₦airaland Forum

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Clearly Nigeria is being Transformed by the Jonathan administration.

5 Surprising Facts About Nigeria's Economy
1. The Nigerian manufacturing sector is the fastest growing in the world.

After a decade of flat growth, new policies to promote manufacturing have lead to an explosive increase in the last three years. 



Source: World Bank

 

2. There are more mobile phone users in Nigeria than there are people in Japan.

Nigeria is the largest mobile market in Africa with 127,000,000 subscribers. More than half of them use their phone to access the internet.



Source: World Bank

 

3. Nigeria is a natural gas powerhouse, with the largest proven reserves in Africa and the 9th largest in the world.

Natural gas production has been steadily increasing in recent years, powering Nigeria’s impressive industrial growth and providing reliable electricity for consumers.



Source: World Bank

 

4. Enough new national highways have been paved in recent years to circle half-way around the Earth.

Just a few years ago, Nigeria had 5,000 km of national highways. Thanks to major new infrastructure investments, that number has increased to 25,000 km today.



Source: Nigerian Government

 

5. Nollywood – Nigeria’s film industry – is the second largest in the world – producing more movies than the US and Japan, combined.

Nigeria’s film industry produces more than 50 movies every week! Even more impressive, it employs more than a million people, making it the largest single employer in the country after agriculture.



Source: UN

I would have remained in PDP, if I knew my deputy would betray me--Gov. Amaechi

Following the return of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State; Engr. Tele Ikuru to PDP, governor Amaechi has urged members of the APC to remain steadfast. The governor who said that " Though I saw it coming, but I never believed it. Our movement to APC was a collective decision and Tele was even the one who seconded the motion for us to defect to the APC. So is unthinkable that he wld return to the PDP. This whole fight is about you ( APC members ). Not me! I can't be governor again. Like I keep saying, the world is aware of my fight with the President. And so many countries will grant me asylum and the President can't arrest me. So it's about you people. If I knew Tele was going to betray me and make peace with Wike, I wouldn't have left the PDP. I will encourage you to remain steadfast and expect the worst, because some commissioners will soon join him or will remain with us to sabotage our efforts. And how do you go to elections with a divided house and political moles? I'm learning people " --Gov. Amaechi
#Vote PDP at all levels

Director, Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Chief Femi Fani- Kayode, has raised 35 questions he would like the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari to answer within three days, failure which the PDP would conclude that he was guilty of all issues raised in the questions.

Some of Fani-Kayode’s 35 questions directed at Buhari:

“Is it true that Buhari gets massive covert funding from Hamas, ISIS, ISIL, Al Qaeda and various shady Middle Eastern interests? Is it true that he was once nominated by Boko Haram to be their spokesman in proposed talks with the Federal Government?

“What is the true health status of General Buhari? What is the situation concerning his certificate? Does he have it or does he not have it?

“Did he perjure himself and lie under oath when he swore to an affidavit that his certificate was with the military?

“What was his role in the killings on the night of July 29, 1966 when 300 Igbo officers, one yoruba officer and the former Head of State, General Aguiyi-Ironsi were killed in a military coup? Was he one of those who killed one or any of those people on that night and was he involved in the butchering of the primarily Igbo army officers?

“What was his role in the terrible and tragic events that took place in parts of northern Nigeria in 1966 when over 100,000 innocent Igbo civilians were slaughtered including women and children? Is it true that he was among those who supplied arms to those who slaughtered these Igbo civilians?

“What was his role in the massacre and genocide that took place in Asaba in 1969 after the Federal forces re-captured the town of Asaba from the Biafran forces and liberated it? This terrible incident occurred when every single young Igbo boy and elderly man that were left in the town were summoned for a role call at the town centre, were lined up in rows like lambs to the slaughter and were shot dead in cold blood. This was despite the fact that they were nothing but defenceless and innocent civilians and non-combatants. The question is this: what was Buhari’s role, if any, in that incident?

“Is it true that General Buhari personally ordered the retroactive application of military decrees which led to the death of many simply because he wanted to teach certain people from a certain part of the country a lesson during his reign as Military Head of State?

“Is it true that General Buhari applied a very selective form of administration of justice which sought to punish southerners more than anybody else when he was military Head of State?

“What was his role in the humiliation and denigration of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late and highly respected Leader of the Yoruba? Is it true that he personally ordered that the home of Chief Awolowo should be raided and ransacked and that the highly revered elder statesman be humiliated for no just cause? If this was the case does he not believe that he owes the Yoruba people an apology for that? Should he not be begging the Yoruba for forgiveness after traumatising their revered leader rather than asking them for their votes?

“What was General Buhari’s role in the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) scandal and is it true that he misappropriated the sum of N25 billion as the Haroun Adamu report, which was submitted in 2002, suggests? Is it true that 2.8 billion naira went missing under his watch when he was Minister of Petroleum in 1977?

“What was his role in the agitation for political Sharia in 2000 in northern Nigeria and does he still believe that Sharia law should be spread throughout the country, including the south? Does he still believe that Muslims should only vote for Muslims and that they should only vote for those who will protect their interest? Does he still believe that it is not the business of any Christian when Muslims cut off their limbs for crimes that violate Sharia law?

