₦airaland Forum

Demdem: Thats simply the way of the Retardeen.

Watch it, IBB has threatened to expose your Boss and his allies, very soon we will know who the retardeen is. Wonder why people can't be objective for once. In no time he has fixed certain things, yet ingrate won't clap that filthy hands.

Chiopatra: Eheeen wetin happen?mtche......w birds of the same feathers!

Don't mind them. Make them tear shirt

A few hours after President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari took a swipe at former  leaders, ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida fired back.
He asked Dr. Jonathan to learn to accept criticisms and threatened to expose the “holier-than thou-attitude” of Gen. Buhari.
Gen. Babangida, who spoke through Prince Kassim Afegbua, his media adviser, reminded Gen. Buhari that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
He also advised Dr. Jonathan to look elsewhere, not him, if he is blaming past leaders that are criticising him.
Kassim said: “On President Jonathan, there is nothing wrong in criticism if it is constructive and in the interest of the country. Gen. Babangida is one unique former President who does not criticise a sitting President as a matter of courtesy.
“If President Jonathan is blaming past leaders, he should look elsewhere, certainly not IBB.
“On Gen. Buhari, it is not in IBB’s tradition to take up issues with his colleague former President. But for the purpose of record, we are conversant with Gen. Buhari’s so-called holier-than-thou attitude.
“He is a one-time Minister of Petroleum and we have good records of his tenure as minister.
“Secondly, he also presided over the Petroleum Trust Fund ( PTF) which records we also have.
“We challenge him to come out with clean hands in those two portfolios he headed. Or, we will help him to expose his. “records of performance during those periods.”
“Those who live in glass houses do not throw stones. Gen. Buhari should be properly guided.”
http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/news/59356-babangida-threatens-to-expose-buhari.html

Political office holders who failed to deliver on the promises of the Peoples Democratic Party to transform the country will not be fielded for elective positions in 2015, the PDP said on Monday.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, called on its members to ensure the translation of its manifesto.
The statement read in part, “As the Peoples Democratic Party turns 14 on Friday, the party wants all its members in public offices to go the extra mile in ensuring the faithful and accelerated translation of its manifesto so as to meet up with the burgeoning expectations of the people.
“The 2015 election ticket for its members would be based strongly on credible performance while non–performing appointed officials would be shown the way out as well as be blacklisted.”
Metuh said the PDP was determined to ensure its members in positions of authority perform.
Metuh recalled that the members of the National Working Committee of the party at their swearing-in in March promised to give the PDP a new direction.
He said, despite the party’s achievements so far by the party, the NWC members must concede that a lot still needed to be done.
He said, “Nigerians are asking their leaders to make personal sacrifices and self- denials and the PDP now demands it.
“Our focus on the performance chart of our members in government is a crucial pedestal to achieving our pact with the people whose mandate we have.
“This opportunity of our 14th anniversary is golden in restating the zero tolerance of great party for non-performance. It is ample for an in-house reckoning, self-assessment, a mirror unto ourselves and in restatement of our determination not to let the people down.
“Our elected and appointed officials at all levels must therefore sleep and wake up thinking of how to make our dear nation better and our party, greater.
“Our performance must continue to go beyond the ordinary expectations of national indivisibility to surmounting critical developmental challenges which we must do to par with the best in global community.
“Those who have been lukewarm; those on the borders of average must wake to the reality that the re-awakened destiny of our party, the pact which gave us mass appeal, is leaving them behind. The choice is to shape in or ship out.”

Do what you can to protect your son, but let it be inconsonnance with our constitution.

