₦airaland Forum

ndu_chucks: ewo lo kan mi n'inu oku iya Aduke

ibu onye JJC?

Yes But on a serious note, you seem angry that what madam said is not consistent with what Saharareporters have been publishing and I just felt that only dedicated staff of such organizations can be this angry.

Eko Ile: ACN is definitely the most enlightened and sophisticated political party in Nigeria and this is just another great example...

lol @ the clowns crying over cards. I wonder what happened when PDP was giving away biscuits and other rubbish all over the place...

This shows the low level mentality of the average Nigerian. Giving out goodies by political parties is pretty much standard in any society, they give out goodies with party logos from T shirts to beer mugs, umbrella and other items, but trust the low level mentality and illiterate Nigerians to cry fowl over the dumbest thing.

Ondo sate crossing over to the ACN fold is a given, we just have to make it official with this election.

The Great Region of the South West Must Be United. Mimiko is the enemy within and his time as the governor of Ondo state is over.

We can see this sophistication in the failed spirited effort to reinstall Salami. We also see how enlightened it is to have Tinubu as the sun in ACN around whom every other thing revolves. What is it really with folks that call themselves sophisticated?

ndu_chucks: They have taught this woman who we all love how to tell tall tales and lies. Madam first lady, you would have been well advised to have told us exactly why you spent so much time in the hospital and thanked us for praying for you to be healed. At least tell us what your sickness was, so that we can properly thank God for healing the disease.

Patience!!!! You are getting ready to fall our collective hands.

Do you work for SaharaReporters?

^
And corruption have started fighting back...

If Aburi Accord was adopted, 30 people would still be alive and 5000 still in their homes.

Charles.nerd:
If an Igbo man who does not align with popular views and conventional Igbo ideology nominates a candidate,would his /her nomination stand?. Please, can you provide more details on the highlighted.

Well, I am not a member of the electoral team but I think such a person need to canvass his position and persuade others to buy into his ideology and this should be done over time before we gain his trust that he is really after our good. We need to know where he is coming from and this idea must be strongly supported by strong logic and excellent knowledge of where we are coming from as a people and where we are going to. The performance of the idea in the market place of ideas determines how we view such person.

In the spirit of uche onye adi ya njo, all views are welcome, but anya anyi ga adi ya. All strange ideologies and unpopular views shall be canvassed and debated and marketed. That is the Igboness of Ndigbo.

For those who understands, this report is really part of British colonial strategy of telling us that we are not good enough. How can one Mr Chukwujekwu tell them that he uses rain water for manufacturing. Come on!, things are not really that bad. Private homes sink borehole not to talk of businesses. Do you know how many homes have private boreholes in one village alone in Nnewi?

This is about telling us that the things we manufacture are fakes. It is about discouraging the use of made in Nigeria products, after all, the trade balance tilts in their favor. Big companies have plants here in Nigeria, is BBC telling us that their products are bad too? Close Up, Indomie, Cement, Cutix cable in thesame Nnewi, Delta Soap, etc. These are manufactured in Nigeria and their product is often better than most of our imports from China. And our manufacturing zones are not always noisier or dirtier or less equipped that the ones in China. If our products are that bad, how come that it is difficult to differentiate Aba made TM or Giant wears from those made in UK. The recession is biting hard and they are looking for destinations for their products.

Nigerians, know when there is a trade war on. China copied and still copy. Huawei copied Cisco but today is a leading telecom vendor. For Nigeria's policy makers, this is a time to know that we are on the right track. We are getting the kind of attention China got. We should sustain the tempo and encourage local consumption by further jacking up import duties on imported stuff. NAFDAC, SON and other regulatory agencies should step in to strengthen product quality, not because BBC says we have low quality products but because we want to consume and export better products to other African countries.

And for those who desire bad news about Nigeria, you can enjoy this poo while the business men and entrepreneurs continues to make money.

That's right, Musiwa!!!

