks comes back on the intercom. 'I'm so sorry for scaring you all earlier,' he says. 'But while I was talking, an attendant spilled a boiling cup of coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!'

'That's nothing,' a passenger in coach shouted. 'You should see the back of mine!'

Ehmmm Musiwa,
I trust all is well,

Dear Beaf,
As much as I support GEJ like you, wouldn't you think that your language and manner of addressing other Candidates, is wrong?
Perhaps you would agree that the participation of Buhari not only gave PDP the jitters but has ensured the party does not have absolute majority - and that is good for our dear Country.
Nigeria is a beautiful place and blessed with great people (including Buhari). We all do have varied approaches to solving our national challenges but calling former Head of State a beast, is taking it too far, sir.
When Buhari took over power from Shagari et al, though I was affected, but I did trust he had good motives for the country. I do have a lot of respect for him and still think we should not vilify him for his past.
I indeed recognise that it is the norm in Nairaland to abuse and denigrate people under cover of aliases, but we do no justice to the character of GEJ if we dumb down to the mutt mind. As they say: if you play with pigs, you would get dirty - what's more, the pigs love it. I trust you are no pig. It shouldn't be in our character.
Cheers

@Musiwa
I trust that all is well with you,

@Max, you are absolutely right about OBJ's government being a turning point and I think that it was all by divine orchestration. There is something very mystical and spiritual about the whole thing and I honestly doubt that it could happen like this anywhere else on the world where the children of great men who fought and murdered one another almost 40 years earlier could all be linked to the same man and working at the same place, at the same time and in the same government. I am not sure that OBJ himself was really concious of what he was actually doing at the time but if there is one thing that I have learnt about that man if nothing else it is that he is very spiritually tuned in and sensitive. Let me give you just two examples. Had it not been for his rejection of Major Victor Banjo's appeal (through Professor Wole Soyinka) to allow him to enter the Western Region unimpedded with his Biafran forces the history of Nigeria would have been completely different. If Banjo had entered and joined forces withn the yoruba officers under Obasanjo's command and if Oduduwa republic had been declared by them and at the same time Benin Republic had been declared in the Mid-West, all three newly declared republics would have come together to fight the north and they would have marched on Lagos together and thrown out the garrison of northern soldiers and officers that was there. It would then have been a straight fight between the north and the south. Obasanjo's single and split second decision to reject and resist Banjo's suggestion averted that and ensured that it couldn't happen. This was the main reason that the north, ever since that time and up until 2007, trusted and respected him so much. Again Obasanjo was one of the closest officers to Major Nzeogwu and was with him the night before the coup (OBJ had just come back from India the day before) and yet he was not implicated in that coup but rather, when it mattered the most, he and most of the other yoruba military officers threw their wait solidly behind the northern officers at every relevant point in time. If they hadn't done so things would have been very different after the January 15th (Nzeogwu), the January 16th (Ironsi) and the July 29th (Northern officers) 1966 coups. The only mistake that Obasanjo ever made in terms of selection in my view was when he chose Yar'adua to succeed him as President and I think that he regretted that bitterly right up until today. But the truth is that even that was divinely orchestrated by God because had it not been for the fact that Yar'adua came in and then passed on on the job, the way would not have been paved for Goodluck Jonathan who, as you quite rightly said, has absolutely NO links with the events of 1966-970 or the events of Nigeria's civil or indeed post civil war politics and history. GEJ is purely a product of Nigeria's post-military Fourth Republic politics (1999-2007) and he is the first Nigerian ruler to be in such a position. No one knew him or who his father or family was before then. This is indeed a new and refreshing era. Thanks my brother. - Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=203638059646581&comments

"Meanwhile, hours before the National Assembly elections, ACN leaders are in a dilemma over the fate that awaits the political fortune of its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday.

Tinubu’s wife, Oluremi, is contesting for the Lagos Central Senatorial District seat on the party’s platform.

