₦airaland Forum

Until i see Buhari Secondary school result, forgery is not an offense in Nigeria

I have never commented about this radio biafra on Nairaland but truly i hate Nigeria because it stands against truth

Must it be Hausa?

Aregbesola deserve the worst governor award

BARELY a week after a 20-month-old baby was abducted during a nam­ing ceremony in Abeoku­ta, Ogun State, suspected ritualists have abandoned the corpse of a 23-year-old alleged commercial sex worker at Olomoore Junction in the outskirts of the state capital.

The body of the victim, identified as Sitira, was found yesterday morning at a dumpsite in the area with a large chunk of the flesh on her right hand cut.

Checks revealed that a relation identified the corpse of the victim, sus­pected to be one of the commercial sex work­ers operating within the Abeokuta metropolis, after a police rescue team from the Lafenwa Divi­sional Police headquar­ters evacuated the body from the dumpsite.

Daily Sun gathered that the deceased, who was in company with an­other lady, whose where­abouts was unknown as at press time, was alleged to have been thrown out of a moving sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the Olo­moore refuse dump.

When the Daily Sun visited the dumpsite, the scene of the incident was littered with items sus­pected to belong to the victim and her missing friend.

The items found at the scene, included pants, brassieres, ladies’ arm­less camisole, lipsticks, powder kits, nail-paint and a pack of cotton wool.

It was gathered that Sitira’s corpse was on the ground about 500 metres from the ladies’ items strewn about the scene.

Upon close observa­tion, it was discovered that a substantial amount of the flesh from her right hand had been cut off.

Speaking with journal­ists amid sobs, a middle-aged woman, Esther Adewuyi, who claimed to be Sitira’s relation, ex­plained that the 23-year-old lady had been living with her mother in the Iberekodo area of Abeo­kuta North Local Gov­ernment Area after the death of her only child about two years ago.

Adewuyi added that Sitira, who was an ap­prentice hairdresser, was last seen in the house at about 10 pm on Saturday night, where they both had discussions about the victim’s plans for her graduation.

She insisted that no­body, including her younger siblings, knew when she went out on Saturday night.

Efforts to get the state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejo­bi, failed because he did not pick calls made to his phone.
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/suspected-ritualists-abandon-womans-corpse-at-refuse-dump-in-ogun/

Any PDP candidate will surely defeat APC come 2019. PDP need restructuring before then thou

Rubbish president without brain

Osun state nko?

By Moshood Adebayo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday slammed ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for lacking vision  in the rehabilitation of the railways.

He based his criticism on the fact that the railway lines were obsolete as they were constructed in 1903 and could not match the modern global trends.

The Jonathan administration embarked on the rehabilitation of the railway system with a view of overhauling the sector which had decayed for years and abandoned by previous governments.

“For what reason should anybody in his right senses in Nigeria of today believe that rehabilitating the railway system which was completed in 1903 to carry three million tonnes of goods is what we need today,” he said.

The former president who spoke during a television programme monitored yesterday said there was no earthly reason why the rehabilitated railway system of Nigeria today could serve Nigerians

Obasanjo, who  noted that the system was divided into two, Eastern and Western, lamented that the latter caused a whooping $8.3 billion Dollars

According to him, ‘if Nigeria would achieve the vision 20-20-20, we would need a first class land, water and air transportation, and good land transportation can only be railway and roads.



http://sunnewsonline.com/new/railways-jonathan-lacked-vision-obasanjo/

Aragbesola have turned Osun to a failed state

Defending Buhari blunder must be a very big task

The meeting President Muhammadu Buhari held with All Progressives Congress members in the House of Representatives on Monday failed to resolve the leadership crisis in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly.

At the end of the meeting which lasted about 20 minutes, members of the two factions in the House stuck to their different positions and interpreted the President’s message to them during the closed-door meeting in a manner that would suit their camps.

