₦airaland Forum

Onlytruth:
A democratic nation that is about to disintegrate.

Have you ever heard the saying "no paddy for jungle?"

Only a stable and unified nation can practice democracy.

If he fails to act decisively, there may be no Nigeria before the end of next year.

Bros you got it. Nigeria is in a mess. Jonathan is a mess. IBB, Atiku, Saraki, and the rest are criminals. The yorubas are biased because they helped in creating the Jonathan mess. The Igbo leaders are the only neutrals that can step in to save the country. But I doubt their ability.

As for people talking what they do not know. This is a grand plan by the CIA to break up our country. Why did Jonathan declare for the Presidency after meeting the Americans? Why did IBB do the same after meeting one of their secretary of state? They predicted we will break up in 15 years time. They are working to achieve it.

The break up will serve no interest other than that of the Americans. It is all about the game to control the oil. They did this in Angola betraying their man Sawimbi. They are on the process of breaking up Sudan for same oil interest.

To my brothers from the North, you have ruled Nigeria for so long and should bear enough of the blame. The minority in South-south will not benefit anything if they surrender their oil to America interest. It is better for other part of Nigeria to steal their oil than for US to do it. The East and the West are also guilty. We have been the advisers to the Northern leaders at most times. We advised them wrongly them. Period.

If they break up Nigeria, the fate of the black-man is gone. See what is happening in all parts of Africa. It is all caused by Western manipulation. We need to save our market. The market and the oil is their target. To me, give me a country of 200million people and take the oil. I will build up a civilization with it.

We need our resources and our population to save the Blackman. We can do it. Read up Muritala's address to OAU before he was killed. We are all being manipulated. Read about Congo, Patrick Lumba and Mobutu Seseseko. See what is happening in all African countries where France is in charge. Do we want America to run our country?

Lets refuse to be manipulated.

asha 80:
Nigerians generally have no idea of how to tackle issues and problems creatively and constructively.

bisiaet:
But brother what has Jonathan done wrong in this matter? All is not about Jonathan is all about our so called Igbo leaders pls lets call a spade a spade. They are busy doing open and secret Ndigbo this Ndigbo that has any of this so called leaders ever stand and openly say anything as per this urgly kidnapping trend? But they can gather to champion IBB for presidency while their backyard is on fire. Where is the so called self acclaimed Igbo father (Ojukwu) pls brothers has he for once get up and say look boys stop this kidnapping with immediate effect? Because he claimed he can talk any Igbo man to order. This problem is internal and lets stop attacking Jonathan if we truely belief we are that republican as we claimed and the interest of our region is paramount as we claimed why then do all these leaders keep silent and busy in helping a cursed man IBB and be dreaming of unrealistic, lies 2015 while they suppose to have talk sense to these  kidnappers?

A state of emergency was sometime ago proposed but was trashed out my people said it's an invasion of Igbo land this sorts of things annoys me a lot and this same poepl who called it invasion what was their effort to curb it? Nothing, only ego, pride, 2015, IBB project is the the main issue and let kidnapper carry on to eternity isnit?

Pls it is not Jonathan that should wake up it is we Igbo that need a wake up call. God bless

Why will you call any Igbo leader if you are informed? Do the Igbo leaders control the security apparatus? Does Ojukwu that you call command the police, the SSS or any other security outfit? Why do we pay the police? Why did your darling Jonathan pick a failed police officer that could not control the kidnapping in Aba and make him you IG? By promoting him to IG, is Jonathan not sending a message that any police officer that helps the course of kidnappers in Aba will be promoted?

What has Jonathan right since after 7 months in power? Did it take David Cameroon such long to come up with his economic program? Did it take Obama such long? These are people coming from outside government. Your Jonathan has been around corridors of power for the past 11 years as Deput Governor, Governor, VP before becoming President; what is new that he has brought to the office?

he said he will fight corruption with his might during his declaration, when is he starting the fight? He said our pains will be his, when is he going to start? Is he not a fraud like others before him, or are you waiting till after 4/8 years before you can figure out that he has nothing in store for all Nigerians?

I don't care about  North or South, I will never care about where my President is from.

Jonathan is a rogue just most PDP members. PDP must be swept out or Nigeria will die.

anonimi:
these igbo politicians are mostly money-for-hand-back-for-ground belly wise people. they cannot be bothered about anyone in their tribe as long as their bellies are full. cash & carry na dem stock in trade.
2015 just looking for an excuse to give their gullible igbo followers some fake high while they sell out to their northern pay masters.

I know you are not Igbo. Who in Nigeria is not cash and carry? Huasa, Igbo, Yoruba etc we are all cash and carry.

We should all bow our heads in shame.

McDoe:
Goodluck is our choice

GoodLuck is your choice. Enjoy him As for us, we are sharper; we cannot be duped by con-masters

wales:
What is the problem with zoning of pdp, nigerian are tired of all this criminal in power including pro jonathan and pro zoning. we need new hand with new ideaal to give us better leadership, not all this bad egg. let other party and progressive opposition team up and work together as one to flux out PDP, pls Buhari team up withh ACN and other and present a common person to be the president.

