₦airaland Forum

walexy30:
I save N2000 every month in a bank with an annual interest rate of 12% for 20 years while still working. How much will i receive at the end of the period (20 years).

Annuity

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has given insight into how he has so far escaped death by the whiskers at least a dozen times in his 78-year stay on earth.
In his latest three-volume autobiography, “My Watch”, Mr. Obasanjo wrote about how he survived infant mortality that consumed all but one of his siblings, how local herbs and concoction helped kept him alive after a life-threatening scorpion bite, and how he almost perished in the Ogun River while learning to swim.
The former president, who recently spoke to PREMIUM TIMES about the book, also narrated how he escaped unhurt in several auto crashes, and how he survived a plot by suspected assassins to kill him at the University of Ibadan.
Mr. Obasanjo narrated, “Being one of two of my mother’s surviving children (out of seven), I must have had the grace of God to cross the hurdle of infant mortality. The other five never lived up to age one. The vicissitudes of rural life and limited resources did not guarantee survival for children born in my time and in the place I was born. Growing up in the village I was bitten by a scorpion once, and I survived it. The local herb and concoction applied by the native doctor worked in my case. I heard later that it did not work in some other cases.
“When I was in primary school in Abeokuta, I went to the Ogun River to try to swim. My friend and classmate who went with me urged me to dive with him into the water; I asked him to go in first and I would follow. He dived in and hit his head against a rock, and he never survived. My mother pulled my ear and warned me never to go to the river for swimming again. That marked the end of my attempt to learn swimming.
“When I was attached to the Welsh Guards in Pirbright, I had an accident while learning to drive. It could have been fatal for me and and for the oncoming motorcyclist, but we both survived. On returning to Nigeria, I had another accident in which the military vehicle I was driving without proper authority was a write-off. I survived with a fractured hand. As a young officer on a UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Congo Leopoldville, now Democratic Republic of Congo, I had an encounter with Congolese soldiers that could have been fatal.
“I returned home from the Congo and was posted to the Nigerian Army Engineers, where I had to learn to ride a motorcycle for reconnaissance purposes. I took a motorcycle ride out alone on training and had a nasty accident where, again, the motorcycle was damaged beyond repair, and I was saved by wearing a steel helmet. The story of my escaping death by the skin of my teeth during the civil war when four of my bodyguards died on the spot has been told elsewhere.
“When I left public office as a military head of state, I was appointed Distinguished Fellow of the University of Ibadan in the Institute of African Studies. I was given a house to stay in when I had work in the university. On one occasion, I was to give a lecture and to spend the night there; but curiously, I decided to inspect the whole building and the compound. I found, to everybody’s surprise, a neat hole cut through the glass window; and on the mosquito wire netting on the window was a hole close to the head of the bead, just big enough to accommodate the muzzle of a pistol. I never slept in that house again. The whole university community, and Professor Tekena Tamuno as the vice-chancellor, was alarmed.
“On my way from Abeokuta to Ogbomosho to attend the graduation ceremony of pastor Bolarinwa, who I sponsored to Baptist Theological Seminary, I was waylaid by armed robbers. They cut in front of my car to stop it, got out and shot into the air, and entered their car and drove off. Calmly, I got out of the car with my driver and other passengers. I came to understand that if they had known that I had been the one in the car, they would not have zeroed in on that car, or they would have killed me to avoid getting arrested. I also understood that the police followed them to a logical conclusion. In addition, I have heard all sorts of fetish stories about how people tried or were trying to kill me and how I escaped through supernatural powers. I neither believe in nor practice anything fetish.
“My greatest escape from untimely death was brought about through the machinations and snares of Abacha. Even that was God’s doing.”
Mr. Obasanjo said because of his several close shaves with death, people built a myth around him, circulating tales that he was more than an ordinary human being.
“Once, a writer described me as a man with seven lives,” the former President said. “That is, of course, an exaggeration; there is no man with more than one life. But when you have almost miraculously escaped death on a number of occasions, superstitions and myths are built around you. One might even be credited with powers that do not belong to one. For instance, being called ‘ebora’, which means spirit.”
Saying he does not believe or indulge in fetish practices, Mr. Obasanjo said he had remained alive till now simply because of God’s consistence generosity to him, a debt he said he would continue to pay by “thanking and worshipping God while placing myself unreservedly in the service of humanity and God”.
“In my opinion, to whom much is given, much must be expected. God has done so much to preserve my life and protect me,” the former President said.
“He has done so much to pave my way and crown my efforts with success. Bishop Hassan Kukah put it this way: “God has singled you out and has been overgenerous to you.” I agree with him. And I have nothing o do excerpt to keep thanking and worshipping God while placing myself unreservedly in the service of humanity and God, continuously on the watch. It is leadership and responsibility.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188425-how-i-cheated-death-12-times-obasanjo.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