Musiwa, can you please back up your claim with satellite pictures to show that your support base is spread across the country.

The way ACN and CPC peeps whip up emotions in the polity is quite very childish. This one posits that the President engages in so many unnecessary travels, without providing a clear-cut analysis of the travels, the targets it aimed to achieve and how it has failed. But even beyond this, as mature political parties, what are they recommending to be Nigeria's foreign policy at this time. Do they have a draft we can review. We need to see how that draft manages to achieve more effective foreign policy targets and better goodwill for Nigeria in the international community with less Presidential visits. They should be giving us alternative views, not emotionally charged, red-eyed complaints.

I fully support a Nigeria that works hard to live up to her role as a regional power in Africa, whose voice is also respected in the world. I also support a Nigeria where or foreign policy strategy will be geared towards advancing the place of Nigeria in the global scheme of things, promoting our comparative trade advantage and adopting a clear cut 50 year foreign policy target, reviewable every 10 years. Nigeria have many of her citizens in almost every country in the world, hence the need for more aggressive citizen driven diplomacy. This administration should sustain this reciprocity strategy, it makes the world to listen to us. I reject a North Korea/Iran/Somalia/Zimbabwe(before recently) kind of foreign policy. I reject foreign policy driven by charity than by interests. Now what do you believe? How can what you believe be achieved if your President behaves like North Korean or Zimbabwean or Iranian or Somalian leader. Answer this question for yourself and don't let the politicians answer it for you.

ndu_chucks: This kneejerk reaction smacks of nothing short of irresponsibility and incompetence. Where were the plans for dams a priori? I suspect this is another opportunity to raise N1billion towards 2015 elections. Nonsense.

This is exactly the question we should be asking the late Yar'Adua, OBJ, Abdusalam, IBB, Shagari, Buhari Gowon, etc. If they had been visionary enough, lives would have been saved and people's livelihood secured. Dams are build with long term projected purpose in mind.

acidtalk: THANK GOD!!! We have someone who has a brain to reason correctly and see things without being sentimental.

They know what I am dragging out but are only too wicked to always speak the truth when it arises.

Funny do you know most of the documents this people submit to back up collateral like C of O, bonds and the rest are always returned to them immediately? The bankers never get to hold such documents.

That's why you find one man using the same collateral to take up the same amount of loans in 5 different banks within the same period.

And whose fault is that? The CBN, Banks or the borrowers? You are shooting holes through your own logic.

Otedolla steps into a bank, demanding for a loan of N10b. The Bank staff route him to the marketing manager who liaises with the bank internal hierarchy to inform him that it is possible, but not before he present a collateral worth N11b. He submits the necessary collateral documents and sundry other documents demanded by the Bank. The bank returns the document to Otedolla and hand him over the loan. Now, how is this Otedolla's problem? If there is any problem here, it was a failure of the Bank's internal control mechanism.

The day you become a business man is the day you go into any deal hoping, negotiating and positioning to get the best deal. If your bank will help you get it, even if it means them bending the rule for you, you are not liable. That is how real life is.

^
You can further help your case by quoting your area let others corroborate your claim. Unless you are not in Nigeria, there is overwhelming improvement in power supply to neighborhoods. That is not in question. The argument is is N654.02m too much for standby power supply for the Presidency. If you are backing up your argument by comparing this figure with the amount spent in 2011 and that or 2011 is less, you would have been sounding logical.

To me, N654.02m only goes to confirm that the power reform is working. If you stay in Nigeria, just walk into any big hotel and find out how much they spend a month for generator fuel and maintenance, spread it by a year and compare it with the amount FG is budgeting for say BPE. Also find out how much MTN spend per month in fueling each of their sites.

Anyway, i know that most people are not really interested in logic. They heard that government people embezzle money and they jump on it.

It is clear to keen observers that Nigeria has taken a serious look at the fundamentals and is reforming them the way they should. NOI is doing a good job and GEJ seem to have the political will to push home the reforms.
Investors are excited while young school leavers are arguing with cassava bread policy and rice policy, the very policy that is meant to give them their daily bread.