“Does he still believe that an attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the north? Does he have a secret soft spot and closet affinity for Boko Haram? What are his views about the terrorist organisations known as Al Shabab, Al Qaeda, ISIS and ISIL, all of whom are allies of Boko Haram? Does he believe that they have a point and does he approve of their violent methods? Can he guarantee that not one dollar of Al Qaeda, ISIS or ISIL money has been used to support his presidential campaign? Does he believe in a secular state?

“Does he still believe that those who oppose his candidacy should be killed as he said just before the presidential elections in 2011?

“Does he have any apology to offer or remorse to express for the slaughter of hundreds of people, including some innocent youth corpers, by his supporters in the north after the 2011 elections?

“What are General Buhari’s views about same s*x marriage and homosexuality? Is it true that, if he is elected President, he is considering scuttling the anti-gay laws in our country and is he really committed to pushing through legislation that would allow same s*x marriage as some form of compromise to the Western powers in return for their endorsement and support?

“Is it true that he supported the late General Abacha to such a point that he actually suggested to Abacha that Ken Saro-Wiwa, the famous poet and Niger Delta activist, should be executed in order for his south-south supporters to be taught a bitter lesson?

“Is it true that he has resolved to teach the de-facto leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the lesson of his life by prosecuting him and sending him to jail if he is elected as President or, in lieu of this, compelling him to return 50 percent of the money and properties that he has managed to acquire from Lagos state over the last 16 years?

“Is it true that he has a secret pathological hatred for those who do not share his faith or those who come from the southern part of Nigeria?

“Is it true that General Buhari is a hegemonist and a man who is totally remorseless?

“Is it true that he defied his Commander in Chief, former President Shehu Shagari and tried to start a war with Chad simply because he has a blood lust and an insatiable thirst for violence and war?

“Is it true that his cruel and merciless policies and actions, whilst he was Head of State, led to the premature deaths of Governors Ambrose Ali of the old Bendel state, Bisi Onabanjo of Ogun state and so many of our other past leaders?

“Is it true that he had a personal hatred for Alhaji Umaru Dikko, the late former Minister of Transport, to the point that he personally ordered his drugging, kidnapping and crating from the streets of London?

“Is it true that he has disdain for women and that he believes that women have no place in public office or at the forefront of current affairs? Is it true that he wants to scrap the office of the First Lady? Is it true that whilst he was military Head of State he jailed and tortured journalists simply for writing the truth?

“Is it true that he has no idea about how to run a 21st century country and that he has no understanding about the administration of justice and the application of the rule of law in a modern state? Is it true that he derives pleasure in just locking up and jailing people?

“Is it true that he has the intention of destroying General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and all the other former Military Heads of State and junior army officers who opposed his rule and toppled his government in a 1985 military coup? Is it true that he is vengeful and unkind?

“Is it true that he has ordered his supporters that under no circumstance should President Jonathan be allowed any peace if he wins the presidential election? Is it true that that he will make the country ungovernable if Jonathan wins and that he will make sure that the baboon and the dog are both soaked in blood?

“Is it true that General Buhari has no intention whatsoever to accept the election results if he loses and that he is poised to unleash violence throughout the country in the event of his losing? Is it true that Radio Chanji has been established with his blessing and support and for the sole purpose of inciting people to violence and causing mayhem after he loses?

“Is it true that he is terminally ill and that indeed his health status is the kind that will give Nigerians cause for alarm if it were made public? Is it true that he has refused to release a report that was put together by his foreign doctors about the true state of his health to the Nigerian Public because they would be very alarmed?

“Is it true that he is incapable of running the affairs of this country and, in the event of his winning the election, that he intends to concede the administration of the country to others?

“Is it true that he is a closet Islamic fundamentalist? Is it true that he is a secret collaborator and supporter of Boko Haram? Is it true that Boko Haram is the armed wing of his party the APC and that the APC is the political wing of Boko Haram?

“Does his party the APC still believe that Boko Harm should not have been proscribed as stated by their spokesman, Lai Mohammed sometime last year?

“Is it true that his party is Nigeria’s equivalent of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood or the Sudanese supporter of APC?

“Is it true that General Buhari has disdain for Christians and that his secret desire is to bury the Church?

Fani-Kayode said these are the questions that the PDP would like General Buhari to answer over the next few days before the presidential elections, so that the Nigerian people will have a clearer picture of who and what he really is.

“If he cannot answer every single one of these questions and tell us the truth then we reserve the right to assume that the answer to every single one of them is in the affirmative and that these assertions are true,” he said, adding that it would compel the PDP to conclude that Buhari is not just a menace to the Nigerian people and an enemy of the Nigerian state but also unfit to rule the country.

Obama's interest is in Buhari winning the election and signing the gay law into Nigeria but that is not going to happen.Buhari will fail again.