More facts have emerged on how the Ministry of Finance resisted pressure from pro-marketers lobbyists who had pushed to get the Federal Government to pay their disputed claims as a way of resolving recent pro-marketers strike action by a section of the labour movement.
Information gathered revealed that the lobbyists had infiltrated government and were banking on getting a presidential directive to force the finance minister to reverse the stoppage of their payments, but were shocked when they met brick wall from the Presidency.
Insider sources told media that the marketers had, indeed, secured the backing of strong forces within the government who were said to have attempted to paint the stoppage of payment to the marketers as a unilateral decision of the finance ministry and, therefore, reversible through presidential fiat.
It was, however, learnt that President Jonathan insisted on non-payment of the claims as decided by the presidential task force, with information confirming that the president was furious at attempt to reopen the matter after the marketers had been proved to be guilty of alleged shady deals.
The presidential position was said to have strengthened the minister of finance who was said to have proceeded to release more details about why the marketers were not paid, an action said to have rattled the affected marketers and weakened their labour supporters.
Findings revealed that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had been facing resistance in her drive to clean up the subsidy fund regime with a lifeline allegedly provided by the president who is said to be urging her to forge ahead.
It was learnt that the in-fighting started the day the coordinating minister announced the formation of the Aig-Imoukhede-led committee to conduct forensic audit of marketers and their claims for subsidy payments with some forces within the administration opposing such moves.
Media gathered that it was the intervention of President Jonathan that made the creation of the committee a reality, while the second phase of the battle started when the report indicting more firms was produced by the committee.
Pro-marketers forces within the administration were said to have kicked against the release of the report, leading to the establishment of fresh presidential task force to check through the report and re-confirm the guilt or otherwise of the indicted marketers.
The task force was said to have returned the ‘guilty’ verdict for most of the marketers with some of them provided the opportunity to re-present their claims followed by a presidential directive that the indicted firms should have their claims for payments withheld.
Findings showed that the split within the establishment over the issue was responsible for the hostage situation the administration found itself on the subsidy payment issue, even as there were allegations that the marketers are getting insider support in their confrontation with the government.
Journalists were however, told that President Jonathan has not withdrawn his political approval for the action of the coordinating minister for the economy as he was said to have ordered, before leaving for Senegal, that no marketer should be paid unless they are cleared of fraudulent practices.

ujchief: Why do i have a feeling that this man is enjoying the boko crises? He uses it to defend his inactions anytime he visits other countries or when he has a visitor. Last time he was asked about the declaration of assets, he asked the guy if his declaration of asset wil stop boko haram! Wtfck?

Don't peddle falsehood, every well meaning President remains hopeful even in the face of earth shaking challenges. With his efforts so far, I also believe in no time, our challenges will be over.

If dialogue will end this madness as Northern leaders suggest, then the Govt should be encouraged in this regard. We need peace more than anything now.