For some folks that think that the wealthy and government is the source of ALL their woes, you need to understand that it is not a crime in itself to take a loan from a bank or to default. That is why there is something called collateral. When people default in loan facilities, their collateral is converted to the bank. It is not some emotional issue. This is why i believe Banks(and not the business men) are to be blamed if they give out loans without proper collateral.

People take loan every time, in fact you can hardly make it to the upper class without using other people's money and paying them salaries with that same money before breaking even. Nobody ever gets rich without substantial borrowing either from friends, families or banks. In fact, some of these guys started very poor. Very few inherit wealth.

Every body have good opportunity to get rich in this country, except for the lazy ones. And if you want to get rich, start thinking like Otedolla and Jimoh. Only play by the rules. They once went against the rule of the game, hence were blacklisted. But with this AMCON deal settlement, they are back in the game of money making. That is just how life is. I only advice the up coming billionaires to learn from these guys, always play by the rule of the game. That way, you protect your brand integrity from damage (especially from the poor who feel that the rich has made ALL the money out there and there is none left for them).

This idea of equality before the law is an idea mouthed by politicians when it suit them. I will understand when a professor says this in the classroom. In real life, there is nothing like equality before the law, unless you want to live in dream land. If not, tell me how Obama is equal to the average Joe in New Orleans. Or tell me how you are equal to Fashola that has mouthed this talk more than anyone else.
The masses love to live in a dreamland. If CJN of a soverign nation cannot use emergency traffic lane while on National assignment, tell me who will. I was once in a boarding queue in Brazil and three guys from behind went straight towards the boarding gate. The eagle eyed security guys were already positioning themselves before the guys brought out their US Marine uniform. Come see salute, even civilians for queue follow dey salute. And someone here is saying equality before the law as if US Attoney General will not be allowed to ride on BRT lane if he visits, or are folks angry because she is a woman?

AMCON reached a deal with many other debtors of the Nigeria Banking sector. If the House of Reps want to really do their oversight job, they should be looking at the general principle and guidelines used to determine debt repayment structure for AMCON and check all the debtors that have repayed and how they conformed to AMCON's internal control mechanism. This would have been more convincing, and not to single out Otedolla among other debtors for investigation. It smacks of witch hunting.
Obviously, people like Demdem will see the present Agbero method as perfect for obvious reasons.

Well, i know a guy that recently join an American coy that want to establish in itself in Nigeria Power industry and they made him an offer of more than 400% increase in his former payslip. Right now, my guy is feeling 'transformed'. This guy is ok right now and he will disagree with folks who believe that Nigeria is not moving forward.
This is the power of FDI. Knowledge transfer, technology transfer, wealth creation and a multiplier effect of expanding middle class.

And I align myself totally with the smart folk demanding for the naming of the anti-corruption judges for fast and expedicious trial of corruption cases.. She promised to make it happen and we are still waiting. Not funny talk of condemning the CJN using rapid transit lane.
We should join our voices to ensure that this is achieved. It is a silver bullet that will further institutionalize the fight against corruption.

tayoccu: Uncle quit making a fool of yourself.

Ok, you are one of those that believes that equality before the law means that you are equivalent to GEJ and Fashola and CJN and even Davis Mark in rights and priviliges. Next time you get to the airport, try and use the Presidential Lounge.
Continue feeling more important than you really are, after all it makes you feel better.

BUSH MAN: the passengers are very qualifiied because it clearly says "BRT LANE" and who is more qualified? me thinks the BRT passengers apart from ambulance and police emagencies.. the chief judge should follow the rules

This is the arrogance i am talking about. The question is : what is BRT? And what is the spirit behind the BRT? You should put the principle of equality before the law in proper perspective. Does this not also imply that if you employ somebody to serve you, that you should equip him/her adequately for this assignment? You want the CJN in a traffic jam while on official assignment, you should also request for equivalent number of SSS operatives that she has, after all 'we are all equal before the law'. And while at it, request also for official car and make sure that if you are present in her court, sit down while she enters and when you want to talk to her, address her as 'young lady', after all you are equal with her before the law.