Nigeria’s elections: An open letter to the international community – By Prof Nick Ezeh

March 20, 2015

– This piece is specifically directed to the international community, especially the Obama-led American government, which has exhibited a stark misunderstanding of the unique nature and challenges of the electoral process in Nigeria. I will address this issue from both the historical and contemporary perspectives, but with a special emphasis on the 2015 elections. The purpose is to flag some of what is right or wrong with the increased level of foreign interest in the 2015 elections. Below is the rest of my thesis:

One: It is noted that, like in previous elections, the pressure on INEC and Jega is just too much. But unlike 2007 for instance, Jega appears to have unwittingly stoked much of the pressures now arrayed against him. I say this because he freely allowed elements of foreign inter-meddlers who are passing off as either monitors, observers or advisers to gain too much access to the point that they now appear to be dictating policies on our elections.

By their words and actions, Jega and these foreigners are demonizing anybody or political party that dares venture a contrary opinion. The ruling party, the military, the NSA, the IGP, the SSS, and even the President are worst-hit, as they have been cast as villains and enemies to ‘credible’ elections. To Jega and these few foreign elements, credible elections means that everything they say, however so unjust, must be accepted by all and sundry. That’s very troubling, and it portends imminent danger to the elections, and to Nigeria’s wellbeing.

Two: Take the PVC for instance, and you get the the impression created by Jega and sold to these foreigners that the PVC can never go wrong. But it did and still does, in more ways than one. Up to this day, they are still in denial over the almost 20 million Nigerians who would have been disenfranchised had the elections held from February 14. It’s telling enough that, foreigners from advanced democracies, are not troubled by the skewed ‘victories’ that would have emerged from such patent anomaly.

It appears that they have come to believe that anything goes, provided it sits well with the opposition, not minding thatvdisadvantaged others. The deliberately or negligently disenfranchised Nigeria voters do not matter. Well-meaning Nigerians and foreign friends of Nigeria should please ponder this, and ensure that we don’t go into March 28 without ensuring electoral justice for all – the voter and all the parties fielding candidates.

Three: As for their opposition to the deployment of security forces on Election Day, Jega seems to have forgotten that organizing elections in the unique setting of Nigeria goes beyond INEC alone. Other pertinent national institutions like the police, the SSS, the military, and immigration, all have disparate roles to play. The police maintains civil order; the SSS acts as sleuths that detect and frustrate those operating covertly to rig or cause trouble.

The military ensures that we won’t have bloodshed as we did in 2011, and secures the areas, like Northeast, which still have pockets of terrorists intent on scuttling the elections in those locales. And the immigration secures our borders to keep away illegal aliens from coming to vote and thereby diluting the results of the elections. It is very disturbing that Jega and these foreigners see it otherwise. Is it a coincidence that the opposition also sees it the same way?

Four: Foreign funding of our elections has become too pervasive, and to the point of becoming a major factor in foreigners brazenly dictating our electoral policies. Unlike before, Jega appears to have stoked an unprecedented regime of INEC taking too much foreign funds. This is dangerous. Nigeria has come full circle to the point that we don’t have any business with asking foreign nations to help fund our elections.

If foreigners are not allowed to fund our political parties, why would we accept their strings-laden freebies to fund our electoral body? This is a national security matter which came to the fore when these foreigners demanded access to the biometrics of Nigeria’s registered voters in 2007. It was reported then that they were refused. It is not being reported now that they have not succeeded. Is Nigeria allowed free reign to fund American elections; and then run wild in America dictating to its umpire and insulting its leaders?

Five: Jega has missed two opportunities, in 2011 and 2015, to push for inclusion of the Diaspora vote. The fine idea of polling the diaspora vote developed out of the ‘Absentee Ballot’ system used in America, whereby Americans living overseas can cast their ballots at any of the American diplomatic missions closest to them. It doesn’t make sense and it is not fair that the Diaspora which remits quantum billions in forex that helps stabilize Nigerian economy are, to this day, still denied the right to vote.

In a close elections, such as we now might have in 2015, the Diaspora may be all it takes to determine who truly won the elections. Therefore, it is duplicitous that foreigners and a Jega who together tout the beauty of credible elections would ignore this fundamental angle to making elections much more credible.

Finally and most importantly, these foreigners, especially the Americans need to rethink this strange notion that elections in emerging nations are credible only when the opposition wins. That’s not true at all, as we can see from the recent reelection of Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu. In that very election, these foreign interests gave Netanyahu no chance but the Israeli voter voted otherwise but not before the foreign intermeddling has stoked an atmosphere of tension in Israel.

Here in Nigeria, the same atmosphere now exists to the point of this same people almost calling the election for the main opposition. This is reckless, and unfair to the Nigerian voter, as well as the other political parties that have been marginalized and treated like token players in the electoral process.

Prof Ezeh writes from Abuja. profnicezeh@yahoo.com

Is it not the same UK that caused the problem we face today that this report comes from? Their initial agreement with North to rule Nigeria forever is no more possible by the recent turn out of events.That is why they support old and clueless Buhari against vibrant and intelligent Jonathan.The tyrant old military dictator does not have a place in Nigerian governance anymore.Jonathan must move on with his wonderful transformation agenda.

I really commend Jonathan for tolerating all these insults.All these people that are insulting the incumbent president are clueless and conscienceless,and are not legitimate people of Nigeria.It is demeaning for a mature individual to rain insults on the president just because he is a member of an opposition party.This is an abuse of the freedom of expression and must be stopped.

Obj is a deadly politician who must be followed with absolute caution.He can deny anything at any time but Jonathan has shown him that he is a material.Re-elect GEJ.