A former Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, said the meeting dwelt on party supremacy, adding that before the end of the day, Nigerians would be briefed on the decision reached.

“We are still talking and this is the first time that the two camps will be sitting together as one family in an atmosphere of camaraderie,” he said.

The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party would have a good news for the nation by tomorrow.

The Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, said he had always remained on the side of the party.

Details later. . .
http://www.punchng.com/news/buharis-meeting-with-reps-fails-to-resolve-house-crisis/

I'll pight kworotion - Buhari

- Group accuses PMB of shielding Aregbesola from investigation

Yinka Kolawole in  Osogbo

Fears and tensions have heightened in Osogbo, Osun state capital, as Justice Folahanmi Oloyede will this Tuesday establish her allegation of mismanagement of funds levelled against Governor Rauf Aregbesola before the probe committee of the state Assembly.

This is just as Chairman, Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun (CSCEOS), Adeniyi Sulaiman, alleged that
President Muhammadu Buhari, is preventing Aregbesola from investigation by anti-graft bodies over what he called criminal financial mismanagement.

Addressing a press conference in Osogbo on Monday, Sulaiman said: "We are surprised that despite the fact the Oloyede's petition was sent to the EFCC and ICPC about two months ago, these agencies of the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari have refused to respond to this matter of urgent public interest which has led to the death of many citizens from extreme poverty occasioned by the governor's failure to pay salaries, pensions and cooperative deductions, thereby killing commercial activities and threatening the security of lives and properties in the state.”

The group also alleged that the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, is one of the owners of a construction company SLAVA YEDITEPE, saying: "One of the construction companies that have only succeeded in spoiling our roads in Osun state.”

On the invitation of Justice Oloyede by the House of Assembly probe panel, the group said it had information that the committee had reached a conclusion to declare that Oloyede is mentally unfit.


www.thisdaylive.com/articles/tension-in-osun-as-justice-oloyede-appears-before-hoa-committee/215760/

.

P u s s y

https://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Former-President-Olusegun-Obasanjo-360x225.jpg

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he maintains his view, as expressed in his three-volume autobiography, My Watch, that Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has better expertise in wine matters than in political analysis.

In the book, Obasanjo wrote, “For Wole, no one can be good, nor can anything be spot-on politically except that which emanates from him or is ordained by him. His friends and loved ones will always be right and correct no matter what they do or fail to do. He is surely a better wine connoisseur and a more successful aparo (guinea fowl) hunter than a political critic.”

However, last year December, shortly after the book went public, Soyinka had, in a piece titled ‘Watch And Pray, Watch And Prey’, vehemently protested that description of him, calling Obasanjo an expert liar, who lies to boost his ego.

But in an interview granted a private television station, Channels, on a programme tagged ‘Book Club’, Obasanjo, while holding on to his words, said what he wrote about Soyinka was purely his view, adding that Soyinka did not have to agree with it.

The former President, who added that he did not write the book to please anybody, also disclosed that there was a lingering feud between him and the Nobel Laureate, who, he said, had vowed that the differences between the two of them would not be resolved on earth.

Obasanjo, however, said he had told Soyinka that, in that case, whichever of them gets to heaven first should wait at the gate to welcome the other.

He said, “Wole Soyinka is a gifted man. I have always acknowledged that but he is a bad politician and I have also always said that; and that is my own point of view. He may agree with it, he may not agree with it.

“But having said that, I also, in my book, bring out Wole Soyinka as I see him and that’s my own judgment; that’s my own perspective of him. He may agree, he may not agree but anybody can bring out his own perspective of me.

“For instance, I know that if I want somebody to give me the best wine, one of the people I will go to is Wole Soyinka and I know he has a taste for good wine and I said that in the book.”

Obasanjo also dismissed a rejoinder to his book titled ‘Watch the Watcher’, written by the Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, saying the book was not worth to be kept in anybody’s library.

Obasanjo, who said Odumakin was paid by former President Goodluck Jonathan to write the book, said he could not be worried because Odumakin did not write anything that would last.