@Demdem
With each 'Submit' button you click, your allegiance becomes more obvious despite your claim to the contrary. It is clear that you are on ACN payroll. With the position you have canvassed here on NL as a man with zero tolerance for corruption when it affects the PDP controlled FG, your capacity to defend the same when it concern ACN is unnerving. I have no problem with your political allegiance, I only request that you don't insult our intelligence further by your claim that you are after a better Nigeria. Learn from Gbawe and dayokanu, their stand is clear and they still push their agenda without hindrance.

Other important questions are:
1. Does Gov Fashola use the best effort lane like the rest of us?
2. Does Tinubu use this lane? What of Bisi Akande? The president and National Assembly leadersip?
In my opinion, to expect the CJN, IGP, Senate Leadership, HoR Leadership, key military officers and other key government functionaries to use the best effort lane is just funny. Even in Heaven, according to The Holy Book, there is hierarchy. No matter how holy you are, if you are not one of the 24 elders, then you are not.
All these arrogance is unnecessary, driving aginst traffic would have been morally wrong, but WTH is BRT? Rapid transit lane!!! If key government functionaries cannot use rapid transit lane while on official assignment, then what qualifies BRT passengers to use the lane. People can just be funny!!!

@Demdem
Kindly take a look at this and throw more light:

House okays N38.8bn jumbo allowance for members

•Each Rep now on N27m per quarter

The quarterly allowance of members of the House of Representatives has hit the N27million mark.
It used to be N15million per Representative

This translates to an 80% increase and an additional N9.720billion strain on public purse every quarter or N38.88billion per year.

The House leadership had been under severe pressure from members to review the allowance meant for running their oversight functions.

The leadership was said to have succumbed to the pressure with a view to insulating members from temptation from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) in the course of performing their oversight functions.

The quarterly allowance is just one of the several enjoyed by the Reps and Senators.
Other benefits and allowances, as approved by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) are salaries, vehicle maintenance and fuelling, Personal Assistant, house maintenance, entertainment, utilities, [b]constituency allowance, hardship allowance, vehicle loan, duty tour and estacode (where applicable).
Only last year, the House requested Camry cars for the oversight functions of its 360 members costing a total of N2.5billion.
The increase in the quarterly allowance of the Reps is bound to raise questions following the recent decision by President Goodluck Jonathan to cut the emolument of public officers.
It was gathered that the Reps launched their bid for the secret increase in the aftermath of the belt tightening measures put in place by the Speaker of the House Aminu Tambuwal.

At an executive session last month the Reps had queried why their predecessors in the sixth National Assembly earned N42 million per quarter as against the N15million they were receiving.
Some of them were also alleged to have asked the Speaker why Senators are on about N45 million quarterly allowance.

They said they could not understand what was described as “the yawning gap” between House quarterly allowance and Senate’s.
A reliable source said: “Members actually wanted a reversion to the old rate of N42 million per quarter but Tambuwal rejected the move in view of the financial challenges facing the House.

“The Speaker also claimed that the leadership would prefer a low rate allowance in line with its ongoing reforms.

“After a stormy session, the House leadership sensed that a revolt was in the offing and it had to go back to the drawing board.
“After consultations, Tambuwal announced an increase of N12million in the quarterly allowance of members. So, they will now earn N27million per quarter.

“If Tambuwal had not increased the quarterly allowance, I doubt if he would still be in office by now.
“Also, the House leadership decided to bow to members’ demand to insulate them from being influenced by MDAs during oversight functions. We do not want members to function at the mercy of MDAs, we felt we should avoid recourse to bribery.