Amaechi,you have five days to rejoin PDP.You once lost it but you can still make it up again.A word is enough for the wise.

Poor Amaechi,its too late to cry for the head that has been cut down.You have lost the battle.It is not wise to bite the fingers that fed you.Be wise

This is no time for preaching,Igbos in Lagos have decided to vote for PDP.APC has never favoured the Igbos at all.Lagosians,pick up your PVCS and vote for PDP for tranformation.

Money cannot make us to vote a failure into power in Nigeria.We know better and that is why we shall vote for Jonathan.

Buhari's hand is stained with so much blood.We cannot afford to have this man kill more innocent Nigerians.Jonathan is the man to re-elect.

I think that the devalued naira will do us more good than harm.Jonathans administration is serious about promoting local content.UWIN,SMES and other schemes are geared towards promoting local production but the most painful thing is that Nigerians are sluggish in making good use of these opportunities.Nigerians have to be positive,with time,we shall get there.China,Japan started from nowhere and they got somewhere.This is the right time to take the challenge and develop our economy.

Jonathan did it before and he will do it again.Going by the bad record of Buhari as a head of state and his anti-democratic dispositions against Jonathan after he lost the last election,Nigerians will vote Jonathan into power again because he has done well.

These are deductions from varieties of alcoholic drink.Jonathan can never propose such since he will win the election.Buhari is a loser already

If FFK should retract his statement,Buhari should first of all disconnect from Boko haram,ISIS and Al Qaeda.Buhari cannot deny being a part of them.

Never be deceived,Buhari will only destroy what Jonathan has built and he will not build any but Jonathan will complete his transformation programmes:building more schools and universities,more roads,2nd Niger bridge,improved electricity,diversification of the economy,boosting Agriculture,SMEs and so on and so forth.Indeed,Jonathan is the best option.

She is as clueless as her husband.Let's vote them out by voting for Jonathan.

Buhari will cancel all the rail projects because such projects are not in his agenda.His agenda is to:pay back as agreed all those gluttonous politicians like Tinubu,Atiku,Amaechi and others, build more prisons,make so many arrests,embezzle our money,build no roads,no schools,no hospitals,no housing,no jobs and promotion of Islamic tenets.

With the economic plan on ground,the Nigerian economy will bounce back after the elections whether the oil price is going up or down.All we have to do is to re-elect Jonathan.

APC does not have any change to give to Nigerians but brutalisation,jihadism,Illiteracy,collapsed economy,abandoned projects and above all corruption.It is time to appreciate what Jonathan has done and re-elect him.

I know that these men are common criminals.All their nefarious activities will be exposed after Jonathan's victory.

We are set to re-elect Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for continuity and prosperity

It is incontrovertible that Buhari is anti-Igbo.His brutal dispositions against the Igbos as a military head of state were unimaginable.It is only "EFULEFU"of the Igbo tribe that will cast his vote for Buhari.

NIGERIAN DO NOT BE MISLED BY POLITICIANS

The inspector General of the Nigerian Police, has warned Nigerians to cast their votes and leave the polling area, immediately, so that law and order can be maintained.

Professor Jega and APC are saying the opposite, encouraging people to mill around polling booths after voting, which will spark off serious disturbances, fights and complete breakdown of law and order.

This can lead to security issues, whereby the Police and security agencies will be forced to maintain law and order, immediately.

Nigerians, do not be misled by the selfish ambitions of others or be allowed to be used as their electoral thugs or even cannon fodder.

Kindly be advised to follow the security instructions of the inspector General of Police of Nigeria, abide by the laws, leave the polling booth after voting at once and do not for any reason get involved in any illegal electoral act, criminal matter or violent acts.

Complaints will be treated by the relevant agencies, electoral tribunals and the courts of law, and not by milling around polling booths to cause illegal disturbances, criminal acts of announcing parallel results or illegal acts of treason like forming a parallel Government.

Election tribunals and the courts of the land are the only institutions vested with the constitutional powers to deal with electoral issues.

Nigerians be warned, to not follow the misadvise of those who seem to want to cause electoral instability, insecurity, violence and even what may lead to treasonable acts.

God bless Nigeria!!

THE MANY SINS OF BUHARI (A CHANGE AGENT?) - Richard Omoko

Some of the people blind folded by the APC toga of 'change' do not clearly understand what they are getting into, while I agree that you have some decent elements in the party APC. Yes decent human beings that are better respected and even I regard as great mentors of society and generations to come. This class of people are well liked and highly respected individuals that you may not compare them with some rascals and truants that you may find in other parties. I often wonder why the APC is a party filled with 'strange bed fellows', if you check the composition of the APC you would discover that it is a party filled predominantly of desperate and disgruntled politicians from the PDP and other parties.