Obasanjo said, “Yinka Odumakin was hired to do the hatchet job and he did it.

“It was part of the campaign of Goodluck Jonathan and he did serve the purpose of Goodluck Jonathan. But whether Goodluck Jonathan gained from it or Yinka Odumakin gained from it, well, it’s now left to history.

“But how should I worry about that; that Yinka Odumakin was hired by Goodluck Jonathan to do a job, which he did and Yinka Odumakin didn’t write anything to last? He wrote current affairs, not a book that anybody will seriously want to keep in his library and that’s the way I see it. And a book should be something that somebody wants to keep in the library.”
http://www.punchng.com/news/i-stand-by-my-comment-on-soyinka-says-obasanjo/

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian president has predicted that by the year 2025, the whole of Africa will use a common currency called Afri. He forecasted this in his Op-Ed titled “My Africa utopia” written for Financial Times.

Obasanjo is of the opinion that Africa’s economy will grow while that of China, Europe, North America stagnates. He also predicted that the leadership problems bedeviling the continent can be solved in five years leading to free education and free health care.

Read Obasanjo’s rather optimistic position for a better Africa below:

Thirty-five years in the life of any human institution should not normally be considered too distant to predict its course of progress. After all, it is only a little over a generation away. What is more, those who will shape and influence what Africa will be by the middle of the 21st century are almost all already born.

Let me start with an extremely optimistic, some might say utopian, scenario for Africa — one that also involves a fairly pessimistic scenario for Europe, Asia and the Americas. It is all most unlikely and unrealistic — but come along with me on this trail.

The most stultifying problem for Africa right now is leadership. It affects the lives of the majority of Africans from the cradle to the grave.

In my utopia, Africa’s leadership issues — in terms of performance, governance, administration and management — will take just five years to solve. This achieved, all traces of injustice, discrimination and disparity in political, economic and social spheres will vanish, leaving the continent free of violent conflicts. Guns will be silenced and peace will descend like refreshing morning dew. The African military force will be drastically reduced while the capacity of the police will be increased and enhanced.

Integration will proceed at breakneck speed and by 2025 Africa will have a union government, a common currency called Afri and unmanned borders. Energy will be a priority, with 100 per cent coverage for industrial, domestic and agricultural needs by the mid-21st century. Transportation infrastructure will be transformed, enabling Africa to shrink into one connected nation rather than 54 virtually unconnected ones.

In this vision, education will be free and compulsory for African children for 12 years and no university student will be denied opportunity for lack of means. Free healthcare for all African children under five and all pregnant women will be available by 2020. By 2030, 50 per cent of all commodities produced in Africa — mineral or agricultural — will be processed here as well and, by 2050, intra-African trade will be at 75 per cent. Africa will spend 10 per cent of its GDP on science, technology and innovation by 2040 and our institutes for democracy, good governance and sustainable development will be so popular that they will have campuses all over the world.

Meanwhile, economic progress in Europe, China and North America will have stagnated, making Africa a haven for investment, employment generation and wealth creation by 2040. There will be quotas for Europeans, Asians and Americans seeking employment here. All arable land in Africa will be cultivated, save what is reserved for environmental protection. By 2050, Africa will be the storehouse for 25 per cent of the world food reserve, ready to help in global emergencies.

The African parliament, a new two-chamber legislature, will be 45 per cent female by 2040. The union government will be made up of a presidential council of five, each elected at the regional levels of west, central, southern, eastern and north Africa. No fewer than two of them will be women and they will rule for five years with the chairmanship changing annually. The Central Bank of Africa will also have five governors in the council — one per region with similar term limits. Africa will be a strong member of the United Nations with a permanent Security Council seat. And, of course, we will also have hosted the Olympics on a number of occasions, leading the gold medal table each time.