It was however gathered that the increase was effected secretly to avoid backlash from the public.
“We did not make noise about the increase because of perception. Our quarterly allowance is short of what the Sixth House of Representatives got but before you know it, we will be the butt of attack.

“Nigerians do not pay attention to the allowances of the Executive and the Judiciary. Out of the N4.8billion budget passed on Thursday, the National Assembly’s share is about N150 to N200billion. What fraction of the budget is that? Yet, we are always the sacrificial lambs,” the source added.

Investigation showed that the payment of the additional N12million quarterly allowance was effected last week by the House leadership.
A member of the House said: “Yes, we have started receiving the increase, it is left to us to use it judiciously because we have a busy calendar.”
It could not be ascertained at press time whether the House leadership put the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) into confidence on the increase in the allowances.

Section 32 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 constitution empowers only the RMAFC to either enhance or cut salaries of political office holders, legislators and the judiciary.

The section reads: “The Commission shall have power to (a) monitor the accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account; (b) review from time to time, the revenue allocation formulae and principles in operation to ensure conformity with changing realities…
“(d) Determine the remuneration appropriate for political office holders, including the President, Vice-President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, legislators and the holders of the offices mentioned in sections 84 and 124 of this Constitution.”
But the Executive arm was said to have got wind of the secret increase in spite of the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan to effect 25 per cent pay cut.

A presidency source said: “The Executive has got wind of the increase but the truth is that it will not guarantee any loan to pay any allowance. And any chamber that overshoots its budget will be on its own.

“It is also left to RMAFC to join issue with the House on the appropriateness.”
Jonathan had, in January, announced the pay cut in the salaries of political office holders.

Another member of the House said: “We are not political office holders; we are elected members of the National Assembly. So, Jonathan’s directive is not binding on us, it applies to only the Executive.

“During the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, he announced a similar pay cut but the Judiciary wrote to RMAFC to be exempted from the exercise. The directive did not affect the Judiciary accordingly.

“The quarterly allowance is a statutory benefit of members of the National Assembly because it is within our budget plans. It is not as if any lawmaker is stealing money.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/40171-house-okays-n38-8bn-jumbo-allowance-for-members.html

I just need to know what this quarterly allowance is meant for.

Pythons have always swallowed chickens even before the days of Noah. How come this particular python swallowed this unfortunate chicken because of 'flooding'?

^
When people with your kind of thinking dominate the rank of the team that call the President 'clueless', it becomes easier to conclude that your dissatisfaction with the government is powered by gross ignorance.

@Demdem
And what oath did Fashola, Akpabio, Peter Obi, Jang, Kwankwaso, etc take? To get FG to secure their domains? In your logic, FG should also be receiving a no confidence vote because of the flood in most states of the country presently, after all there was destruction of lives and properties, despite the cause. Also should FG for the jungle justice meted out to thieves in PHC, after all the sanctity of lives and properties have been violated and 'Jonathan took an oath to protect lives of ALL Nigerians', including those that commit suicide.

@ Koruji
If election is a vote of confidence, it follows that electioneering process in itself decides the voting and it is for Nigerians to do and not one Mrs Tinubu and the date is 2015.

All these logic apart, it is obvious that the government has the job to protect lives and properties of citizens. The big question is who is the government. FG, state or LG or all? You don't just become the government when you want to insult the President, democracy dictates that we are all involved in this and we come together to solve a problem in time of national crisis. Democrats were not pushing for a vote of no confidence on Bush after 9/11. They rallied around him to save America first before the politics continue, but unfortunately for us here, Nigerian opposition just 'oppose'.

@Koruji
The argument is the about the hypocrisy on the woman in question. She has not called for a vote of confidence on 'FG' for the peace in Lagos and other peaceful states but wants to pass a vote of no confidence on FG for crises in Bornu, Kano, Yobe and few other parts of the North. If Lagos is secure, we praise Fashola but if Bornu experiences bomb blast, we blame FG.