But, some young turks in the party have vowed to ensure her defeat over the way she was imposed during the primaries in January.

A sample of their anger was shown last Saturday when they voted against her before the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, shifted the polls.

Lagos Central district is made up of Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Eti-Osa, Apapa and Surulere, Governor Babatunde Fashola’s constituency.

Several meetings held to pacify the aggrieved members, majority of whom have joined the Labour Party (LP), have proved abortive.

To Tinubu, Fashola is sponsoring them against his wife. This is because of the general belief that all the National and state Assemblies candidates were imposed by Tinubu and the 40 state lawmakers may give Fashola a tough time in his second term, hence the need by the governor to sponsor candidates in another party “to balance the equation in the Assembly so that Tinubu’s loyalists will not continue to hold him to ransom,” said a source.

The former governor, when he saw that the voting pattern did not favour his wife before the postponement last Saturday, warned Fashola to go and pacify them immediately, saying if his wife loses on Saturday, he may be forced to work against the governor on April 26.

In fact, Mrs. Tinubu was trailing the LP candidate, Dapo Durosimi-Etti. The trend of the protest votes over imposition manifested last year when a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Gbenga Oshin, defeated the ACN candidate in the rerun for the vacant Assembly position in Ikorodu, seen as the stronghold of the ruling party.

Though, some ACN leaders are feigning ignorance of LP popularity in the state, those in the know say they are only economical with the truth".

All hail the Asiwaju - the democrat of the year!

http://www.compassnewspaper.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3873%3Ano-hiding-place-for-obasanjo-says-buhari&catid=308%3Aheadlines&Itemid=600

FULL DISCLOSURE: As someone who has been active in both advising on and overseeing elections in Africa and Nigeria, I have worked for several pro-democracy candidates in Nigeria, including President Goodluck Jonathan.

Last week, I wrote about why Nigeria will not need "A Tahrir Moment". Though the recent postponement of the elections -- announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) -- is a temporary setback in the electoral process, there is a silver lining to the news that much of the media are not picking up on.

In a country with a history plagued by suspicions of vote rigging, it's a positive sign that the Electoral Commission has been allowed to operate independently and come to the decision to delay the polls rather than pushing through elections that it was not yet prepared to conduct.

To his credit, President Goodluck Jonathan ensured that the commission would be able to make its own judgments without pressure from political officials -- including his own office. And when the INEC announced that it would be delaying the elections to ensure that they were carried out fairly, President Jonathan honored that commitment. He accepted the decision of the Commission, saying that he understood the frustration of Nigerians who were looking forward to voting but that "it is better to delay and do it well" so that the results are credible and every Nigerian can trust that his or her vote is counted.

The Electoral Commission is now working quickly to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to carry off the fairest and cleanest election in Nigeria's history. In the context of that history, the fact that all parties have come together and agreed with the independent Commission to delay the elections by one week is no minor feat. And it's a good sign that the International community can have faith in the process there.

These elections will not be perfect -- no election ever is, even in countries like the U.S., which have a long history of dedication to the democratic process. But President Goodluck Jonathan's "hands off" policy has given INEC and his country the opportunity to take the first real steps to democracy and government of the people, for the people, and by the people.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-trippi/nigerian-election-delay-a_b_845156.html

The Arrogance of Authority

A DEA officer stops at a ranch in Texas, and talks with an old rancher. He tells the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs." The rancher says, "Okay , but don't go in that field over there," as he points out the location.

The DEA officer verbally explodes saying, " Mister, I have the authority of the Federal Government with me." Reaching into his rear pants pocket, he removes his badge and proudly displays it to the rancher. "See this badge? This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish, On any land. No questions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand? "

The rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes about his chores.

A short time later, the old rancher hears loud screams and sees the DEA officer running for his life chased by the rancher's big Santa Gertrudis bull,

With every step, the bull is gaining ground on the officer, and it seems likely that he'll get gored before he reaches safety. The officer is clearly terrified. The rancher throws down his tools, runs to the fence and yells at the top of his lungs,

"Your badge! Show him your BADGE !"