As a young boy my dad often warned me not to have any form of dealings with a desperate individual and that by so doing I would have my fingers burnt and regret it afterwards. As he would say "a desperate man can kill", this frightening words have never left my mind since I was a boy. A lot of young people do not understand what dangers these desperate men you currently have in the APC portends to the security, peace and unity of Nigeria as a country that's why I call on the decent few I have earlier described that are still within their rank and file, and also young boys and girls who never knew the antecedents of these desperate characters to please 'shine your eyes'. Pastor Tunde Bakare even said it better "I trust Buhari but I don't trust the environment that he is in". Get this right Buhari is not a demon, nor is he demented but matter of fact is that as the saying goes "The evil that men do lives with them".
Buhari's and his many sins
1. Human rights: Because of Buhari and Babaginda, Fela Anikulapo Kuti composed several songs like 'Overtake don overtake overtake', 'Animal in human skin', 'Animal can't dash us human rights'. Fela may have been a 'prophet' of his time. I agree with him though in some of his words, if you have abused the rights of others you can't turn around now and pretend to 'dash' us human rights under the pretence of Change. A leopard cannot change its spots. Buhari ceased power in 1983 and systematically abused Nigerians of their rights of justice and fair hearing. Politicians were accused of bogus crimes of corruption and tried under kangaroo courts, while there may have been a few who were corrupt, the innocent were not spared. They were given heavy sentencing some as much as 323 years. The trauma such people as Ambrose Ali faced in prison was what killed him afterwards. Like Ahmadu Bello, Ambrose Ali after massively developing Bendel state had to his credit only one small bungalow in his home town.
2. Decree 4 and Decree 2: He was infamous for his constant harassment of the Press and Civil rights groups as a means of concealing the truth from ordinary Nigerians. At will he threw people into jail without any form of charge and such journalist as Nduka Irabor would tell you of their experiences. Some were tortured and are still traumatised till today, some even lost their lives in the process.
3. Ghana must go: As a child growing up our economy was booming and as such we had a lot of foreigners living around us. We had Asians especially Indians and Pakistanis, Eastern Europeans and of course Africans all running from economic hardships in their countries. Some were professionals and experts in their fields and we also had artisans and others who did menial labour, we had some Africans who were professionals but most were involved in menial work. Interestingly of all these sets of people that were in Nigeria Buhari singled out Ghanians and sent them packing without any form of compensation and compassion. If you must note during the civil war a lot of Nigerians ran to Ghana to take cover even Nnamdi Azikiwe schooled in Ghana. Some of these Nigerians that escaped the civil war married their Ghanian girl friends and boy friends and returned to Nigeria after the war was over. To be sent packing in such a manner was indeed callous, and painfully some were forced to leave with just only a bag irrespective of the wealth or properties that they had accumulated from decent hard work. So young people as you go out to the shops to buy that 'Ghana must go' bag without knowing truly why they call those bags with such a name, now you know.
4. Economic policies: I don't need again to explain to you that Buhari is bereft of ideas when it comes to economic issues and the handling of the economy. Start with the reprinting of the naira when he ceased power. As a boy we were jubilant that we were seeing the new face of the naira, what we didn't understand then was the economic impact and the implications. His excuse for doing so was that corrupt politicians who had stolen funds hidden under their beds may not be able to exchange their cash for the new currency. The impact of this together with his import license policy helped to devalue the naira and rubbish it's exchange power. Before he ceased power the naira had a strong exchange value against major currencies for decades the naira had been exchanging for £1.00/N2.00 and $1.00/0.60 kobo. For the first time ever it was during Buhari's regime that the naira started to depreciate in value. It's laughable when now he is the same person shouting that naira is exchanging at $1.00/N220.00. Even with this all is not lost as the Chinese and Japanese constantly and intentionally devalue their currency as a means to curbing dumping of products and hence boosting local production. Now the desperate politicians are encouraging him to make promises like building four refineries, free education, free lunch, monthly stipends and allowances for jobless youths and so on without proper economic planning and drafting.
5. Irresponsible utterances: His irresponsible utterances especially with disregard to its security implications have cost some Nigerians their lives and properties. He had said "The baboons and monkeys would be soaked in their blood" who are these baboons and monkeys? His utterances during and after the elections of 2011 were not helpful either. How do you place your self interest above the lives of the innocent and even the nation? Al Gore knew he won the elections but he allowed the interest of America to over shadow his personal interest. Even my dearly beloved Baba Obasanjo allowed the general interest of Nigeria to subdue his personal interest and agenda of running for office as President for a third term. To me that's being a true statesman.
6. Irresponsible actions and inactions: When people were being killed in 2011 under the guise of defending their votes as encouraged by Buhari. He did not come out to make an immediate statement or plea for these miscreants to stop forthwith.
7. The costs of crating Umaru Dikko: Before he parcelled Umaru Dikko in a crate Nigerians had easy access into the United Kingdom (UK) and USA. With a return ticket costing only N500 and just your passport you can travel into these countries without a visa, but his brute approach cost us dearly, the UK came down heavily on Nigerians and withdrew the privileges of travelling under a common wealth of nations. They went further and started denying citizenship to Nigerians born in the UK.
8. Total disregard to women: Initially when contacted on his opinion of the office of the first lady, he had said that he would scrap this office as it had no meaning nor place in his administration. However, having faced a lot of backlash and criticism from Nigerians and international organisations he is forced to go against his will of incorporating women in his government should he win. Now you may find a repackaged Aisha Buhari frying akara (bean cake) in Abuja. Even if APC do not agree with it, GEJ has remained the only government in Nigeria that has worked for the cause of fully incorporating and representing women in government.
9. Islamic agenda: His penchant for fighting the cause and fully supporting sharia is not hidden to many. As such the christian north are wary of supporting him. The fear generally in the minds of people is that this unrepentant supporter of sharia may well be the trump card or joker for Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) or maybe ISIS currently on a jihaddist campaign, if you would recall boko haram that pledged allegiance to ISIS had nominated Buhari as it's spokesman.
Please truth be told, Nigerians be wary of desperate politicians who are serving their own interest, again I repeat Buhari is a good man and his intentions may have been good but his sins are living with him. The environment that he currently finds himself is one of suspicion and not to be trusted as Chinua Achebe describes it 'Things fall apart and the center cannot hold' that is what the APC stands for.