Buhari cannot team up with ACN because ACN is built around Tinubu and his frauds. Buhari is too good to work with a common criminal.

But bet me, Buhari will deliver Nigeria from these criminals.

Ayowumie:
For PDP, I would rather go for Jonathan at least we are yet to crucify him on many grounds. Other candidates have skeletons in their cup board. Gombe to Yola road was awarded about 4 times during Atiku vice presidency. The contracts were awarded through his office but nothing was done. Until this very moment, that road was one of worse roads in Nigeria. The last time i travelled that road, I had to subject myself to hours of self-medication, swallowing panadol (as if sey na kulinkulin).
The road to Atiku's home town is not in any way better mean while, he has a house there. What a shame!

You guys know that this should be a serious issue. When you get serious, I will tell you that any of the options means same hell for Nigerians. We must dump PDP and all the characters that populate the party to make a headway in Nigeria. PDP as a party has wasted the last oil boom. The Russians used it to rebuild themselves and gained a voice again after the collapse of the old soviet republic. The Venezuelans used theirs to rebuild their country and to mount the several challenges against US and Europe. What did Obasanjo and PDP use ours for?

Wake up guys! We must all get to the field and force those idiots out. We can do it.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Your President is either reading his holy book, in search of kidney healing miracle; or is in deception as always.

Oluwatosin Olay Sanni, 19, and Ibhade Arebamen, 22, are facing a number of charges.

Those does not look like IGBOS.

Guy I believe in God's power. I believe in destiny.

But I also know that Obama's personal qualities and VERY importantly the collapsing US economy played a significant role in the election. Also important is the perception of the 'black model' mentality that played into the heads of the youthful whites. This neutralised the racist old tendencies.

Let believe he can perform well, but I have my fears. It will never be easy.

My only comment: In Nigeria of the present mentality, South as a country will not work. Even Yoruba or Igbo as a county will be a total failure. Who told you Biafra would have worked?

How many of us know about the circumstances leading to Ojukwu's special Brigade inside Brifran Army? An army inside Amy.

The problem is in our thinking. Our mentality!

Marymos:
Godman n, you are highly sentimental.I'm not a Yoruba or an Hausa.I will so much like it if other tribes are given the opportunity to rule this country.I felt the ibos should be considered but what do u think have been responsible why the Ibo's have not been given the opportunity to rule this country?I'm not against the ibos but you know what happen between 1999 to 2006 when your leader were senate president.Impeachment and replacement was just the order of the day.

Sorry I want to further comment on the several senate President that was produced by the Igbos during the Obasanjo Government.

When Obasanjo was making his first appointments, I noticed he was picking candidates from what I will call the Northern elites, and the Western Elites. Remember he picked the Shagaris and the Adesanyas. But when he came to the East, who did he pick? He was relying on one Nwokolo, his once informant who helped him during the war; on picking all appointments made from the East. I noticed he made not even a single appointment from the eastern Elites.

I know many will quarrel with my ‘elite thing’ here. But I understand but the fact is that when one wants to finish a group of people, he starts from the most powerful. Obasanjo set out from day one to destroy the Igbos; all his pronouncement points to this. All the problems with the senate President originates from this. Did the Anambra people support Chris Uba and his atrocities? Did Chimaroke have any support in Enugu? Chimaroke’s government was the government of all past cult boys. I am from the state and will tell you. Was that decision made by Enugu people?

So Obasanjo used the instrument of the state to perpetuate all these. The instrument of the state is much, especially when you are dealing with hungry people like Nigerians. Or to people like Igbos that has its power base destroyed by the war.

Marymos:
Godman n, you are highly sentimental.I'm not a Yoruba or an Hausa.I will so much like it if other tribes are given the opportunity to rule this country.I felt the ibos should be considered but what do u think have been responsible why the Ibo's have not been given the opportunity to rule this country?I'm not against the ibos but you know what happen between 1999 to 2006 when your leader were senate president.Impeachment and replacement was just the order of the day.

Igbo has lead Nigeria and will lead again. I remain proud of the role the Igbos played in securing Nigerian's independence. Igbo were at the forefront. Igbo did enough in holding the country together then.

The activities of Igbo youths - the January 1966 coup plotters and that of Ojukwu, lead to the war. The 1966 guys were driven by pure progressive ideas. They were indoctrinated by the University of Ibadan elites, but the consequent of their actions were dumped on the Igbos. The resulting war left the Igbo man impoverished. The Western elite, whose ideology drove the boys into plotting the coup, saw this as an opportunity to finish the Igbos

What was the sin of the Igbos? The Yorubas were in aware at the pace with which the Igbos caught up, and overtook them in every term prior to 1966. This has its natural consequence - envy. I have read several British reporters who were surprised by the “push” by the western axis for a total decimation of the Igbos.

It took the good person of Yakubu Gowon on some other northerners to save the few Igbos. It also took their good nature for Alex Ekwueme to emerge as the Vice President of Nigeria just 9 years after the war. A look of some other parts of the world that fought succession war will show you that the integration of the Igbos was fast enough. Therefore, that the Igbos has not produced a president for the country since after the war is no big deal. I REPEAT IN CAPITAL LETTERS, IT IS NO BIG DEAL.