handie:
We all know there ain't no saint... U included. He's just trying to make the best from a dire situation. Or do u want him to take Alaymasiehga, Stella Odua, Lucky Igbinedion, Lamido and his two sons, Bode George, nyako and his son, Diezani, James Ibori and other corrupt fellows cause there's no saint? If only u'll stop being a politician's abobaku and read my post without political blindness. Has any of the individuals you foolishly listed above been indicted for corruption or are u talking cause others are? If only u had not exchanged ur brain for a cup of garri, u would have seen me make mention of Murtala Nyako and his son Abdulaziz. Are those ones PDP members? I only made mention of Diezani cause of Her ineptitude that ran the Nigerian petroleum industry down... Not because of her perceived corrupt practices. Well, stupidity is not a crime so, u're free to go. I'll advice u go for a 40 days fasting and prayer session to ask God to grant u d grace not to show u stupidity in public again.

Hahaha. U re mouthed bro... Seconded

omowolewa:
They were never forced, greedy girls!

Whoever can tame his 3rd leg can do a lot! The thing only get head, he no get sense!!

If ur own no get sense, mine has n it's very intelligent

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has appointed former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Plateau State University, Bokkos.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Rufus Bature, in Jos on Friday.
The governor also announced the re-instatement of Danjuma Sheni as Vice Chancellor of the institution as requested by the National Universities Commission.
Mr. Jega was appointed alongside six other council members.
The re-instatement of Mr. Sheni as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the University was with immediate effect.
According to the statement, ”The VC is to ensure proper re-positioning of the institution in line with international practices, and to liaise with NUC to fast-track accreditation of programmes and subsequent graduation of two sets of final year students.”
The past administration of Governor Jonah Jang, in October 2014, suspended Mr. Sheni as Vice Chancellor.
Mr. Jang’s administration also refused an order of the state high court for the re-instatement of Mr. Sheni and, instead, appointed Prof. Stephen Mallo as acting Vice Chancellor.
This week, the National Universities Commission advised the Plateau governor to reinstate the sacked Vice Chancellor as a remedy to the crisis at the university.
(NAN)