Richard Omoko is a political analyst and economic watcher based in Nigeria.

BUHARI STILL CLUELESS ON ECONOMIC ISSUES AFTER 32 YEARS - Richard Omoko
I watched with keen interest the APC town hall meeting of Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March, 2015. Various questions were asked on how APC intends to tackle such matters as Security, Job creation, Power generation, women empowerment, The exchange rate amongst others issues.

In their response to the issues or questions asked, Buhari and his fellow APC stalwarts at the town hall meetings sounded like semi-illiterates when giving responses to this crucial matters of importance. Before we draw conclusions let us go back in history to how our economy used to be like before Buhari ceased power by force through a coup de ta in 1983.

As a young lad I can remember vividly that this was how Nigeria was before Buhari ceased power by force
1. When it came to exchange rate it was $1.00 exchanging for 0.60 kobo (yes if you didn't know that), the British Pound Sterling was £1.00 exchanging for N2.00.
2. We didn't require visa's to travel abroad. Now interestingly while you only needed to board a plane with your blank passport, your visa would be stamped at the point of entry in almost all nations of the world including the United Kingdom (UK). America was begging us Nigerians to come and visit (so we could spend our money there) they even offered free scholarships to most Nigerian students to study up to masters level, and when they finished their studies there were mouth watering offers of jobs and accommodation waiting for their picking should they decide to stay. Some Nigerians even had special luxury treatments given to them right from the airports at America.
3. In most shops in the UK they would close their shops to other customers once they learnt that you were a Nigerian and intend to shop there. This treatment is only now meeted out to Arab sheiks.
4. It was automatic citizenship for any Nigerian baby born in the UK, with immediate allowances for both baby and mother.
5. Our International Trade fairs used to be a big issue, with every notable company from all nations in the world fighting to ensure their participation. These companies even released their products to Nigerians with only a promise to pay.
6. The economy was bouyant and merriment was always in the air, every family had one reason to celebrate. People like Fela that were hooked on candies could afford to travel to the UK just to buy candies from his favourite shop. I could afford to buy my big dip for 50k.
7. Nigerians were driving only brand new cars. You were considered poor if you happen to drive a car that was more than 3 years old talkless of buying a 'tokubo' vehicle (ie. Second hand vehicle). The major automobile plants were working a Volkswagen beetle was N3,000, a Peugeot 504 was N7,000.
8. Prices of essential commodities were affordable, a can of liquid milk was 25k, a bottle of coca cola was 15k, a bag of rice was N15, a loaf of bread (family size) was 50k.
There are more happenings I can reel out, however this is enough for our youths to digest as they never new how Nigeria was before Buhari came in is usual manner of brute force with no economic knowledge and destroyed everything.

When Buhari ceased power in 1983.
1. Buhari immediately introduced import license when he ceased power. This policy favoured only his cronies as they were the only one who had access to import license. They only obtained the licenses and sold it for a price without importing anything. Some would use such license to import sand from Saudi Arabia, expired tires from Europe, empty containers etc. They did this just to pocket the exchange dollar. The resultant effect was the shambles this caused by increasing black maketeering, increasing smuggling, creating a scramble for foreign currency and hence devaluing the naira. For those who do not know it was in Buhari's regime that the dollar started to appreciate over the naira from what was 0.60kobo to $1.00.
2. Buhari's singular act of importing a human being in a crate (Umaru Dikko) from the UK resulted in the UK removing all those privileges that we enjoyed. From then on you can only come into the UK with a visa, and not anymore as a citizen of the common wealth. The United States also followed suit from this.
3. His regime introduced Price control. This lack of elementary understanding of Pricing and the forces of Demand and Supply caused a lot of hardship for Nigerians as you had long queues for such 'essential commodities' as bread, milk, tea, sugar etc. Of course traders hoarded their wares as you couldn't force them to sell at a loss thereby creating a sky rocketing inflation.
4. The overblown stance of corruption and Nigeria being a drug nation dealt a big blow on our image internationally as most nations started viewing Nigerians with suspicion, to them every Nigerian is either corrupt or a drug dealer. The killing of Bartholome Owho and two others without a convincing trial made other countries view us as babaric. They were no longer comfortable in having business dealings with Nigerians based purely on trust. This we are seeing Buhari repeat yet again.