Those who could make this utopian Africa of 2050 a reality have almost all been born already. But judging from our history and by what is happening elsewhere in the world, a more honest prediction would look very different. Those who will shape the continent of the future are the product of what exists today.

So, in this more realistic world, there will be no monumental improvement in the vision of Africa’s leaders. But there will be incremental change in the quality of the leaders themselves, even if most will remain nationalists rather than pan-Africanists. External pressures and internal demographics will enhance democracy. Regional economic communities — the likely building blocks for an integrated Africa — will move further towards consolidation with more executive and legislative powers. Integration at regional level will drive integration at continental level. Africa must have its fair share in the global division of labour and global decision-making processes.

Without a cohesive system at continental level and a critical mass of strong regional institutions, movement on other issues will be slow: these include power, water, infrastructure, intra-African trade and forging common African policy with different regions of the world. For now, issues such as terrorism, climate change, narcotics, organised crime, migration, arms and trafficking and impunity are of greater concern.

The worst-case scenario for Africa in 2050 is more of the same Africa of 2015. However, the more realistic prospect lies somewhere between that and my utopia.

It will be quality of leadership that will manage the internal and external pressures that will impose themselves on Africa. Even if the best does not happen, we can prevent the worst.

First published in Financial Times titled My Africa utopia
http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/07/26/obasanjos-prediction-by-2025-africa-will-use-common-currency-called-afri/

This old foolish president talks too much. na talk we go chop.....

Northernization continue

Lmao

Dullard is back. His boys will kill more than 20 today to welcome him

Who approve the borrowing?

By Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA—President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Washington DC reiterated his commitment to crush Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria.
The president who addressed a joint session of United States Institute for Peace (USIP), the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Atlantic Council, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES) stressed that failure was not an option for his government.
He vowed that every inch of Nigerian territory lost to Boko Haram members would be reclaimed by his government.
He said: “On the issue of terrorism, Nigerians have lived with fear and insecurity for far too long. The human and material costs of the insurgency in my country and to my people are staggering and unacceptable.
Defeating Boko Haram
“Defeating Boko Haram and finding a durable solution to the underlying causes of the insecurity in Nigeria are therefore a major priority of the new administration. Nigerians understand that terrorism stifles development and undermines the stability of society.
“The Government that I lead is committed, and will do whatever it takes, to free Nigeria from the menace of terrorism. No matter how long it takes, we will reclaim every inch of Nigerian territory that is under the control of Boko Haram. We shall continue to do these within the framework of the rule of law and in compliance with our international and domestic human rights obligations.
“Let me emphasize that, as a Government, we have no illusions whatsoever about the enormity of the challenges ahead of us. We know that it will be a long and bruising struggle, but this is a fight we are in to win. Failure is not an option for us. We do not contemplate it.”
The president said that in his bid to find solution to the problem, he has had to travel to Chad and Niger republic, saying that he was due to travel to Cameroon upon his return from the United States.
He also recalled that he had released $21 billion for the Multi-National Joint Task Force within the region to fight insurgency.
“In the first week of my presidency, I visited Chad and Niger to strengthen cooperation within the Lake Chad Basin Commission Members, the primary region of the Boko Haram insurgency. Upon my return to Nigeria from the US, I shall visit Cameroon on the 29th of July to further strengthen our sub-regional efforts at countering terrorism.
Multi-National Joint Task Force
“Already, I have released twenty-one million US Dollars ($21 million) for the rapid take-off of the Multi-National Joint Task Force. This is the force set up by the countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, comprising Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria plus Benin to jointly combat the insurgency.
“We are confident that we will defeat terrorism in our country and region, because we have the will to win this fight. We will win because we have the support of the Nigerian people who voted us into office to do things differently in order to secure them from harm and provide for their prosperity and well being. We will win because the United States and indeed, the International Community have pledged to stand with us in solidarity.
“But winning the battle against terrorism means we have to do things differently; after all, the race for the future will never be won by going backward or standing still. Winning means we must change our strategy in a manner that will prioritize the mobilization of maximum capacity to fight terrorism, while ensuring the safety and protection of local communities in the frontline of the fight against terrorism”, he said.
…Rues US terrorism law
President who had a guest of the United States however regretted that the application of Leahy Law which he said has restricted the efforts of the Nigerian Forces as it leveled human rights violation charges against them.
He therefore appealed to the U.S. Congress to soft pedal on the law.
“In our efforts at combating the activities of Boko Haram, the new Government has sought and obtained the support of not only our neighbours, other international friends and partners. Regrettably, the blanket application of the Leahy Law by the United States on the grounds of unproven allegations of human rights violations levelled against our forces has denied us access to appropriate strategic weapons to prosecute the war against the insurgents.
“In the face of abduction of innocent school girls from their hostels, indiscriminate bombings of civilians in markets and places of worship, our forces have remained largely impotent because they do not possess the appropriate weapons and technology which they could have had, had the so called human rights violations not been an obstacle”, the president said.
“Unwittingly, and I dare say, unintentionally, the application of the Leahy law amendment by the U. S. Government has aided and abated the Boko Haram terrorist group in the prosecution of its extremist ideology and hate, the indiscriminate killings and maiming of civilians, in raping of women and girls, and in their other heinous crimes. I believe this is not the spirit of the Leahy Laws. I know the American people cannot support any group engaged in these crimes.
“I therefore strongly appeal to both the Executive Arm and the US Congress to examine how the US Government can provide us with far more substantial counter-terrorism assistance with minimal strings. The longer we delay, the deadlier the Boko Haram gets. At all events, we have re-written the rules of engagement protecting the rights of combatants and in particular safeguarding civilians in theatres of conflict.
On corruption
Speaking on corruption, president Buhari said that the fight against the scourge was a full time job for his government.
He said: “The fight against corruption is a full time job that the Federal Government will carry with sustained resolve. I have always maintained zero tolerance for corruption. I am even more committed to fighting this number one enemy decisively because I am convinced beyond any shadow of a doubt that the much needed impetus for our country’s survival is held back by corruption. I will not allow this to continue.
“Again, as with every action of the government that I lead, we would be fair, just, and scrupulously follow due process, and the rule of law, as enshrined in our Constitution. I will lead by example to ensure the prudent management of Nigeria’s resources. The government will plug the leakages that fuel corruption in Nigeria.”
Successful conduct of 2015 election has shamed prophets of doom
While thanking the international bodies for their support to Nigeria especially in the last general election, the president said that Nigeria had proved that it could conduct a free and fair election.
By the successful transition of power, Buhari said that the country had proved those who predicted the fall of Nigeria after the elections wrong.
He also expressed gratitude to former President Goodluck Jonathan his maturity at conceding defeat.
“As far as the critics and doomsday merchants were concerned, Nigeria’s end was the 2015 general elections. Nigeria was not expected to make it. The general perception was that Nigeria would be undone by violent and disputed elections riven with deep ethnic and religious divisions.
“You all know what happened. Nigeria confounded the pessimists and its critics. All those who predicted the worst possible post-election scenarios for Nigeria missed the mark by very wide margins, because the premises upon which their narratives were based were simply wrong.
“The peaceful conduct and outcome of the 2015 general elections attest to the fact that elections in Africa can be conducted in a free, fair and credible manner, just like in any other part of the world. Those elections were different from previous ones, not only because citizens were allowed to vote, but more importantly, because their votes counted. I must therefore, salute the patriotism and commitment of the Nigerian people who conducted themselves peacefully and responsibly during and after the elections. Similarly, I must also commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the civil society organizations, and other non-state actors for their various efforts at improving the electoral process and entrenching the democratic culture.
“I would like to seize this opportunity also, to once again, pay tribute to my predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his uncommon display of statesmanship in setting the pace for Africa. His conduct and outlook in the aftermath of the elections have further proven that the African electoral system is gaining strength and maturity”, he said.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/again-buhari-vows-to-crush-insurgents/

Another APC trash. APC followers and their president are brainless

Urges APC to focus on governance, not witch-hunt
Paul Obi in Abuja

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC ), Chief Okey Nwosu, monday took a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government, stating that deception had now become a central policy in the administration.