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/north-central/188410-plateau-governor-lalong-appoints-jega-as-pro-chancellor-re-instates-sheni-as-vc.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Nigeria’s oil workers on Friday criticised the on-going reform in the oil and gas industry, and vowed to take steps to protect their members’ interest.
The workers, under the aegis of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, NUPENGASSAN, described the reform as a cover-up and vindictive actions against their members. They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the newly appointed Group Managing Director, GMD, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Emmanuel Kachikwu, to order by direct him to stop the on-going sack in the Corporation.
Vowing to give equal response to whatever actions of government they consider capable of suppressing worker’s interests, the unions suggested that a team should be set up immediately to review Mr. Kachikwu’s actions so far in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.
Within two weeks of the commencement of the reform, Mr. Kachikwu has carried out massive restructuring of the management of the corporation.
Apart from the sack and re-composition of the board, Mr. Kachikwu has retired 38 top management staff, pruning the top hierarchy of the corporation from 122 to 83, while reducing the operational directorates from eight to four.
New Group Executive Directors, GEDs, have since been appointed for the new directorates, along with Group General Managers, GGMs, for the various divisions, a move the new oil chief said was to rid the corporation of corruption and make it more efficient and profitable.
Regardless, the oil workers in a joint statement by the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Francis Johnson, and his counterpart in the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, accused the NNPC management of executing an agenda that did not carry the workers’ unions along.
The statement, which was also signed by their General Secretaries – Bayo Olowoshile and Joseph Ogbebor respectively- also accused Mr. Kachikwu of pursuing an agenda contrary to the idea canvassed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“While we are fully in support of the fight against corruption, the fight itself should not be turned against workers whom government swore to protect,” the oil workers said.
“The ongoing exercise portends a great danger in the oil sector if workers are meant to bear the brunt of government’s current action where the fight against corruption is now being used as an act of vindictiveness against workers.”
The on-going exercise, the oil workers said, did not show any attempt to fight corruption and block leakages, but was “an act of cover up.”
“We dare the new GMD of NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to recover the stolen trillions of Naira in the sector than retiring and sacking of innocent workers. We are quite sure that the on-going action is not the idea of our dear President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.”
As players in all spheres of the industry’s operation, the unions said they have been trying to meet with the President to review the on-going reforms in the NNPC, saying they have so far been kept in the dark by his protocol staff.
Despite being the representatives of organized workers in the industry, the union leaders claimed all their suggestions on the critical challenges affecting the on-going reforms were being not being considered by the authorities.
They listed the issues to include the review of industry policy and fiscal framework; cash call and counterpart funding obligations; stability of the downstream oil and gas sector; pipeline sabotage and oil theft.
On the NNPC restructuring, the oil workers said the gale of abrupt loss of jobs in the corporation was sending very wrong signals to their members throughout the oil and gas sector, particularly about their job security.
Reminding government of its promise to create jobs through the entire strata of the economy, they noted that the situation in the NNPC was likely to have the opposite effect.
“We believe people are not the problem, but the structure put in place. If there are strong structures and institutions, the organization will be a more effective place,” the unions stated.
“So instead of a blanket sacking of workers, which other organizations are likely to key into, government reforms should be geared towards putting in place effective and strong structures and institutions that will meet the numerous challenges currently bedevilling the oil and gas sector in particular and the nation in general.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188411-nnpc-reform-nigeria-oil-workers-prepare-for-showdown-with-buhari.html

Funny indeed

Y telling d whole world??

deadZONE:
Wesley University of Science and Technology, Landmark University, Rhema University, Samuel Adegboyega University, Paul University, Oduduwa University, Tansian University, Baze University, Obong University, Achievers University and Wellspring University.




i swear i have not heard of most of these schools...
no wonder we have half baked graduates,
no wonder we can sit back and allow an illiterate rule over us.

Y did a literate like u nt contest for d seat?

OK

Katastrofy:
Tinubu OshomOLE Amaechi ARAgbesola Fashola Obasanjo Timpre sylva
that should be the best place for them..

All u just named r in d APC cabinet. Where r d PDP members?