NIGER Delta leaders, especially ex-creek warlords, on Sunday, came down hard on orchestrators of reports alleging that an annual payment of N5.6 billion was being paid by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to some ex-agitators in the region to protect pipelines.
Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, founder of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Chief Government Ekpomupolo (a.k.a Tompolo), as well as his Western Fringe commander, Chief Bibopiri Ajube (General Shoot-at-sight), all challenged America’s Wall Street Journal and its Nigerian collaborators to show proof of such payments.
Besides, the ex-militants alleged that the report was the brainchild of “northern power mongers,” whose intention was not only to blackmail President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2015 presidential election, but to also discourage him from developing the region.
America’s Wall Street Journal, on Wednesday last week, alleged that the Nigerian government had been paying  millions of dollars to the Niger Delta ex-warlords, in a bid  to keep them off the oil pipelines in the past one year.
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), as well as Comrade Shehu Sani, have, however, faulted President Jonathan over the alleged payment.
While ACN’s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the party was the first to raise the alarm when the concession agreement was entered into with Tompolo to provide security for the maritime sector, Sani said that there was nowhere in the world where freedom fighters were paid for fighting.
But Dokubo-Asari, who spoke from Saudi Arabia, faulted the reports, saying, the best Wall Street Journal could do was to provide evidence to the effect that he and others were actually paid the money.
“It is not just by publishing rubbish; the journal should act fast by providing good evidence that we are actually collecting such sums from the NNPC, because I continue to wonder if that is the way government money is spent in other places.
“It’s all nonsense; I initially did not want to glorify the report with any response but on a second thought, we need to ask ourselves, assuming that the story is true, are Nigerians saying we do not have the right to be government contractors, simply because we are Ijaws?
“We the Ijaws are not fools to be keeping quiet in the face of the non-patronage of our people since Jonathan came to power.  I think this is an agenda largely orchestrated by some northern power brokers, in order to blackmail President Jonathan ahead of the 2015 presidential election,” he said.
Tompolo, who spoke through Ajube, also said “the nation is about going into another era when we cannot get anything from government, simply because we are Ijaws. But we will tell the whole world that we have equal rights as the Otedolas, the Dangotes and many others to do business anywhere in the economy, including the oil sector.
“Unless people are saying we are not qualified like others, we cannot be intimidated in any form, because, from our backyards, oil blocks are owned by the Danjumas, Babangidas, Ndimis, Atikus, and the rest of other northerners. Are we second-class citizens that we cannot get legitimate contracts from government? If that is the case, let us know before it is too late.”
Also reacting, the national coordinator of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), Joseph Evah, challenged President Jonathan to be steadfast in the face of the blackmail.
“The whole essence of the report is to discourage the president from developing the Niger Delta region; it is a deliberate plot aimed at ensuring that Jonathan keeps away from his people, so that he will become politically redundant at the end of his tenure in office.
“The way those behind the report are going about it is such that the president will continue to run away from his people for fear of being blackmailed, so that at the end of the day, Jonathan will return home empty without any form of back-up.”
 Another Ijaw leader, Elder Asu Beks, condemned both Mohammed and Sani for their comments, saying they lacked tolerance.p
“From all indications, these people lack tolerance, both political and otherwise; if not, why do they think they are better contractors than Dokubo-Asari, Tompolo and other leaders? It is clear that what these people are doing is to pitch the Ijaw nation against other ethnic nationalities in the nation, as if we are getting everything — far from it,” he said.
http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/lead-stories/46565-alleged-nnpc-largesse-its-all-about-2015-dokubo-tompolo-say-allegation-not-true-challenge-wall-street-journal-collaborators-to-come-out-with-proof-warn-jonathan-not-to-succumb-to-blackmail-ex-militants-warn-nass-northern-leaders-on-jonathan

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Friday assured Nigerians that the challenges hampering the development of the nation would soon fade into the cultural pot of time.
The president gave the assurance while granting audience to the outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Lloyd, who paid him a farewell visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, his administration was committed to evolving and implementing policies and measures that would help the country to overcome its present challenges especially security.
While commending Lloyd for enhancing the already excellent bilateral relations between Nigeria and Great Britain significantly during his tenure, Jonathan lauded the outgoing High Commissioner’s efforts to boost trade and economic cooperation between Nigeria and Britain.

“We shall continue to count on your support and I hope your successor will continue your good work here in Nigeria,” he told Lloyd.
Similarly, Jonathan also granted audience to the outgoing Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Youssef Shawki who is leaving Nigeria after a two-year tenure.