Nwosu speaking against the background of recent happenings in the country and the absence of a cabinet in Buhari’s government, explained that the mantra of change which Buhari and APC rode on to power was merely a window-dressing to mislead the masses.
According to him, “President Buhari truly has an agenda, but change is not one of them in the real sense.”

The ADC chairman accused the president of attempt to arrogate more power to himself, thereby, consolidating power at the centre, weakening the states and federalism in general terms.

He said the president and his party, APC, came to power on the basis of change with the promise to hit the ground running once elected, Nwosu maintained that that hope has been crushed as APC strategy in the 2015 general election was purely a propaganda.
“The Nigerian state is still running on the foundations that the former President Goodluck Jonathan set. We had thought that Buhari and the APC would set up structures,  unfortunately, we’ve not seen that. All we hear is corruption, witch hunting, trying to demonise Jonathan.

“This is no time to play politics for Buhari and APC; if things are bad, Nigerians expect you to move in, as you promised to hit the ground running.”

Nwosu stated: “Serious government don’t operate on drama: dramatising things and engaging in propaganda, it is unfortunate the APC and the president’s men cannot draw a line between politics and governance, that is slowing them from moving,” he submitted.
On speculations that the government is making moves to probe Jonathan’s administration, the ADC chairman said the threat is more of propaganda to divert attention from real issues of governance and development.

He went on to state that “all former Nigerian presidents are billionaires both in naira and dollars except Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), these billionaire presidents include Buhari himself. You don’t become a billionaire with the kind of salary we pay here.
“I am sure Buhari who had promised to make public his assets’ declaration might have been stopped by some of his advisers because after they assessed his worth, they discovered that it will cause a major scandal.

“So, going to witch hunt Jonathan does not make anybody good, otherwise get all the former presidents to declare their assets,” Nwosu added.

The ADC leader further queried the rationale behind President Buhari’s US visit, arguing that with no ministers yet, the US meeting would be futile, given that ministers who are supposed to facilitate agreement and work out the modalities have not been appointed.
Nwosu stressed that the president’s 33 persons entourage was a drain on the nation’s meager resources and taxpayers’ money, stating that, such posture contravenes APC promise to cut down the cost of governance.


www.thisdaylive.com/articles/buhari-has-an-agenda-change-is-not-one-of-them-says-nwosu/215160/

…Insist negotiating with insurgents won’t solve problem
From TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, MAIDUGURI

Many residents of Maiduguri, Borno State capital and birthplace of Boko Haram believe the surviving commanders of the insurgents are foreign­ers from the neighboring African nations of Niger and Chad, who took over the lead­ership following arrest or killing of most of the members of the initial Shurah (highest decision-making body) group of the sect once led by Abubakar Shekau.

“Those who are commanding Boko Ha­ram now are not Nigerians. This I can tell you authoritatively,” says a prominent voice in Borno, who did not want his name mentioned in the report “for security reason.” The source said reports on Boko Haram had indicated the current command structure though “not very coordinated as it were before,” was manned by Chadian and Nigerien fighters with “fair understanding of Borno terrain and topog­raphy.” “In most cases, they are assisted by our sons who either willingly joined the Boko Haram sect or were conscripted during attacks, to locate communities or targets for attack, but the truth is that most of the current Boko Haram commanders are not Nigeri­ans,” the source maintained. Many residents also argued that the manner of operation of the sect and the new approach of using explo­sive devices to attack soft targets, could be far beyond the strategies formulated by previous Boko Haram leaders, who were not known to possess required education for such opera­tions. “There are definitely new people from elsewhere with some connection with other terror groups controlling Boko Haram sect now,” says another resident, a university don.