The head of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company, NNPC, has stated that the corporation would sack more staff as part of its re-organisation.
Emmanuel Kachikwu, who was recently appointed Group Managing Director of the corporation by President Muhammadu Buhari stated this on Thursday while addressing reporters at the presidential villa. Over 35 senior management staff of the corporation have been sacked or compulsorily retired in the last one week.
Mr. Kachikwu said as part of the NNPC’s three-pronged approach towards restructuring, more staff of the corporation may be sacked to bring about efficiency and check redundancy. He said the reforms involve downsizing of the workforce and reworking of the business strategy.
He also said the corporation is set to carry out another round of forensic audit that will run into 2015 accounts to ascertain the firm’s true financial state.
Mr. Kachikwu said a lot of things that have been done wrongly before will be corrected, and that the corporation is setting a new culture for accountability and service delivery.
He said NNPC will now appraise staff performance and make appropriate decisions after assessment.
“How well you have done on the job that you have done, and if you have done very well, how do we elevate you to positions where you can offer more service,” he said. “If you have not done well enough and we can retrain you, we will. But if you have not done well enough and there is no possibility of retraining, we let you go.”
The GMD said processes and control measures will be put in place for retraining and repositioning of staff, adding that the corporation will commence working with oil majors and minors in the sector to maximise professionalism.
“NNPC isn’t a public service, it is a corporation and it is going to be run like a company, generating money and profit for Nigerians. So that whole concept of anything goes is going to stop and this is the first stage in that whole process.
“It is a three-pronged process that I am following. There is a people aspect, which we are dealing with now. There is a process of putting the people at the right places. We are going to get a forensic audit done so that we know clearly [what is going on], not the one PW [PriceWaterouseCoopers] did but a proper forensic audit that will cover us all the way to 2014, 2015, and we will be able to say to you this is the state of the economy,” he said.
He said the business stage entails looking at all the existing contracts to determine their propriety or otherwise, noting that challenges arising from reducing balance sheet as a result of the drop in international oil price will also be looked at in order to design ways of recovery and income growth.
“It is a very intensive and calibrated work, but over the next five, six months you will begin to see a new emergence in the NNPC, a new process of oil administration in the country and obviously giving boost to Mr President’s dream of taking the oil industry back to where it should be,” Mr. Kachikwu said.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188339-nnpc-to-sack-more-staff-set-for-fresh-audit.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Below is a press statement from the Lagos State Police Command. Read below…

Following a distress call received from Local Divers at about 3:10 pm today, 12th August, 2015, that a Helicopter plunged into the Lagos Lagoon at Oworonshoki, a team of Policemen and other emergency management agencies swiftly moved to the scene. During the rescue operation, six persons on board the helicopter were rescued alive and taken to the hospital for medical attention and are responding to treatment, while four corpses were recovered.
Initial enquiry revealed that the helicopter belongs to Bristow Helicopters and that twelve(12) persons were said to be on board the ill-fated helicopter.
In another development, there has been a high rate of fire incidents in Lagos State, arising from carelessness and mishandling of petroleum products through black marketeering and mass storage at homes due to perceived scarcity. Yesterday, 13/08/2015 at about 2030hrs, along Maidan Street, by Ajiliti area of Mile 12, a Motorcycle conveying a woman with a gallon of petrol stacked in a polythene bag collided with another Motorcycle. In the process, the content spilled on the road and caught fire. The fire engulfed both motorcycles and four others close by.
The rider, the passenger and two others suffered severe burns and have been admitted at a nearby hospital for treatment. The Command therefore appeals to members of the public to be mindful of how they handle petroleum products, stop mass storage of the product in their homes. Motorists, especially Tanker Drivers are equally admonished to observe traffic rules and speed limits to avoid such occurrences.

Signed DSP Patricia Amadin Police Public Relation Officer Lagos State Command

http://xsouth.com/press-release-by-npf-lagos-helicopter-crashes-into-lagos-lagoon/

Drsheddy:
May we not died accidentally like that IN JESUS NAME!

Grammatical Error

Dats weird

Cool

Lol. He forgot to turn down d volume, he's actually a novice. Let's b serious, beating won't stop it, counsel him on d effects of having sex at his young age n watching porn. He needs guidance n counselling

…Directs Discos to comply from today

The Nigeria Electric­ity Regulatory Com­mission (NERC) has ordered Distribution Com­panies (Discos) to suspend further collection of fixed charges on unconsumed electricity if power was not supplied continuously or cumulatively for 15 days in a month.

NERC Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, said that, “any customer who experiences continuously or cumulatively power outage for 15 days in a month will be exempted from paying the monthly fixed charge to the Electricity Dis­tribution Company (Discos).”