Buhari's current clamour after 32 years
The chanting is yet to change after 32 years, the so called 'change' agent is still to change from his old ways.
1. On security: as usual he continues to blow it out of proportion hence scaring intended foreign investors whose Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) would having given a boost to the economy and helped in creating jobs. Agreed the current security situation is not perfect, however only until this week did he acknowledge the efforts of our gallant soldiers. His utterances in the past has caused a lot of security breeches that had costs lives and properties of Nigerians. These statements he made had helped increased both followers and symphatisers of boko haram.
2. On Economy: "I would create two million jobs in one year". Free Education, free lunch, free monthly allowances/stipends for jobless youths, he wants to build four refineries in less than four years, his claims of single handedly increasing the price of crude oil and so on just goes to show that he still is clueless on the economy and how it operates. For instance how does he intend to increase the price of crude oil when he cannot control it's demand and OPEC has limited control to its supply as a means of price increase instruments. They clamour oil theft (even though he would not tell you that it started way back in the 70's when he was Petroleum Minister). For those who care to know the US being the largest consuming nation of crude oil is using Fracking and other new technologies to explore for crude as a result demand for global oil is low and the price has to fall because supply is constantly increasing due to oil theft not only from Nigeria but from all ISIS controlled nations and Libya inclusive.
The clear difference between United Party of Nigeria (UPN) led by Awolowo and APC led by Tinubu is very simple. Awolowo would tell you that he would create jobs, industries, roads, free education and so on. Awo doesn't stop at that he would break down the economy for you and show you where and how he would raise the money to perform and fulfil all his promises. That is why the till today the western region is still living off Awo's legacies. Please someone ask Tinubu/Buhari (no pun intended as this is the ticket) to show us how they intend to raise the capital for their promises. They are only building castles in the sky.
NIGERIAN BE WISE AND DONT BE FOOLED - VOTE WISELY

'BUHARI',the antidote to corruption-WHAT A HUGE LAUGH!!
ONE month ago, the APC had whipped its supporters into frenzy in believing it is bound to win an election it really has no chance of winning. In truth, if the election had been conducted then for chairman of the EFCC, Muhammadu Buhari would have been declared winner by a landslide. However, with postponement of the election, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. Even Buhari’s self-styled credential as Mr. Integrity has unraveled.
Buhari’s entire campaign posture for the 2015 presidential election stands on two shaky grounds. He fashions himself as Mr. Integrity; the implacable enemy of corruption in Nigeria. He is the one who reportedly is going to ensure that corruption is a thing of the past in Nigeria. He is also the one who is going to destroy the Boko Haram in the twinkling of an eye; even though a number of months ago, he was negotiating for amnesty and golden handshakes for the insurgents, and they nominated him as their preferred middleman in any truce negotiation with Nigeria.