Buttressing this submission, a leader of the vigilante group known as Civilian JTF recalled the Sunday January 25 and Febru­ary 1 failed attacks on Maiduguri city by Boko Haram. “From the appearances of the Boko Haram killed in the confrontation by the combined team of security troops and our boys (Civilian JTF) in the two attacks on Maiduguri in January and February, it was clear that the current Boko Haram leaders are not Nigerians. Most of the insurgents that led the attack were tall, lanky and very dark with coiled hair. Such looks are common with Chadian or Nigerien people. Similar ap­pearances can be found among Shuwas but they are usually fair in complexion not very dark like those people we saw,” the vigilante member told Sunday Sun.

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi also expressed same view recently when the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah paid him a courtsey visit in his palace in Maidu­guri. The royal father who went down memo­ry lane, recalled how a truckload of teenagers from some states in the country and outside the country arrived Maiduguri years ago, rais­ing concern among residents.

“Borno has a long history. Before the out­break of Boko Haram insurgency, it was one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria and that was why it was named home of peace and hospitality. The people were noted for toler­ance. Borno then was rated for its peaceful disposition and recognized as a vast place for politics without bitterness but with com­mon love. But then, let us ask ourselves why the sudden change? The answer is not far fetched. The problem started when hundreds of teenagers were brought to Tarson Journey (Long Distance Motor Park) in the city some years back. They were not from here but they claimed they came in search of knowledge,” the Shehu said.
He said concerned citizens raised the alarm about the arrival of the teenagers in the capital then, but did not explain if authorities acted on the issue. He said Borno people had been cooperating with the security agencies to end insurgency in the area even as he maintained that “majority of Boko Haram suspects arrested or killed” in confrontation with the mili­tary “are not from Borno.”

Meanwhile, a lecturer at the University of Maiduguri, Dr Moh’d Gujbawu has said that negotiating with Boko Haram would not solve in­surgency problem in the Northeast. Gujbawu who was also corroborating the views of many other resi­dents in reaction to the feder­al government’s declaration of its readiness to dialogue with the violent sect, told Sunday Sun that government should rather deploy other measures to end the problem. “Many residents here are opposed to negotiating with Boko Haram because of the magnitude of atrocities the sect has committed,” the uni­versity don said.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/boko-haram-commanders-not-nigerians-borno-residents/

Mogidi:
How can people work under an abok1 that should be shinning their shoe, nansense

Lmao

cozy7:
Plz let's stop this tribal sentiments. Since 1963, we've been emitting traits of tribalism, yet till now we remain where we are.
I'm from d East, yet I'm saying this, "IF IT'S ONLY HAUSA OR FULANI FOLKS THAT CAN MAKE NIGERIA BETTER(which is obviously not true), THAN LET GMB RIDE ON".

You are a very big black foool. The useless Hausa Fulani that have rule your father for almost 40 yrs what did they achieved?

THE seeming insensitivity being shown by the President over the unconstitutional appointment of Amina Zakari is too early an indication of impunity, for a popularly elected government that promised to stop impunity in the conduct of the affairs of state.
Many stakeholders in the civil society joined Nigerians in embracing and celebrating the election of President Muhammadu Buhari through a credible and acceptable election process. It is for the same reason of maintaining credibility and the acceptability of the electoral process that the civil society as the bridge between the family, the political public and the market, should also pay close attention to the recent process of appointing Mrs Zakari as the Acting Chairperson of INEC because of its normative and legal contradictions for the autonomy of INEC and the management of the electoral process.