We will definite produce the President at the right time. My personal worry is that, we should lead at that time as we tried doing prior to the Independence. That our own President will not be as cunning, as lying, as uniformed, as arrogant, as corrupt as Obasanjo. That whoever will emerge from the East, will be a shining example to the whole nation.

I have noted that it took the good nature of the core North to integrate the Igbos back after the war. I need not go into the several effort made by our southern neighbors to sabotage this, but I will pick out just one.

During the Abacha regime, what I will call the Yorubas first eleven were fighting the NADECO course, which I cherish. But Ekwueme lead the Igbo's own first eleven into the constitutional conference. At the end they fought gallantly to secure the 13% derivation and rotational president. Our southern neighbors owe a lot to this, while I doubt how much they affected the Igbo nation. But this is all for fairness. It is all for a better country. Such is the Igbo spirit.

What did he get back? The press played his role up as a betrayal of Northern interest. He was supposedly dumped by the North. And Obasanjo emerged.

Now is Obasanjo the candidate of the Yorubas? No. That the Yorubas shameless jumped into his corrupt and inept government is the worst thing to do. AD and Afenifere died as a consequence, destroying all that the Yorubas have built over the years. I called this the eating of the forbidden fruit. The fruit of power was derived from the back door. The consequence seems enormous.

Yet the emergence of Obasanjo as the President of Nigeria owes much, to outside influence and conspiracy. I ask who killed Abiola and Abacha? How will you assume that the people that killed Abiola and Abacha will just go home after the deeds? That is not how international interest works. They work based on long term strategy. It is that same strategy which lead to the death of both men that brought Jimmy Carter to Nigeria during the 1999 election. When has Jimmy Carter been to Nigeria since after the election? Even when Obasanjo was committing all the atrocities, why did he and his organization not find time to talk to the guy they helped install?

I am going into area that is difficult to prove; areas that will never be proved; areas where tracks are well covered. But at the end, the Northern interest of picking a stooge southerner and the interest from across the sea find a common candidate in Obasanjo. Or better, the North was duped by the other in picking Obasanjo. Did the interest of the Yorubas show at any of this? Will you rightly say that the Yorubas produced a President in Obasanjo?
Is this the type of Candidate you want from the East? TUFIAKWA!!!

You can see that Igbos are not suffering in any way. Or better still, we are not suffering less than any other southerner. But in essence, the suffering here is that of all Nigerians. Even the so called ruling class are entrapped, let alone the common men in the north, who I can comfortable say that we southerners are better than.

So where is the need for any noise?

thetruth90:
it is better nigeria has no president than allow an ibo man to be president. they are too full of guile.

Marymos:
northerners should take their time and select a credible candidate for 2011 election.i hope they will not produce another president yaaradua?when their time is up,the yorubas will take over.i don't know when my ibo brothers will be given the chance to rule this country.although they did not prove themselves when the position of senate president was zoned to them by the ruling political party.

I am sick and tired of your types. I need to know your tribe and what you think is special about that tribe. While I am proud of my Igbo-ness, it will be stupid of me to make your type of inflammatory stuff.

Guess you are but little juveniles

JustGood:
I have said it and will continue to say it that there are very few people in Nigeria whose hands are not soiled one way or the other.

If we keep pointing fingers at others rather than look at our whole nation and our attitude to riches, we will never progress. Every Nigerian seems to have an attitude that says it's better to get wealth any way (even corruptly) than not to get wealth. Until that attitude is banished, we will continue to wallow in our collective stupidity and general poverty of everything.

There are very few Nigerian indeed as you rightly said.

I personally had an encounter with Reuben Abati sometimes around 2004. I met him at a party and I did confront him generally on the attitude of Nigerian journalists. His response left much to be desired. While he accepted that a lot more has to be done; he came up with the typical Nigerian excuse that while you try to bring some things to the public view; that they also consider their lives. This made me see him as a typical Nigerian.

It is not only him; almost all Nigeria journalists. Thisday newspaper seems to house all of them. How many of us understood how Olusegun came to be Yar'adua's spokesman? His is worse.

They tend to believe in their ability to confuse me and you with what they write. Read their works critically and you can see through their mentality.

The whole country is rotten; in search of messiah

mikeansy:
Those are realities but certainly examplify why we are who we are

We refuse to hope and dream big or ask for something better. We must settle for less because nothing about us is developed.
But this is why we refuse to match into 21st century.

There are northerners who know the current trend on most things. Certainly not Yar'adua and not Dangiwa Umar. If power must remain in the North, lets have civilised leaders.

You know why we fail where Ghana succeeds?

Atta Mills is a University Professor
John Kuffor is an oxford educated Economist
The National security cordinator has a PhD, is a retired soldier, and a UN diplomat.

In Ghana's last election they had a Presidential debate

While in so called giant of Africa, Yar'adua ducked Presidential debate
He is a lack lustre chemistry teacher as unreactive as mecury

If you are telling me that the whole North does not have any civilised 21st century leader, who appreciates the current world trend and where we need to head to, well go ahead and say it.