@Papabrowne
Nairaland wasn't mentioned - but it sure was an apt description of the site. I used to contribute, albeit not regularly, at the religious forum until it got very dirty - abuses, name calling, etc. Moved over to the Politics section with the hope that I could learn new things. I admit, the religious section is baby stuff compared to the Politics section.
I indeed recognised that quite a number of contributors do not live in Nigeria and, efforts to mention that it is not as bad as they may think tends to infuriate them. So, I just shake my head, smile some at the ignorance level, worry at the degeneration of language and manners (even if online where posters bask in anonymity), and thank God I am old school - yeah, I like the sound of that.
Your posts, I must admit, usually are refreshingly informative and very 'street', but then, perhaps, it would be nice if you don't dumb down to the mutt antics of this age - as they say: 'don't play with pigs; you'll get dirty. What's more, the pigs love it'.
Anyhow, I suppose this is the rave of this age.

Boss to new employee: "What is your name?"

"John."

"Look, I don't know what kind of place you worked at before, but I don't call anyone by their first name. It breeds familiarity and that leads to a breakdown in authority. I refer to my employees by their last names only: Smith, Jones, Baker -- that's all. I am to be referred to only as Mr. Robertson. Now that we got that straight, what is your last name?"

"Darling. My name is John Darling."

"Okay, John, the next thing I want to tell you is, "

A man left his cat with his brother while he went on vacation for a week. When he came back, the man called his brother to see when he could pick the cat up.

The brother hesitated, then said, ''I'm so sorry, but while you were away, the cat died."

The man was very upset and yelled, ''You know, you could have broken the news to me better than that. When I called today, you could have said he was on the roof and wouldn't come down. Then when I called the next day, you could have said that he had fallen off and the vet was working on patching him up. Then when I called the third day, you could have said he had passed away.''

The brother thought about it and apologized.

"So how's Mom?" asked the man.

"She's on the roof and won't come down."

A man staggers into an emergency room with two black eyes and a five iron wrapped tightly around his throat. Naturally, the doctor asks him what happened.

"Well, I was having a quiet round of golf with my wife when she sliced her ball into a pasture of cows. We went to look for it and while I was rooting around I noticed one of the cows had something white at its rear end. I walked over and lifted up the tail and sure enough, there was my wife's golf ball, stuck under the cow's tail. "That's when I made my mistake."

"What did you do?" asks the doctor.

"Well, I lifted the tail and yelled to my wife, Hey, this looks like yours!"

Dear Dayokanu,
Buhari is actually a good man - and I have great respects for him (can't say the same for his deputy though - all he's been able to achieve is to blabber prophecies that didn't come to pass) - but there is more to politics (and this election in particular) than being good.
To succeed, he would need to come to a compromise with the legislators and numerous stakeholders - Obama has  had to swallow his pride and do those things he didn't plan to do while campaigning - and there lies the problem.
The position for the Presidency is between Jonathan and Buhari. None other. Both have their strengths and weaknesses and either is good for Nigeria.
So, campaign all you have, dear sir, and all you Jonathan/Buhari followers. Shout yourselves hoarse, if you must be heard - that's alright. That's the good thing about all this. But can we tone down on the abuses and insults coupled with deliberate falsehoods on each of these gentlemen.
I will vote for Jonathan; you, no doubt will vote for Buhari. But should we abuse ourselves because of our choices? I trust your answer will be negative.
This is not an accusation but a plea that we help to make this election true and, as much as is practicable, rancour free. We owe our dear Country that.

Guys,

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-593917.0.html

Can we then declare this thread closed?

Cheers

@ Dustydee

You've answered the questions yourself.