Mrs Zakari wrote in her resume, professional work under a consortium previously strongly associated with President Buhari’s late brother in-law and his preferred consultants for his work at the Petroleum Trust Fund – AfriProject consortium. His preference for Mrs Zakari and his further zeal to reverse the last administrative action of Prof. Jega to project that preference, is injurious for the independence of INEC as an electoral management institution for several normative and legal reasons.

https://newngrguardiannewscom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Amina-Bala-Zakari.jpg
Normatively, it contradicts the intentions of local, regional and global best practices for the autonomy of an electoral management body to be in the hands of someone with close ties to the appointor; it negates the recommendation of the Uwais Committee on Electoral Reform regarding the autonomy of the Commission, which called for a “review of the composition, administrative autonomy and funding of INEC and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs);” Regionally, it breaches the spirit and letter of the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Governance where it is stated in Article 17:1 that state parties shall; “Establish and strengthen independent and impartial national electoral bodies responsible for the management of elections.” Globally, it contradicts best practices such as Article 3:1a-b of the Venice Convention, which indicated that; the conditions for implementing the principles of electoral heritage of universal, equal, free, secret and direct suffrage shall include; “Procedural guarantees through the organisation of elections by an impartial body, where there is no longstanding affinity and tradition of administrative authorities’ independence from those holding political power”. 

Legally, there is no constitutional provision for the office of an “acting chairperson” of INEC appointed from outside the Commission, any person acting in such capacity can only be delegated by the extant chairperson, and the constitution has not been amended to give the President such powers, nor the powers to overrule the administrative decisions of an INEC chairperson.

Moreover, the only legal way to appoint a National Electoral Commissioner is by reference to the National Council of State and through the approval /confirmation of the Senate, hence, legally, Mrs Zakari cannot stay one day longer than 21st July 2015 as an appointee in INEC.

The letter empowering her to so act emanating from the Head of Service, is ultra vires. There is no provision in Nigerian laws which gives the Head of Service any role in the appointment of a chairperson of INEC. In legal terms, the whole appointment of Mrs Zakari by the President is a legal fiasco, a constitutional malformation.

In exercising his constitutional powers, the only legal ambit allowed the President is to accept Prof. Jega’s last order and appoint new National Electoral Commissioners constitutionally.

Given the nature of elections and the involvement of the President’s potential and actual interests in elections, possibly in 2019, the obvious conflict of interest that could arise with Mrs Zakari overseeing elections between the President’s party and other parties are too obviously correlated. The appointment of Mrs Zakari is not a flaw of competence, but a flaw of integrity and impartiality which underpins the autonomy of INEC. It is vital to the credibility of the process outcomes of the core task of the commission.

Credibility and acceptability of elections depend on impartiality as one of its touchstones. Hence one of the global authorities on the subject of election malpractices, Sarah Birch asserts that that electoral malpractice can occur in three principal dimensions, one of which is manipulating the design of the institutions governing elections to the advantage of one or more electoral contestants, in violation of the principles of inclusivity, impartiality, openness or transparency such as through gerrymandering, malapportionment, over-restrictive franchise or candidacy regulations, campaign regulations that lead to inequalities among contestants,  and lack of observer access to electoral processes.

Such propositions strengthen the suspicions of opposing political stakeholders, who are justified in suspecting unhealthy intentions of political manipulation by the appointment.

The impression being conveyed by the President and those around him is that the President feels more secure in future elections only with Amina Zakari from the same North West zone with him.

It is incumbent on the civil society to prevent possible erosion of INEC’s independence, by probing further the conflict of interest issues and the wider ramifications on President Buhari, regarding the conduct of free and fair elections in the near future in Nigeria.

It will be sad, if it is established that a democratic President who has benefited from unfettered elections, has deliberately begun his tenure by trying to telescope the possibilities of free electoral contest through spurious appointments to the leadership of the institution responsible for ensuring free credible and acceptable elections. What is currently subsisting in INEC since Prof. Jega’s exit is a democratic deficit to our democracy. Certainly, Nigerians did not vote for the enfeebling of INEC.


http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/07/inec-a-gamble-with-integrity/
•Adebisi Esq. wrote from Oyo State.