File photo; Tinubu and Buhari – leaders of ACN and CPC
Buhari’s disappearance
Things have not gone too well for the Buhari campaign since the postponement of the election. He did not help things by disappearing off the political radar for virtually two weeks. By the time he re-surfaced, Boko Haram was toast. We no longer needed Buhari’s vain promissory notes to deal with the insurgency. One after another, town after town were recovered from the Boko Haram. In many respects, they have been routed as the Nigerian army came into its own after having received its new consignment of weapons.
As a result, we are no longer hearing anything from Buhari about whipping Boko Haram. All he had left was his anti-corruption mantra. But that one also came to grief with the airing of AIT’s tripartite documentary entitled: “The Lion of Bourdillon.” This alleged that Bola Tinubu, the self-styled national leader of the APC, is steeped in corruption. It claims Tinubu is the biggest landlord in Lagos, and maintains he has acquired so much property through very sharp practices.
While the veracity of these allegations is yet to be ascertained beyond reasonable doubt, the documentary has brought to the fore the flies in the anti-corruption ointment of Buhari. The truth is that corruption in Nigeria is not the exclusive preserve of the PDP. It is also the chronic ailment of the APC. Neither is corruption only the malaise of the Federal Government; it is equally the malaise of state governments, including those ruled by the APC. Indeed, Murtala Nyako of the APC was impeached and removed as governor of Adamawa State partly because it was alleged that he had corruptly enriched himself with government funds.
The question then is this: Does Buhari’s so-called zero-tolerance for corruption extend to his APC colleagues? Will Buhari, in the unlikely event that he becomes president, go after APC thieves as well as PDP thieves? Or will he turn a blind eye to APC thieves and molly-cuddle them? Suddenly, the anti-corruption searchlight turned on to Buhari and his friends, and just as suddenly, we discovered what some of us have always known: that Buhari, the Emperor of Anti-Corruption, has no clothes.
Buhari’s response to the issue of corruption in APC ranks reeked with sheer hypocrisy and double-standards. Like charity, Buhari’s anti-corruption must begin at home in the APC if it is to be credible. However, Buhari is not inclined to prosecute his friends. Instead, he came up with a pronouncement that virtually rubbished his anti-corruption posture. He said: “Whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of swearing-in, would be pardoned. I am going to draw a line, anybody who involved himself in corruption after I assume office, will face the music.”
Insurance for corrupt supporters
This means as long as you steal money between 1999 and 2011, you have nothing to fear under a Buhari presidency. This is, of course, an insurance policy for his corrupt supporters, assuring them that they would have nothing to fear by giving him their vote. Buhari did not come out in strident support of Bola Tinubu. He did not come out to tell the world that, contrary to the AIT documentary, the Bola Tinubu he knows is a man of unimpeachable integrity. Instead, he told the world that if there are thieves among his friends, they can rest assured that he would pardon their thievery.
When President Jonathan pardoned the former governor of Bayelsa, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, a man who had been convicted of corruption and was a refugee from justice from Britain, Nigerians were incensed. This was rightly seen as the president condoning corruption. One would have thought this kind of thing would not occur with a man who talks anti-corruption day and night. However, in the case of Buhari, he would not only pardon one corrupt associate, he would pardon them all.
When asked how he was going to get funds to revitalise the economy, Buhari stated that he was going to get all corrupt past leaders and officials cough out their stolen money. This was nothing but a nonsensical policy. It is bizarre and odd for Buhari to think he can run Nigeria, revamp the educational system for example, by recovering stolen money. Where will he get this money from? Who will give it to him? Would such recovered money not amount to a storm in the teacup?
But now that he has dumped this anti-corruption charade in favour of a blanket pardon for the corrupt, it is clear that political reality is beginning to erode Buhari’s highfalutin campaign grandstanding. It is equally significant that Buhari’s new stance on corruption comes coincidentally after AIT documentary on “The Lion of Bourdillon,” where one of his most important allies was accused of corruption. Clearly, it is high time Buhari stopped deluding Nigerians that he is genuinely anti-corruption and that he can eradicate corruption in Nigeria by sending corrupt politicians to jail.
Buhari was Nigeria’s head-of-state for a period of 18 months in the 1980s. At the time, he ran so rough-shod over the Nigerian judicial system that the Nigerian Bar Association proscribed Nigerian lawyers from appearing in any of Buhari’s kangaroo courts. Buhari sent both corrupt and non-corrupt politicians to jail, sometimes for up to 300 years. Nevertheless, corruption was not eradicated. It continued unabated because it was not addressed structurally. Even the practice under Obasanjo of shooting armed robbers by firing squad in Bar Beach failed to stop armed robbery. All it did was to brutalise the Nigerian public.
Jonathan’s effective approach
Surely, the more reasonable and effective method is to remove the avenues for corruption. This is what Goodluck Jonathan has been doing. He has sanitized the payroll system by removing some 50,000 ghost-workers, saving the country a whopping N200 billion in the first instance. He has removed the fertilizer middlemen; saving Nigeria hundreds of billions of naira. He has sanitized the electoral register. Over three million ghost voters have been removed; one million in Zamfara State alone. He is going after corruption in the oil sector with the Petroleum Industry Bill.
In the vainglorious case of Buhari, it did not help matters that he fought corruption with corruption. He interfered blatantly in the judicial process. The judge who sent Fela to jail later went to apologise to him in hospital afterwards that he did it under government duress. Nevertheless, some members of the Nigerian public, baying for the blood of corrupt politicians, hanker back to the high-handed days of the Buhari era, when the human rights of innocent Nigerians were violated on the altar of anti-corruption, and some Nigerians were even judicially murdered under heinous retroactive decrees.
What Buhari is not telling them is that he has no power to do this under today’s democratic dispensation. Buhari goes on the stomp and says: “When we come into power, anyone who steals Nigerian money will end up in Kirikiri Maximum Prisons. We are going to make sure that Nigeria’s wealth belongs only to Nigerians.” But the truth of the matter is that, in a democracy, the president does not have the judicial power to send anybody to Kirikiri. If the EFCC does not prosecute, the president cannot become the chairman of the EFCC. If the judges do not convict, Buhari cannot transform himself into a judge.
Deceived electorate
All those who have been deceived into believing that Buhari will just become president and begin to lock up corrupt politicians left, right and centre are dreaming. In the unlikely event that Buhari becomes president, he will neither have the power to do so, nor the inclination to do so. The reason is simple: many of the thieves are his friends and allies in the APC. Buhari talks change, but he is running around with the old breed of politicians. You can always tell a lot about a man by the composition and character of his friends.
Buhari fashions himself as Mr. Integrity, nevertheless, he was not averse to serve under Sani Abacha, one of the most corrupt heads-of-state in the history of Nigeria. Even more significant, Buhari insisted that Abacha was not corrupt at all. On the 10th anniversary of Abacha’s death, Buhari told incredulous Nigerians that all the allegations of looting the treasury leveled against Abacha were “baseless.” He said: “ten years after Abacha, those allegations remain unproven because of lack of facts.”
Buhari held this position in spite of the millions of dollars of Abacha’s loot recovered from banks around the world, and in spite of the fact that the Abacha’s family signed a formal agreement to return over $1 billion of such monies to the Nigerian government. We can see therefore that, from the point of view of Buhari, only the PDP has the copyright on corruption. Every allegation of corruption leveled against his friends and financiers must surely be “baseless.”
It is this kind of double standard that prompted Buhari to jail Vice-president Ekwueme while only putting President Shagari under house arrest. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti poked fun at this in one of his songs. He said: “Driver commit accident Buhari lock conductor.” Given the many corrupt drivers that abound in Buhari’s APC’s, we can anticipate that he will only be interested in locking up conductors in the unlikely event that he ever becomes president