But to tell me it is a crime to hope and wish for something better is just ridiculous.

It is good to have a 21st century President as you said. It will be better to be futuristic and have a 22nd century President if it is possible.

Dreams are good. All good invention and progress comes from serious dreamers. But the success of every dream starts from strong foundation. Strong thought through implementation design. It is based on piecemeal good work each built on top of the other. It does not come down from heaven. Things hardly works when built from in top down mentality. It is easier to build from Bottom up.

Ghana had a clean out since 1979 or so, lead by Jerry Rawlings. He laid the foundation of the present Ghana. Ghana did not have the corrupting influence of an IBB. I know Nigeria is more organised in the early 1980 and less corrupt than it is today. The important question is how do we take off? What is the surest way of starting the journey to the 21st Century President?

My whole essence of this thread is to stimulate a discussion - a positive discussion. Have we been at it? The answer is NO. If the responses here have gone ahead to suggest better candidates and ways to get to it, that would have been beautiful.

As open question to all is: who can we prompt, push if need be to lead this struggle? It is a struggle. If you can understand the enormity of what is involved. There a million of interests, some within and outside Nigeria that will resist a change. These interests are ingrained in world system.

There have been individuals in the past with honest intention for change that failed. They did not fail because they choose to. They failed because it is difficult.

So for a less controversial start; it is needful because we can only move ahead based on compromise. Agreed we need a 21st President. I assume also you want one. So who can lead the struggle? I mean, let us start naming candidates. People we can suggest based on their antecedents.

What can you suggest as our duties to the struggle? How can I and you start off here, without sitting in our comfortable house and making claims?

ikeyman00:
godman what do u make of this?

The Igbo spririt should be admired by all men. Not only the way we come together but also the way we build business empires from nothing.

But what the man set out to achieve here is to cause confusion. I hate his style

Xavier.:
Not just facebook. Can't u see it every where.

Yorubas are gradually being pushed to the backburner.

Ngozo Iweanla

Dora Akinluyi

Pat Utomi

El Rufai

etc

What do we have instead

Fani Kayode

Patricia Etteh

Iyabo Obasanjo

Dimeji Bankole

Dipo Adesina

Pathetic

You are the dubious, you are evil. You are a tribalist.

You are a Yoruba man that is pretending to paint Yoruba bad; just to set trap for other unsuspecting individuals.

Te people that associate with your type, I will say be careful.

Repent.

Sky Blue:
@Godman_n last time i checked this whole issue of power sharing among the three "regions" is not in the constitution and is symbolic of one of the reasons why progress seems unnattainable. In Nigeria the arrogance between the three major ethnic group whereby power sharing is seen as between such groups has always been extremely distasteful and arrogant to say the least. Basing the democracy of the country on a lottery selection limited to one region as a means of "pacifying" the country is something that the PDP have made their agenda. The country is bigger than the PDP and anyone. That is why I think it quite disheartening that from the get go you are choosing to place such a weak block in the foundation of the very essence of the country's democracy though i understand where you're coming from. Last elections people from all sides contested for the presidency, or is Pat Utomi a Northerner? It should be open to all to contest and it would be up to the candidates to try and prove to the people why they should be voted for. You could claim i am being naive but i really don;t think the desire for development is limited to any ethnic group.

The reason why such a big deal has been made of such in the past is simply because of the shallowness that continues to characterise the Nigerian democracy. Campaigning never goes beyond each candidate pointing out where the other isn't from and hence not meeting the non existent and non constitutional "requirement". Campaigning rarely goes beyond such folly to actually enter into debates on the issues, strategy to developments and idealogies that a candidate may have and hence never allows the people see and focus on the issues that should matter. Instead of admitting defeat and making such a compromise that will further drive the cycle of not getting the best man for the job in order to fill some quota or "pacify" a region, why don't we just see it as meaning there is more work to be done on the ground; more work to be done in terms of reaching out to people and trying to make the issues of next elections be development and discussion on the issues? Good foundations are important and the more we continue to go for second best in order to "pacify", the more we continue to fail in our bid to truly reach our potential as a nation. We can't shout "one Nigeria" and continue along the road whereby some groups remain second class citizens in their own country.

I agree completely with what you have said. I just think that the tribal sentiments is very strong in majority of Nigerians. Since democracy is the will of the majority, the best is to find a way of negotiating ones interest in through the majority of the people.

Whenever we get used to good governments, the tribal sentiments will die down

mikeansy:
Whenever he chooses to run let him hold a televised Press conference and tell us what he'd do different from Yar'adua on the issues

From the economy, to education, to energy, to National Security. He must take questions from the Press lets see how much he knows

Yar'adua was not vetted that is why he is failing.

Yar'adua became President without a single Press conference, debate or Presidential address. Except the one he read at PDP convention.

Let's see Dangiwa Umar, Our next President must be Digital compliant even though he is from Sakwato (Sokoto).

We need a 21st century President pleaseeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bawomolo:
and what are the creditable things he did while as administrator of kaduna?

Typical Nigerians. How/when will we get to the promised land?