The order, according to Amadi, who spoke to report­ers in Abuja, is effective from May 1, 2014. He further ex­plained that in as much as the 15 days power outage was not due to the customer’s dis­ruption or default in paying bill, the Discos shall forego monthly fixed charge.

The decision, according to him, was based on the com­mission’s 2005 Act, Section 32 D and F, while he stated that the NERC has decided that the fixed charge remains an essential component of the bill. It has, however, reviewed its continued reflection in the tariff in the payment of the fixed charge in the light of sev­eral complaints by consumers, particularly the payment of the fixed charge when energy is not delivered to them.

“Upon due consideration of these complaints and agitations by customers, and considering the commissions role in the Nigerian Electric­ity Supply Industry (NESI) as provided under Sections 32(d)&(f) of the EPSR Act 2005:

“Effective May 1, 2014, where any customer of a distribution licensee has not received continuous or cumu­lative electricity supply for a period of 15 days in a month, such a customer shall not be required to pay the fixed charge,” he stated.

In a fact sheet, which the commission made available to newsmen, it described fixed charge as an element of an electricity customer’s elec­tricity bill that is charged on a monthly basis.

The fixed charge is intend­ed to allow for the recovery of the cost associated with the fixed or permanent invest­ments required to generate, transmit and distribute elec­tricity.

But the commission’s chairman said that the order was to compel the distribution companies to always reinstall faulty equipment such as transformers immediately.

Amadi, however, added that the essence of the order was to create a balance that protects the consumers and affords the distribution com­panies some incentives to be responsive without threaten­ing the reliance of the industry.

His words: “It is hereby ordered that effective May 1, 2014, where any customers of the distribution licensees has not received continuous electricity supply for a period of 15 days in a month, such a customer shall not be re­quired to pay the fixed charge provided that the disruption is not due to non-payment of electricity bill or other actions of the consumer like temper­ing, vandalism or it is totally unrelated to the fault of the distribution company.

“In other words, fixed charge should be paid and the only condition for non-payment is when you do not receive continuously 15 days power supply.

The fact is that we want to ensure that the Discos receive enough revenue to maintain the network. At the same time, we don’t want it to be an incentive for them not to re­spond to the faults they could manage within their existing commitment.

“So the commission has tailored a deliberate balance that protects consumers and provides incentives for Discos to be efficient and responsive but without threatening the reliability of the industry as a whole in ensuring that there will still be fund to give stable electricity to the consumers.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/nerc-abolishes-n750-fixed-electricity-charge/

The former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, said he remained calm while Godsday Orubebe, a former minister of Niger Delta, disrupted election because he as well as his colleagues were determined to conduct credible elections.
In an interview with Zero Tolerance, a quarterly magazine of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Jega said during the collation of results, it was evident to him that some people were bent on derailing the process by provoking him and his colleagues.
“So, we were determined to ensure that no matter the provocation we would ensure that the results were tabulated and announced,” he said.
The former electoral boss said all through the election period there were various allegations against him, but he was not bothered or afraid.
“No! Anybody who is afraid for his life will not do this kind of job. As you know, they say, “Death is a necessary end. It comes when it will come.”
“So, we did our best knowing that God wills, people can drop and die; but as long as we are alive, we will continue to do our best under all circumstances,” the former INEC boss said.
On March 31, during the collation of results of the presidential election at the International Conference, some officials of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by Mr. Orubebe, disrupted the exercise, accusing the former INEC boss of bias.
When it was obvious that the candidate of the PDP, former President Goodluck Jonathan, was losing, Mr. Orubebe dramatically seized the microphone for minutes insisting that Mr. Jega was bias against the PDP, hence, should suspend announcement of result.
He accused Mr. Jega of promptly attending to complaints from the then opposition party, the All Progressive Congress, while disregarding those from the PDP.
As Mr. Orubebe fumed and cursed, interrupting the collation of resultd, Mr. Jega maintained an unusual calm.
He patiently educated the then minister on the methods and processes of filling complaints.
In the interview with Zero Tolerance, Mr. Jega said INEC had transformed to a strong institution, “firmly rooted and can survive individuals; such that individuals can come and go but the organisation remains”.
He added, “I feel satisfied that a lot has happened in INEC and whoever comes will find it easier than we found it when we came, and will be able to continue to add value to what exists.