A renowned professor of International Law, Akin Oyebode, on Friday, gave a vivid account of how former President Olusegun Obasanjo frustrated Nigeria’s bid to fend off Cameroun’s controversial acquisition of Nigeria’s oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula.
Featuring on a Channels Television personality interview programme, Sunrise, the don questioned the rationale behind Obasanjo’s decision to rush to sign the Green Tree Agreement with the Francophone country shortly after the ruling of International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on the disputed territory.
He said though the government’s legal team comprised some brilliant experts, Nigeria only sent its Third Eleven, while Cameroun assembled six English and French legal experts to argue its case.
He also said the government of General Sani Abacha discountenanced the wise counsel of legal luminaries on International Law, including Professor Ayo Ojomo as well as foreign experts that Nigeria had a “rickety” case.
Recalling how late Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, warned Cameroun to steer clear of Nigeria’s sovereignty or be prepared to face dire consequences, the former vice chancellor of the Ekiti State University, noted that former President Shehu Shagari demonstrated weakness when Cameroun gendarmes killed Nigerian soldiers during his tenure.
He was concerned about reports that the aggrieved natives of the disputed territory, Southern Cameroun and militants were reportedly holding consultations with the motive of proclaiming the Republic of Abasonia.
Citing two instances that involved the United States on Nicaragua and India over Portugal‘s disputed territories at separate times in the past to buttress his points, the erudite scholar said Nigeria could have taken some steps long before the legal tangle, that would have rendered the ICJ verdict unbinding.
He said while the judgment of ICJ was often final on issues, a number of options were still opened to the country, following indications that the agreement signed by Obasanjo with his Camerounian counterpart, President Paul Biya in the US on Bakassi, had not actually been implemented.
He said one of such options should be if the government had fresh information that could warrant a successful appeal to the World Court, which could be strengthened by adopting the “principle of accent,” as the people were not carried along in the entire process.
According to him, another option is military operation, but Oyebode wondered if the country is prepared for such major conflict in the face of complaints by military authorities that they were already been overstretched because of internal security challenges.
Coupled with those challenges were Nigeria’s commitments in international peace operations and the fact that Cameroun enjoys military backing from France, adding that Cameroun had already turned the disputed territory into a fortress.

Fresh facts emerged yesterday that some of the marketers indicted in the N400 billion fuel subsidy scandal may opt for plea bargaining. 
It was also learnt that some of the marketers, including those being investigated, have started lobbying for it. 
But it could not be immediately ascertained if the government will accept the proposal. 
Out of about 140 marketers, the government said it has established that 25 have cases to answer. 
However, only 20 of the 25 marketers had been arraigned in court at press time, although the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it was ready with another batch of suspects. 
In spite of the ongoing trial, the National Economic Council on Thursday confirmed that some of the marketers had started refunding some of the mismanaged subsidy funds. 
According to findings, some of the marketers have started lobbying for the invocation of plea bargaining with a strong commitment to refund excess subsidy cash paid to them. 
It was gathered that some of the affected oil marketers have reached out to eminent leaders and stakeholders to allow them to engage in plea bargaining instead of outright trial. 
A highly-placed source in government said: “These oil marketers prefer plea bargaining to facing trial in view of the international consequences for their business. 
“Some of them have been begging the government for soft-landing and they have offered to refund excess subsidy cash traced to them. Those undergoing investigation are pleading for under the table settlement and refund of cash. They were shocked that the Federal Government could damn the consequences to expose their dirty deals. 
“Some of these marketers are really seeking out-of-court settlement through what is called reconciliation through administrative procedures.” 
“I think only a few, who are feeling strong that they are innocent, may actually go through the rigours of trial.” 
Another source added: “These marketers have been sending emissaries, especially traditional rulers and political leaders, to intercede on their behalf. But the government is insisting on the refund of the cash they had frivolously collected.” 
As at press time, it was gathered that the ultimate goal of the Federal Government was to recover subsidy funds paid for products not imported. 
The source added: “Whoever has any judicial alternative or remedy should go and tell the court. The government is actually keen on recovery of looted funds. And whatever follows is left to the discretion of the court. 
“There is no doubt that there is pressure on the government from these marketers. Even some of them have asked the governors to make a case for them. 
“For instance, at the National Economic Council session on Thursday, some governors were trying to persuade the Federal Government to make peace with these marketers to avert a nationwide fuel supply crisis. 
“But the Vice-President, Arc. Namadi Sambo, explained to the council why it is imperative for the government to get to the roots of the subsidy scam at whatever cost and recover looted funds. 
“It was after the VP’s explanation that most of the NEC members understood the import of the scam.”