I challenge you guys to name your candidates. Name them and stand up and work for them.

We cannot sit in our houses and expect a 21st century President. What in Nigeria has measured up to 19th century, let alone 21st century. Our farmers still farm with crude implements; our farms are still in the 18th century. When did Europe even countries like India, Zimbabwe drop their hoes in favour of tractors? Yet we are talking of 21st Century.

Our problem is that even the basic foundation is lacking. Will a house without a foundation ever get to the tops? The only sure way is to start from the root. It can only be fast tracked but will never bu jumped.

I am not just talking about our politics. Every sphere of our national life. We cannot go to the space without manufacturing simple machines. No can we run a successful economy without first being able to feed our people.

It is as simple as this.

Also very important, we can never have a good president unless when we are ready to go out there and work for it. There is no free meal. No free good government. You earn it. We should stand and earn our good government.

Xavier.:
Karmamod

relax now. This is a very disturbing issue that I would like other Yoruba youths deliberate on and profer solution to.

This Forum should be meant for straight thinkers and talker; and not where one will lay trap for other.

You are a Yoruba and seems to know more than us; how and where the drop out is affecting only Yorubas.
Can you tell us?

ikeyman00:
the yoruba must bow down to igbo power!

Doubt if you also know what you are saying. In what terms will the Yorubas bow to Igbos?
Are you sure you are Igbo?

Must it be Igbo against Yoruba all the time. Both of you should think of something else to say.

Sky Blue:
@Goodman_n i assume you know a lot about this man for you to take such a stance, so i am quite interested to know what it is about him that makes you think he would be a good president. I have done basic research and have gathered that the person in question is a former military Governor of Kaduna state and a 'public commentator'. He and his party where staunch speakers against OBJ's third term agenda and were even blocked out of a rally that was prebooked by them in Abuja to tell the world press about OBJ's ambition. All of this is just plain information that is missing what could be seen as greater insight into the person in question. From reading some of his commentaries i like the way he has objectively analysed issues in the past in seeming sincerity and not just jumping on band wagons, however what was achieved in Kaduna when he was it's leader? All of this though is meaningless without a desire by the person we speak of to actually run for presidency.

This is just one name out of many possible alternatives. I think it would be in the best interest of Nigeria if the issue of the next elections are discussed now. I say this because it will give more ample time for candidates who are interested to start making themselves known so that we can begin to see other alternatives as opposed to having to select from a small pool of people. The additional time such an early start will buy will mean candidates have more time to speak on the issues and try convince the people as to why their votes are deserved and will also mean more time to sensitise the people to the importance of such an issue and why it is vital to the nation's progress. Additional time will also mean more time for people to get behind candidates of their preference; more time for a solid push on electoral reforms to be addressed and could also serve as a defining condemnation of this current administration's performance as well as show that the people mean business. How will such early campaigning and discussion of next elections be instigated? Use of the media, word of mouth, contacts, articles, etc.

The time to act isn't three months to election when the results have already been pre determined and we are told printers in South Africa broke down or whatever other silly reason is needed to once again steal the mandate of the people. This shouldn't just be applied to the presidency, it should be applied to governors also.

I appreciate your understanding and suggestion on the way forward. I have to state that while I insist that all Nigerians of goodwill should join hand and pick our next leader; being ready to march to Aso Rock en mass if the need be; I cannot insist on Umar, or even a Northerner. But given the political reality (by this, I mean for the Northerner not to feel any sense of being shortchanged), the next president has to be from North. Doing otherwise will polarize the effort and is bound to fail.

So I will suggest that we can use this forum to nominate our candidates all from the North.

Alternating between my several commitments and keeping my house in order, it will be very difficult for me to do a detailed discussion of what I know about Abubakar Umar.

From the little politicians, public commentators, I know from the North, I hold Dangiwar Umar and Balarabe Musa in high regards. I see the two as being able to rise above their personal needs in search for the societal good. This opinion I built based on several newspaper reading of their comments and interviews which I have been monitoring since early nineties.

Dangiwar Umar in particular came to my notice during the June 12 crises when he had gut in challenging Abacha to instate Abiola as the head of State. His activities were as much as that of the NADECO guys. He resigned in the military because of this, despite being a core Babangida boy. He was the youngest of Officer among the coup plotters that brought back the military.

From the several interviews granted by him and other actors of the events around 1993, I understand he played a key role in advising/pressurizing IBB to step aside after the annulment of June 12 election.

Though one of the coup plotters he understood the military then has failed Nigerians and did all within his power to push towards civilian rule. He was most importantly driven by bare principle in all his army days. Abacha tried lobbying him with oil block which he refused. It was based on this very account that I came to understand how our President use oil block to bribe people that stand against then.


During the Obasanjo era, he also continued an informed criticism of the Obasanjo government and as important also is his criticism of the attempted imposition of sharia law in some Northern states. In all this, his criticism has been well informed.