Read full interview below. We have Zero Tolerance’s approval to republish here.

We Are Probing Campaign Funding- Jega
The 2015 elections was yet another acid test for Professor Athahiru Jega as Nigerians looked up to him to deliver free and fair election. He did while also making history as the first umpire to organise two national polls. He reflects on the preparation and conduct of the 2015 elections in this encounter with ZT’s Aishah Gambari and Franklyn Ogunleye. Excerpts:
ZT: Do you find it disturbing that corruption has crept into the electoral process?
Jega: I find worrisome the use of money in politics particularly in the electioneering process in Nigeria. Increasingly, use of money in politics seems to be enticing to voters because of what they receive rather than choosing those they believe can deliver.. I think the use of money in Nigerian politics is becoming such a worrisome phenomenon that a lot needs to be done in order to minimize it, because it is capable of undermining the integrity of the entire exercise.
ZT: Given the pervasiveness of corruption, what will be your advice to politicians regarding what needs to be done in tackling the problem?
Jega: Nigeria has achieved notoriety on the issue of corruption particularly in the public sector. It is important that we have a definite commitment or even a programme of action that will address this very challenge in our country. I think what we see is that virtually every political party and candidate now articulate a programme on how to deal with corruption but I think we need to move from programmes to actual action in terms of dealing with corruption. I think the anti-corruption agencies needs to be strengthened so that they can be more effective in dealing with the phenomenon of corruption.
I believe like so many other people that acts of corruption are committed with impunity. Until there are strong sanctions and mechanisms for detecting, apprehending and penalizing corrupt officials, we will continue to have this challenge.
ZT: Talking about punitive measures, China prescribes the death penalty for corruption. Would you advocate a similar model for Nigeria?
Jega: I think our court process or the legal process is generally very slow. As far as I am concerned, we should accelerate that process. We should not allow corruption cases to be handled by regular courts. We need to establish specialised courts that can handle corruption cases with dispatch.
What we require is speedy dispensation of justice rather than penalties such as death sentence.
ZT: INEC plays a crucial role in the emergence of the nation’s political leadership. Does your agency have mechanism for checking the background of political office seekers?
The electoral legal framework at this point does not allow INEC to screen candidates. In the past, the electoral commission together with security agencies were given the power to screen candidates but the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) did not require INEC to screen candidates or to use security agencies to vet candidates.
As a matter of fact, the Electoral Act says that once parties nominate their candidates and send their names to INEC, INEC cannot reject them whatsoever and so we cannot vet or screen candidates.
ZT: It is frequently alleged that INEC officials collude with desperate politicians to undermine the electoral process. How true is this?
Jega: We make it clear to our staff that they stand the risk of losing their jobs and being prosecuted if they condone or partake in corrupt practices. And I am glad to say that we have drastically eliminated the phenomenon of corruption in the electoral process.
What we have done in INEC is to create measures that will make it difficult for anybody to be involved in corruption without being detected and when you are detected and apprehended, we obviously allow the law to take its course.
ZT: Slush fund in electoral campaign is a sore issue in Nigeria. Does INEC have the power to check the source of campaign funds?
Jega: The Electoral Act mandates the Independence National Electoral Commission to monitor finances of political parties and of candidates and there are limit imposed particularly on candidates, about what their campaign expenditures should not exceed.
When we conducted the 2011 elections, we did it within eight months of being appointed. We did not inherit any mechanism for monitoring campaign finance and we were then unable in the 2011 elections to monitor campaign finances of political parties and candidates. We ensured that parties published their audited accounts and we appointed auditors which are requirements of the law, to audit party finances and we had published this audited report but we were not able to closely monitor campaign expenditure.
Now, we have established a unit; Party Monitoring Department, specifically to handle campaign financing and we have got the support of many international partners to train them and we are working with some credible NGOs to partner with us in order to monitor, generate and gather information about campaign financing. So, God willing, the 2015 general elections will witness a greater and closer interrogation of the expenditures of political parties and candidates.
ZT: So far, have you had any cases of any political party exceeding their campaign finance limit?
Jega: In the interim, we are gathering information and at the appropriate time, we will come out and say that this is our finding. Slowly and steadily we are increasing our capacity to be able to deal with the issue of campaign financing and to deal with the use of money in politics or even to have the capacity to penalise those who break the law.
ZT: Congratulations on the successful conduct of the 2015 election. How did you pull off the feat that is being described as a watershed in Nigeria’s electoral history?
Jega: We thank God that the election has come and gone, and both local and international observers are saying it is the best election ever conducted in the country. I must say it was a collective effort. Our field officers, in particular-the young men and women of the NYSC and the Vice Chancellors who served as returning officers, did their best under very difficult circumstances. All Nigerians wanted a free, fair, credible and peaceful election; and we all worked hard for it and we thank god that it has come to pass.