Mahmud Tukur, son Alhaji Bamangar Tukur; Abdullahi Alao and Felix Ochonogor had applied for release of their international passports to enable them to travel abroad in order to attend pressing business matters, their respective counsels said yesterday.
Tukur, Alao and Ochonogor are among some of the directors of Oil Marketing and Trading Companies (OM&Ts) suspected to have participated in the fuel subsidy scam and are now standing trial at a Lagos court.
In the Motion on Notice dated August 14 before a vacation judge, Justice Lateefat Folami of an Ikeja High Court, the applicants through their counsel, Olaniran Obele, said they need to travel to Paris and London for business related issues.
In the application, Mahmud, the first applicant, wants to travel abroad to attend a board and committee meetings of which he is a director and thereafter perform hajj pilgrimage.
For Ochonogor, he is planning to travel to Paris to be able to attend a board meeting which should have held last month but was rescheduled to August 27 based on his ongoing trial.
Though reasons for the third applicant’s (Abdullahi Alao) request were not stated, his counsel tendered before the court three exhibits comprising Notices of Meetings which they intend to attend both in London and Paris.
In his plea, Obele told the court that the applicants will not abscond should their application be granted, adding that the first applicant’s father who is the national chairman of PDP stood as surety for his son and the applicant would not want to put his father to shame by jeopardizing the bail terms.
“The second applicant was abroad when they were charged and was called by the first applicant and he came back for his arraignment voluntarily. When they were granted administrative bail by the EFCC, the second defendant travelled to Ukraine and did not abscond but came back for his arraignment”, Obele said.
But in a counter-motion, EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that Justice Onigbanjo’s order asking the applicants to drop their international passports has not been reviewed, arguing there was nothing in the exhibits tendered by the applicants that showed or suggested that the meeting to be attended by Ochonogor, for instance, has been rescheduled.
Granting the applicants permission to travel, according to him, could open an escape route as was experienced in Ibori’s case, and therefore urged the court not to grant the request.

The media in recent times has been flooded with reports of Obasanjo secretly canvassing for the emergence of Lamido - Amaechi as president come 2015. This move indirectly signifies power shift from the south to the north, without due consideration of the plight of our Igbo Brothers. The Igbo nation has since 1966 suffered marginalization, as they have been condemned to only insignificant political appointments. Political analysts felt 2015 will be used to compensate them, but with Obasanjo jostling for Lamido and Amaechi, their hope appears to be a mirage. The question then is, are igbos not qualified to become president? What is their place in Nigerian politics? Will Igbo people vote for a northerner if alienated from 2015? Who told Obj that GEJ will not run again or has he been disqualified? NLanders help me resolve this o!

RUSSIA has warned United States (U.S.) and its western allies against unilateral action on Syria, a day after President Barack Obama threatened “enormous consequences” if his Syrian counterpart used chemical or biological arms or even moved them in a menacing way.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking after meeting China’s top diplomat, said Moscow and Beijing were committed to “the need to strictly adhere to the norms of international law...and not to allow their violation”.
However, piles of burning rubbish lined the streets of an Aleppo district yesterday as a taxi sped through carrying the wounded after yet another day of shelling and fighting in Syria’s battered second city.
Once a bustling city best known for its production and regional export of textiles and foods – and a powerhouse of traditional Arabic music – much of Aleppo was consumed yesterday by fighting between rebels and the army, as well as relentless shelling on various rebel-held districts.