Umar was also a former Governor of Kaduna State who gave a good account of himself. He left Kaduna as one of the best performing military administrator. Most importantly, he left Kaduna without being dented in any iota of corruption. All I know of his asset is his farm in Kaduna. How many of past military governors can be said to be as poor as him. But in this case we are not talking of an ordinary governor. We are talking of one that had unhindered access to the power. We know how much the like of David Mark who is not in anyway within the inner circle of Buhari/IBB government is worth.

My main points for suggesting him are therefore based on the following.

He seems to be principled.
He seems to be above tribal politics.
He seems to be above board with regards to corruption.
He performed creditable in Kaduna State as their Governor.

However a big minus is that he is a military man and one of the plotters of the coup that brought back the military.

But I also understand that we are only saying this based on the benefits of hind sight. As a kid growing up in the 1980s I can remember vividly the happiness among the masses on 31st December 1983, when the military took over. The government of Shari has clearly lost focus then. It is also true that the military left us worse than they met us, but this cannot deny the good intention of some of the plotters of the coup.

As happens in all human cases, in every progressive push, will always lie some deceitful, scheming reactionary elements; who are in most cases, very good in hijacking the good intention of the push; for their selfish intents. The events of 1983, was a pure progressive intent, albeit driven by inexperienced individuals which ended up in the hands of scheming IBB. The intentions of all the plotters of 1983 coup should as such not be assumed to be bad.

Becomrrich:
God would never allow Umar to be president of Nigeria. He is a tribalist.

Can you please elaborate. Any past instance? Who in the North will be your ideal President for Nigeria?

I also do not believe that Arewa Forum should have any business imposing a president on Nigeria. But if they come up with a good material, so be it. The interest is what is important. If even IBB as corrupt as he is, can impose a worthy President in Nigeria, let it be.

The North that imposed Obasanjo in Nigeria still regrets that imposition.

Let be driven more by the qualities and antecedents of whoever emerges. Most important let ensure that activities of the stolen billions are neutralised. We cannot only do this by mobilising ourselves. If not, as Sky Blue said, they will always bulldoze within three months interval to impose whoever that can fill their purse and protect their loot.

Now is the time to begin.

Xavier.:
Poster

Trial u said, then so be it. But if it is to give this Umar a try, hell no.

Let's share our reasons.

Why do you say No?

Sorry guys I posted this because I believe it will be good to give this man a trial. I believe he has the qualities to lead Nigeria out of the present mess. I will pick him ahead of any Northerner, if not the whole country, as the man that have proved that he has what it takes to take Nigeria out our mess.

I also believe that if we are serious people, we should be able to organise ourselves from bottom up (meaning from the weakest, the youngest, the poorest ), pick out whoever among Nigerians that can lead, and lay down our lives to make him the president.

Do we in these forum believe in this man? If we do, can we take up the task of starting the journey to 2011? If we do not can we think of some one else?

The earlier we set out to work and stop complaining, the better for us.

Americans did theirs by contributing as little as $20 to Obama campaign. We can achieve ours by contributing as little as 100 naira to any man's account. I am not asking for any contribution. I am asking for an agreement first. I am asking for mobilisation - by talking to our friends, believing that we can do it. I am asking for an open letter to Umar to declare his intention to contest. If we can get to his declaration of intention and a possible publication of an agenda, then we can take up the race from there. Remember as a Northerner, he will sooth the political reality of zoning in Nigeria. All we want is a compromise. Where all Nigerians - North, South, East and West will come together.

To me this will be a beautiful opportunity to teach the old lords a lesson.

I am an Igbo man that has never had any contact with Umar, but has always been trilled by his political opinion and actions starting from the Abiola crisis.

If we agree, we can do it. Nigeria youths can determine who will rule us. No body can stop us. All we need is to agree.

A build-up to the 2011 elections has begun in the North with some influential political figures in the North-West indicating early interest in who replaces President Umaru Yar‘Adua.

The Arewa elite still believe that Yar‘Adua is not their candidate for the country‘s topmost political job, which former President Olusegun Obasanjo foisted on them.

A former executive member of the Arewa Consultative Forum told Sunday Punch in Abuja that a high level political network which included traditional rulers and former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida had been set up.

The group, whose activities remain covert for now, is said to be looking in the direction of Col. Abubakar Umar, a former military governor of Kaduna State , because of national appeal.

A known critic of Obasanjo‘s eight years administration and staunch supporter of the June 12 presidential election of 1993 cause, which Babangida annulled, Umar had to resign his commission in the Nigerian Army in protest of the annulment.

However, Yar‘Adua has not said anything regarding a second term ambition, but some members of the Peoples Democratic Party are worried about his performance 16 months since he came to office, and the state of his health; and how these would impact on the party in 2011 polls.

It is for this reason that Obasanjo reportedly held a surprise consultative and reconciliatory meeting with his estranged deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, where they reportedly deplored the state of affairs in the country after the left office in May 2007.

He was reported to have said, ”We as former public office holders have a responsibility to come together and help our country, especially when things are not going the way we want. We have to sit down as stakeholders to review the situation.”

Obasanjo allegedly admitted making a mistake in supporting Yar‘Adua for the Presidency in 2007, adding that he would not repeat same in 2011.