ZT: Did you anticipate the outcome of the election, especially the presidential election?
Jega: Our business as an election body is to conduct elections freely, fairly with a level playing field for everybody. But nobody could predict what the electoral outcome will be until the votes are counted. From our point of view as an elections management body we did our best to ensure the elections are fair, peaceful, and conducted professionally.
ZT: Before the election, there were talks about plots to remove you from office while some politicians accused you of bias. How were you able to maintain focus in the face of those challenges?
Jega: I knew I was doing this job to the best of my ability without any bias, so accusations of bias did not really concern me. I tried to remain focussed and urged all those with whom I worked to remain focussed so that we were not distracted. I thank God that all those accusations and allegations did not distract us and we remained focussed and were able to do our best under very difficult circumstances.
ZT: Part of comments that were flying about then was that some political parties approached you to rig elections in their favour. Was there any truth in that?
Jega: No! You know in Nigeria we have a very vibrant rumour mill. Certainly no political party approached me to ask me to rig any elections for them. And I am not aware they approached any National Commissioner or Resident Electoral Commissioner. Indeed, there is no way any one of us could rig elections to favour any candidate. The Returning Officers are not even INEC Staff; these are Vice Chancellors for Governorship election, and for Senatorial election, we had professors. There is no way I as a Chairman or a National Commissioner or a Resident Electoral Commissioner can change results to favour any candidate.
ZT: The use of the card reader was one of the innovations that defined the election. Will you say the device has come to stay?
Jega: The card reader was a fantastic innovation that has added tremendous value to the integrity to our electoral process. There were challenges. Anytime you are introducing a new technology there are bound to be challenges, but I must say that the challenges we have seen were minimal. In fact, a lot of the challenges we believe were on account of the activities of those who did not want the card reader to be used in the first place. For example in places where on the first day of the presidential and senatorial elections people were saying the card reader had failed, we took the statistics and the failure rate was less than 0.25percent. So if you are doing something major and substantive like that and you had only less than half a percentage point as so called failure, that is insignificant.
We identified what some of those so called failures were and we addressed them before the governorship elections. You could see that nobody complained about the use of the card reader during the governorship elections.
There were areas where people didn’t want the card readers to be used, and worked very hard to ensure those card readers were not used. They now turned around and made it appear as if the card reader failed to work.
ZT: There were accusations that the supplier of the card reader was a supporter of a particular party…
Jega: (Laughs) those are allegations that remain unproven. In any case, the time we gave this contract for the production of the card readers was over 2 years ago, almost 3 years. So at that time the political permutations and configurations had not become established.
ZT: The process of collating the results, especially the presidential poll was the most agonizing for Nigerians especially when the “Orubebe” scene happened and a lot of people were tensed that probably the process was going to be truncated; but in the face of all that provocation, you were able to maintain your composure. Is that really who you are or you had prior knowledge that such a thing might happen and you prepared for it?
Jega: The fact of the matter is that all of us in INEC were determined to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections and by the time we came to collation it became evident that we had done our best professionally. So, we were determined to ensure that no matter the provocation we would ensure that the results were tabulated and announced. There were all sorts of allegations and accusations, but they didn’t faze us because we knew we have not done anything to warrant such allegations and accusations
ZT: (cuts in) were you at any afraid for your life ?
Jega: No! Anybody who is afraid for his life will not do this kind of job. As you know, they say “death is a necessary end. It comes when it will come .” So we did our best knowing that if God wills, people can drop and die; but so long we are alive, we will continue to do our best under all circumstances.
ZT: What can anybody do to get you annoyed?
Jega: It takes a lot to get me annoyed, but when I’m angry people don’t like me; so that’s why I try not to be angry at all times. (Laughs)
ZT: What are your future plans for the INEC?
Jega: In the last four years or so we have done our best to build INEC as an institution, an institution that is firmly rooted and can survive individuals; such that individuals can come and go but the organisation remains. I feel satisfied that a lot has happened in INEC and whoever comes will find it easier than we found it when we came, and will be able to continue to add value to what exists.
ZT: Will you be persuaded to stay on as INEC boss after June 2015?
Jega: I have said this publicly that man proposes and God disposes. As far as I’m concerned, my proposition is to go back to my classroom which I have missed dearly. I thank God that I had this opportunity. We are the first Commission to hold two elections in this country, and we thank God that 2015 election is said to be better than that of 2011; and many people recognize 2011 as better than previous elections. So we have done our best for our country, let others come and do it.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188174-why-i-remained-calm-while-orubebe-misbehaved-ex-inec-chair-jega.html