1. Not All the delegates voted for Jonathan and this 'shows that some delegates are not cowards'
2. Those delegates that voted Atiku in Niger,etc because of IBB and Gusau factor, proves that (going by your argument) they were forced to vote Atiku by IBB and Gusau. So, Jonathan forced just as Atiku (through IBB and Gusau) did - but was able to 'outforce' (outfox?) Atiku. I don't see any problem only that I suspect you would have wished otherwise. Goodluck next time.

Cheers

@ Dustydee
Counter question? Why wasn't Jonathan able to force All delegates to vote for him - especially those of Kano, Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi?

I sure would love to know how he forced those delegates to vote for him, especially when there was no way of him ever knowing whom the delegates penned as their choice. No doubt you are not insinuating he has some magical powers to do what you have alleged/claimed he did, yes?

Dear 1025,
Many thanks for your post. Going through the same is enough to make anyone give up on Nigeria. Only thing is: I refuse to give up on her. Problems will always be around - name the country - and every player/actor plays his part and leaves the stage. The challenge is who should be the 'lead actor' on stage? That's where choice comes in.

It does appear to me that you have taken no position as it appears you believe they are all 'birds of the same feather'.Yes? But we can't allow the ship of state to be 'Captainless' because of our disenchantment on the (supposed and manifest) characters of available sailors. But if we must ride through the stormy waters, we must have to choose among the ones that have volunteered their 'services'. Our choices, you'd agree are also influenced by varied factors, which is beside the point. THE ISSUE IS: THE SHIP CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO DRIFT. Sorry, sitting on the fence and griping, in order to be objective, will not solve it. YOU MUST MAKE A CHOICE!

Yes, I choose Jonathan, warts and all. Whom do you choose? My knowledge of all the candidates, informs my choice. I am not going to vote on party lines but on individuals. My choice of Governor for Lagos is Fashola (though I dislike Tinubu's antecedents). I carry no party card and I refuse to sit on the fence or 'siddon look' - Nigeria is too dear to me to do that. Would you want me to vote Atiku? Sorry, I won't. He will cause trouble, go to court, pronounce fire n brimstone? I'm not impressed - that's his style; just goes to strengthen my resolve. I do love Buhari, but can't get over his 'islamisation' of Nigeria. Ribadu? Need to reconcile his dining with the same Tinubu he once castigated for corruption. I'm beginning to sound like a Jonathan's apologist. I accept.

By the way,have you read the headlines lately about other climes? Pretty disturbing, no? But life still goes on. It never stops. You do know that, don't you? So you play your little role well and trust me to play mine well too - and hopefully, the aggregate result will be okay.

Bottomline: Jonathan for me. Who is for you? Whatever your stance ol' chap, I trust you do wish Nigeria goodluck. I do too. Cheers.


Now I need more fresh air than ever before.

Dear Gbenge77
That is what you saw, especially about Jonathan. What many of us did see was a man that was apparently more matured than Atiku. We saw, thankfully, a man of our generation (baby boomers) who refused to bow to the popular antics and demands of the 'Y' generation - abuses, denigrations, etc. We were reminded that it is still possible to hold your head high with decorum despite being tempted and taunted with 'bole kaja' proponents.
Now that you have drawn our attention to what YOU saw, I feel sad that we still have some in my generation that would not adhere to the lofty ideals by which we were raised as concerning gamesmanship

But then, dear Gbenge77, life is a matter of choices. I therefore do not begrudge you your choice of one that fights and plays dirty. No. I respect your right to choose one that seeks mischief or perpetuates trouble. Happily, many of us did not take your choice and, lo, Jonathan came out tops, to your chagrin, apparently. But we must move on. To newer terrains. Trying to take us back to a past event serves no purpose, don't you think? Perhaps it does - only, I have failed to comprehend what YOU would have us understand. I admit, I still cannot see it and must leave you to continue with your efforts at persuading people to join YOUR train. I join a number of my contemporaries at wishing you goodluck (no pun intended) in your endeavors.

Meanwhile, I gotta leave. I need a breath of fresh air. Won't you join me?