Atiku, on many occasions said he would contest the 2011 presidential election; and many observers believed that his rapprochement with Obasanjo was preparatory to his return to the party which he hoped to use to actualise his ambition.

The Arewa source said, ”They want someone who can easily cross the North-South divide and they firmly believe that with someone like the former military governor of Kaduna State , Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, a lot of impact can be made across the country.

”It is believed that Umar remains one of the most acceptable northerners in the South and even though he is a prince of Gwandu Emirate, the support of northern traditional rulers, retired bureaucrats and other elite may be leveraged to get him the appropriate quantum of support in the North.”

According to the source, the group is spreading its tentacles to the oil-rich South-South zone and has co-opted a former governor who is likely to become a running mate.

Two days after the Obasanjo and Atiku parley, the PDP National Working Committee met in Abuja but no statement was issued on the outcome of the meeting.

But the Action Congress, the party that Atiku flew its flag in 2007 poll met in Abuja on Thursday and denounced his parley with Obasanjo; saying, his step was a “political misadventure.”

Investigations show that opinions are sharply divided among members of the PDP NWC on the possible return of Atiku to its fold.

Asked for his comments on these developments, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Alkali declined.

Similarly, the party‘s National Vice-Chairman, North-West, Dr. Danladi Sankara, refused to speak on the party‘s disposition towards Atiku.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent, the North-East National Vice Chairman Chief Paul Wampana, said, “I am not the person to speak on behalf of PDP. You have to go and speak with Prof. Alkali,” he stated on telephone.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200901252342878

A build-up to the 2011 elections has begun in the North with some influential political figures in the North-West indicating early interest in who replaces President Umaru Yar‘Adua.

The Arewa elite still believe that Yar‘Adua is not their candidate for the country‘s topmost political job, which former President Olusegun Obasanjo foisted on them.

A former executive member of the Arewa Consultative Forum told Sunday Punch in Abuja that a high level political network which included traditional rulers and former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida had been set up.

The group, whose activities remain covert for now, is said to be looking in the direction of Col. Abubakar Umar, a former military governor of Kaduna State , because of national appeal.

A known critic of Obasanjo‘s eight years administration and staunch supporter of the June 12 presidential election of 1993 cause, which Babangida annulled, Umar had to resign his commission in the Nigerian Army in protest of the annulment.

However, Yar‘Adua has not said anything regarding a second term ambition, but some members of the Peoples Democratic Party are worried about his performance 16 months since he came to office, and the state of his health; and how these would impact on the party in 2011 polls.

It is for this reason that Obasanjo reportedly held a surprise consultative and reconciliatory meeting with his estranged deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, where they reportedly deplored the state of affairs in the country after the left office in May 2007.

He was reported to have said, ”We as former public office holders have a responsibility to come together and help our country, especially when things are not going the way we want. We have to sit down as stakeholders to review the situation.”

Obasanjo allegedly admitted making a mistake in supporting Yar‘Adua for the Presidency in 2007, adding that he would not repeat same in 2011.

Atiku, on many occasions said he would contest the 2011 presidential election; and many observers believed that his rapprochement with Obasanjo was preparatory to his return to the party which he hoped to use to actualise his ambition.

The Arewa source said, ”They want someone who can easily cross the North-South divide and they firmly believe that with someone like the former military governor of Kaduna State , Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, a lot of impact can be made across the country.

”It is believed that Umar remains one of the most acceptable northerners in the South and even though he is a prince of Gwandu Emirate, the support of northern traditional rulers, retired bureaucrats and other elite may be leveraged to get him the appropriate quantum of support in the North.”

According to the source, the group is spreading its tentacles to the oil-rich South-South zone and has co-opted a former governor who is likely to become a running mate.

Two days after the Obasanjo and Atiku parley, the PDP National Working Committee met in Abuja but no statement was issued on the outcome of the meeting.

But the Action Congress, the party that Atiku flew its flag in 2007 poll met in Abuja on Thursday and denounced his parley with Obasanjo; saying, his step was a “political misadventure.”

Investigations show that opinions are sharply divided among members of the PDP NWC on the possible return of Atiku to its fold.

Asked for his comments on these developments, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Alkali declined.

Similarly, the party‘s National Vice-Chairman, North-West, Dr. Danladi Sankara, refused to speak on the party‘s disposition towards Atiku.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent, the North-East National Vice Chairman Chief Paul Wampana, said, “I am not the person to speak on behalf of PDP. You have to go and speak with Prof. Alkali,” he stated on telephone.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200901252342878

okunoba:
@Udezeu
Ethnic cleansing of Ibo`s? Sorry mate, if that was the case millions would have been killed after Biafra surrendered since they didn`t have the means to defend themselves against the federalist. The fact is their was a civil war and the federalist won, similar to the American civil war in which the confederates lost to the federal side. Do u hear historians calling the war, ethnic cleansing of southerners, because they lost.
I am saddened to see black people take pride in wanting to dominate their fellow black brothers. If feeling Superior to your fellow Nigerian brothers is what makes u happy then u are definitely sad. The Nigeria and Africa that we should be working towards is one where life is better for all, regardless of ethnic affiliation. I don`t want Yoruba domination of Nigeria, what I want is a good and fair country where we can all have a good life. I could easily lay claim to such stupid assertion that Yoruba`s dominate Nigeria, just like u did about Ibo`s but what good will that bring to the millions of Nigerian that are living in object poverty. U obviously want and take pride in the Ibo race dominating other groups in the federation. U are at least open with your ethnic bigotry. Don`t dish out what u can`t take, because it may come back to hunt u. At the end of the day we are all seen as underdeveloped and poor wether u are Ibo, Hausa, Yoruba or Kanuri. Lets work for the common good of the black race and indeed this world at large.
Bless Africa