Gov. Aliyu
Emirs, Kukah, ex-Defence chief Agwai in 41-man peace committee
WITH the planned inauguration of a 41-man peace committee today, the North is set to tackle the Boko Haram crisis.
Members of the Committee to be inaugurated by the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) are people with diverse backgrounds. They include traditional rulers, the clergy  - Christian and Islamic – academics, retired military men, businessmen and former public officers.
Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, who is also the chair of the forum, will, according to his Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, inaugurate the committee in Abuja.
The panel has the mandate “to fashion out strategies to address the disturbing state of insecurity and proffer practical and enduring solutions” to the insecurity in the region.
“The main term of reference of the committee is to engender the restoration of the most desired peaceful co-existence, unity and development in the entire region,” according to the statement by Ndayebo.
The decision to form the committee was taken by the NGF on July 26. It is to handle reconciliation, healing, peace and security within the troubled region.
Thirty one members of the committee are nominees of the governors. The others are representatives of organisations in the region.
The traditional rulers  on the panel include the Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, the Emir of Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Zulu Gambari, the Emir of Yauri, Zamfara State, Alhaji Zaiyanu Abdulahi and the Ngolong Nas, Plateau State Nde Joshua Y. Dimlong.
In the committee are the chair of the defunct Federal Government committee on North’s crisis, Sheik Ahmed Lemu and the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese of the Catholic Church, Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah.
There is also former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, Wife of former Chief Justice of Nigeria Muhammadu Uwais, Hajiya Maryam and daughter of former Head of State Gen. Murtala Muhammed – Mrs. Aisha Oyebode, who is representing the Murtala Muhammed Foundation.
Former police chief Abubakar Tsav is the representative of Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam.
The North has been reeling under the violence unleashed by the fundamentalist group Boko Haram.
No state has been spared of the assaults on persons and institutions by the sect members, who are campaigning against western education. 
Besides, they are clamouring for Sharia – the strict Islamic laws.
Bishop Kukah said last night that he will serve on the committee.
But he declined comments on its work yet until the terms of reference have been spelt out.
“The best person to talk to at this time is the convener, who is Governor Babangida Aliyu,” he said.

NATIONAL Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Bamanga Tukur, has assured that his son, Mahmud, who is facing trial over subsidy payments allegedly obtained by his company, would face the full weight of the law if eventually found guilty.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents after joining Vice-President Namadi Sambo to pay sallah homage to President Goodluck Jona-than in Abuja, on Sunday, he reiterated that Mahmud was an adult, who should take responsibility for his actions.
The party boss, however, cautioned that no one should be condemned before he was found culpable by law, saying that on his part, he was not disturbed by the public reactions directed at him as the father of the accused.
According to him, “he is my son, never disowned. My son is an adult. I can assure you it is only the court of justice that will determine it. It is not justice by public opinion. It is justice by the court, that it is. As I have said, we must follow justice; whoever is found guilty will be so dealt with, if he is not, we will know.”
Meanwhile, the party boss has described 2012 Eid-el-Fitri celebration as unique, because the month had five Fridays which, he said, could occur once in 50 years.
He also observed that it was unique because the day fell on a Sunday, a day being used by Christian faithful to worship God, thus creating an opportunity for faithful of both religions to offer prayers for peace, unity and progress of the nation.
“In all our scriptures, we are all asked to pray for peace. To me, may be God has now shown us the key. So, this is very unique and we pray to Almighty God for this country to have peace and unity,” he said.

Facts emerged on Friday that the Federal Government was considering some of the peace terms of Boko Haram, the fundamentalist Islamic sect, which had masterminded bombings in the North for more than one year.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, had after the Federal Executive Council meeting last Wednesday, told journalists that government had accepted to hold talks with Boko Haram in the interest of peace.
Earlier demands of the Islamic sect had included release of their members being detained and prosecuted, and President Goodluck Jonathan’s conversion to Islam.
However, the Presidency had spurned these demands.
But it was authoritatively gathered that one of the sect’s fresh demands was the payment of compensation or Diyya for their members they considered “killed unjustly” by security forces.
Our correspondent learnt that government might accede to the Diyya demand.
The sect is reported to have identified about 24 of such members.
One of them was the leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed in 2010 in Maiduguri, after he was reportedly captured alive by soldiers.
Yusuf was then handed over to the police, under whose custody, he died mysteriously.
Our correspondent learnt that the sect put the compensation to the family of the 24 deceased members at N2million each.
Consequently, for the 24 families, the Diyya to be paid is N48million.
Apart from compenation, the sect is also pressing for the release of those clamped into detention without committing any crime.
Presidency insiders said these were “not too difficult conditions.”
Under this category of persons are women and children whom they said were innocent.