Funny indeed

Happy Married Life

Buhari, cut cost of governance

Hmm

searching4love:


Does this has anything to do with the death of that USELESS king The yeye king that received bribe from GEJ in dollars just for his election support E no go better for that king

Easy

ABUJA – President Mohammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria is erroneously being regarded as a rich country, stating that indices and parameters of evaluating a rich country such as economic advancement, improved social services were lacking.
He however enjoined the Nigerian elites to be prepared to make sacrifice to rescue the country.
The president spoke when he received the outgoing President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Dr. Donald Kaberuka and other officials of the bank.
According to him, the privileged and influential citizens clearly have to do more now than in the past to help the country deal successfully with its economic and security problems.
President Buhari also told Kaberuka that his administration will welcome more support from the AfDB for projects in versatile sectors like agriculture that can easily be explored to create more jobs for unemployed Nigerians.
He said: “With the shock of falling oil prices, lack of revenues, and insecurity, the Nigerian elites must now wake up and provide the right guidance in their communities, and also lead the economy on the right path more than they used to do”.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/nigeria-not-a-rich-country-buhari/#sthash.417BDEGz.dpuf

If OBJ no use am, who else go use am, no be him boss?? Same way GEJ used Deziani, Oduah, Okonjo, just to name a few. PMB also used Amaechi... hehehe

OK

It seems all Heads of Govt parastatals seem to indulge in dis act of public looting. Corruption has eaten deep into d veins of dis Nation. May God help us

Never thought she's still MARRIAGEABLE . What kinda family will allow their son marry dis kinda bitch?? Anyway, I give them 3wks. We will hear d usual story, lol... Wish them d very best

And Dats hw very soon, my khaki will turn to Designer suits, jungle boots to Italian shoes, CDS to board meetings, allawee to salary, clearance form to cheques IJN, AMEN

Everyone knows dat. It was clearly shown

Buhari!!! The Nelson Mandela of Nigeria