You can read this account and be convinced: You uninformed tribalist


From The Sunday Times
October 19, 2008
Bodies stacked in street as genocide grips Biafra
May 12, 1968: Frederick Forsyth, at this time a freelance reporter, finds the breakaway region is now a charnel house
From the archive

THE war raging between Nigeria and her breakaway eastern region of Biafra has just ended its 10th and bloodiest month. After 10 weeks in the bush with the Biafran army commandos, I have emerged sickened by the senseless violence that this war has wreaked upon a west African nation that could have been an example of harmonious progress to the whole of the continent.

The most disturbing aspect is that inside 10 months it has deteriorated steadily from a war in which the original motivation was the reincorporation of the breakaway east into Nigeria into a spectacle of racial hatred run amok.

General Yakubu Gowon, the head of the federal government, in unleashing a war that he thought could be ended within 48 hours, has let loose forces that white men do not understand and that the Nigerians cannot control.

The Lagos government, to judge from its public utterances, seems blandly unaware of just how far its own army is out of its control.

When one hears what Lagos says about the rehabilitation of the Ibos of Biafra, about non-discrimination, about equal job opportunity and so forth, and then one sees what is actually going on at the battle fronts and behind them, one must come to the conclusion that either Lagos is lying or it has lost control.

In six forays behind Nigerian lines, I was able to observe Nigerian-occupied Biafra. It is being turned into a charnel house of gutted hamlets and rotting corpses.

From the bush a timorous Ibo native emerges to explain what happened when “Hausa man come”. The descriptions tally so closely that they are almost standardised: the menfolk lined up against the wall of the biggest building and machinegunned, the women raped to the accompaniment of the all-too-ritualistic mutilations, the children spitted on machete knives.

Genocide is an ugly word and an even uglier reality. I do not use it lightly, but my judgment that it really could be the extermination of an entire race does not go unsupported.

The two papal delegates who visited both sides in the conflict submitted a report to the Pope which caused the latter to condemn the war for its “strong genocidal overtones”.

I spoke to nearly 100 Nigerian prisoners of war and, once their Ibo captors had been sent out of earshot, they spoke quite freely. All admitted that they had not volunteered but had been conscripted by no-nonsense recruiting sergeants on street corners and in market places. After a week’s training they were sent up to the front with a rifle and a pouch of ammunition. These new soldiers loot, rape, kill and torture.

At Onitsha, under siege from the federal troops, the 300-strong congregation of the Apostolic church decided to stay on while others fled and to pray for deliverance. The Second Division found them in the church, dragged them out, tied their hands behind their backs and executed them. Three hours later, entering Onitsha, I found the corpses stacked in the road.

It is the Biafrans’ firm belief, which seemed to be supported by a lot of evidence, that the great majority of the weapons in Nigerian hands are being supplied by the British. British government spokesmen, both in parliament and elsewhere, have been remarkably evasive about just what has been sent to Nigeria.

The Biafrans vigorously reject Britain’s claim that she is obliged to support Gowon’s war because he is the legal government of Nigeria. The Biafran leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Emeka Ojukwu, points out that Britain does not always feel obliged to arm military regimes, particularly when the use to which the weapons might be put is dubious in the extreme.

His attitude is, as usual, moderate compared with that of his more emotional countrymen. The hatred of Britain has steadily grown as 80,000 Biafrans, more than 65,000 of them civilians, have died. Now they believe that just about everything being thrown at them is of British origin – including bombs and rockets.

Time is running short, as the Biafrans are squeezed ever more tightly into the centre of the ring, with a vengeful Nigerian army seeking its pound of flesh for its own 35,000 casualties. Negotiation is one road; the other leads to the biggest bloodbath the Commonwealth has ever seen.

The Biafra secession was finally crushed in January 1970

Xavier.:
Godman

U aint making sense.

Depending on what you choose to; or know the capacity to understand as being meaningfull. Isn't there the posibility that you lack the capacity to understand where I am going. Based on you numerous prejudices and bias.

I repeat until you come out of your shell, you will never see world. May God give us the grace to see beyound our noses.

dejman:
You guys need not worry anymore. Cynthia you can download the API and sample codes from the Gooatale resource center.
www.resource.gooatale.com

And you link seems to be dead?

Are you real? How much will you pay for all those qualification listed? Are you expecting real experience with all those tools or do you want paper/cv claims?

Nigeria, just use you pen and name all the tools you have heard of. Try know what you want first. I tell you the so called company does not know what they want.