The thinking of the government based on ongoing dialogue, is that the sect might not object to the trial of those found to be deeply involved in crime, once those “wrongly arrested or detained” breathe the air of freedom.
Once these conditions were met, they would cease fire, a source state.
Contrary to the widely-held view, it was discovered that the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), was not the brain behind the ongoing talks between the Federal Government and the sect.
Government does not want to expose those behind the talks to avoid a previous experience, when the disclosure of the identities of the dialogue handlers frustrated the move.
A top presidency source said, “I can confirm to you that it is true that the group is currently dialoguing with the government.
“The good news is that they are talking and they have promised to cease fire once some of their demands are met.
“For conditions that are not difficult to meet such as the demand for Diyya for their 24 identified members that were killed, the government may meet such demands.
“Government can also give critical thought to those found to be innocent, but are being detained or prosecuted, particularly women and children as demanded by the group since they do not have any objection to the trial of those genuinely involved in crime.
“They have on their own promised to cease fire and go after the ‘political Boko Haram’ once the demands are met.”
The Voice of America had reported on Tuesday that Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, a top member of the sect, claimed that Boko Haram decided to initiate the peace moves in response to numerous public appeals for peace in the country.
Earlier peace talk between the two parties was stalled when a Muslim cleric, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmad, who was a mediator in the discussions called it quit.
Ahmad, the President, Supreme Council of Shariah in Nigeria, said in a statement that he had come to doubt the sincerity of the Federal Government after information from a confidential meeting was leaked to the press.
He had confirmed that his group had made contact with “leadership of the sect and established from them that as Muslims they were prepared to consider ‘Sulhu’ which means ‘broad reconciliation’ regarding the dispute between them and the government.”
Ahmad had then set up a meeting with members of the top echelon of government in Nigeria to discuss a possible reconciliation. The meeting, he said, had taken place on March 5, 2012.

Why did you leave General Sani Abacha behind when you were stepping aside as a Military President?

If you remember very well, we had an interim government, that government had a life .We drew up a Constitution for that government . That government came into force in November 1993. And it was supposed to expire in February of 1994.
We needed to make sure  that government was ably supported   by the Military so that they would be able to conduct an election in February of 1i994. And we can only do that, knowing the environment in which we operated, one we respect  authority.
We thought then, quite rightly too that Ernest Shonekan should be supported by a strong Military so that the threat of toppling him did not arise. And they provided the stability for 82 days . That was the whole idea . And the late Abacha  of course was the Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of Defence .
And we felt if anything happened , the public can be rest assured that there was somebody still there with a lot of strength and experience who would still be able to pilot when it was necessary. But whatever happened subsequently, it was a different thing altogether . You know it as much as I do . It was not the fault of the Military.
Is IBB being economical with truth? Was it not a northern or military agenda? Is the maradona deceiving us again? IBB IBB IBB(3x)Hmmm

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People has described the increasing call for President Goodluck Jonathan’s resignation as unnecessary.
The Chairman, Provisional Council of MOSOP, Prof. Ben Naanen, explained that his position on the issue did not mean that the people of Ogoni were satisfied with recent developments in the country.
Naanen argued that the pressure mounted on the President by Nigerians was enough for him (Jonathan) to show more commitment to matters affecting the country.
He suggested that Jonathan should re-examine his strategies and get his administration’s decisions towards national growth right.
“I don’t think he should resign. By saying that he should not resign does not mean that we are satisfied with what is going on.
“What we advise is that he should show more commitment to solving some of the problems facing the country. He should re-examine his strategies,” the MOSOP provisional council chairman stressed.
Naanen pointed out that the call for the resignation of the President could not be easily wished away, describing the development as a wake-up call to Jonathan.
He, however, refused to rule out the petty politics in the increasing call for Jonathan to leave office, saying, “When politics is on the ground, objectivity takes flight.”

We hope that this interview was granted with sincerity of heart. If yes, then the old man is beginning to get it right

IBB in an interview to mark his Birthday at Minna called for the establishment of State police arguing that the fear of Governors manipulating them should be shelved.
He said: “The fear is unfounded. I have advocated it in the past and I think it can work and I will continue to advocate it. We should not allow the fear of 1950s on the establishment of state police to continue to haunt us because things have changed and will continue to change. If we got it wrong in the 50s, it does not mean we will still get it wrong now.”

On the recent challenge by elder statesman and Ijaw national Leader, Chief Edwin Clark asking him and other northern leaders to publicly condemn Boko Haram if he had no link with the sect, General Babangida said “I have been commenting on the Boko Haram issue and I have never hidden my disaffection against the sect and I will continue to dissociate myself from the sect.

“Chief Clark is my friend. I have known him for the past 35 years. There is a mutual respect between me and him and so, I wouldn’t want this issue to truncate that respect and I know he will not deny me as a friend and so, that is settled,” Gen. Babangida remarked.

Gen. Babangida who clocks 71 years yesterday said he is thankful to God for sparing his life to see today and that he is fulfilled with his current position.

“The religious book says, in whatever position you are, you should give thanks to Allah and with the position I find myself today, I give thanks to Allah and as my birthday falls into the Ramadan period, I will remain at home with my family, pray to Allah fervently without any fanfare”, Gen. Babangida said beaming with joy.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday sought “honest feedback” from Nigerians on claims by the Ministry of Power that the nation’s energy situation had improved significantly. Last week, the Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, had told Nigerians that
generation rose to 4237MW at 9p.m on August 6.But, in a move to get a direct feel of the impact of the improved supply on the people, Jonathan through his media team on Wednesday asked Nigerians to choose from three options in a survey.

In a post on Twitter by his Special Assistant on New Media, Mr. Reno Omokri, wrote, “Has the power situation in your area A. Improved B.Remained the same or C. Deteriorated. Please give honest feedback.” Nigerians are expected to give the feedback by Twitter or Facebook.
The Federal Government had on Sunday raised hopes of improvement in power supply by announcing plans to raise electricity output from 4,300 megawatts to 9,000mw in a few months.
The declaration was contained in an advertorial placed in some newspapers by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs.
The advertorial outlined Jonathan’s achievements in the last one year as well as his determination to reach the new target upon completion of the 10 projects under the National Integrated Power Plants.
The projects are Ihovbor in Edo State (451mw); Omotosho in Ondo State (451mw); Olorunsogo in Ogun State (750mw); Sapele in Delta State (451mw); Geregu in Kogi State (434mw); Egbema in Imo State (338mw); Gbarain in Bayelsa State (225mw); Omoku in Rivers State (225mw); Calabar in Cross River State (561mw); and Alaoji in Abia State (1074mw).
“This administration met 10 abandoned NIPP projects and has successfully revitalised all. More importantly, they are all within the range of 95-100 per cent completion stage and are awaiting gas supply, which government has taken very concrete steps to address.
“Government has improved power generation from under 3,000mw in 2011 to 4,300mw by August 2012. Therefore, when the 10 NIPP projects are fully on stream, which will be within the next few months, the total national generation capacity will not be less than 9000mw, a 200 per cent increase in generating capacity as compared with the figures for 2011 and the highest ever by any administration since independence,” the Federal Government said in the statement signed by the Media Director in the office, Mr. Olusanya Awosan naijaobserver.
http://naijaobserver./2012/08/16/president-jonathan-seeks-honest-feedback-from-nigerians-on-power-supply/

HNosegbe: Can there be a dialogue without a cease-fire?

Maybe the dialogue is directed at achieving a cease fire. Let's be optimistic sir. Everybody needs peace.

Smart man. He knows that he is not on ground. He is not a sellable flag bearer, and does not want to embarrass himself and the party.

It worries me each time Elrufai makes headline though negatively. Few days ago, Elrufai in an interview said " one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter", leaving a thought provoked mind to wonder if Boko Haram is a freedom fighter group, and whose freedom it is fighting for. In the said interview, Elrufai identified four variance of BOKO HARAM, including CRIMINAL or IMPOSTER BOKO HARAM. A day later, nine people were reportedly killed in a fight involving BOKO HARAM and FAKE BOKO HARAM MEMBERS. The question that follows is, how much does Elrufai knows about the sects? Was the issue of fake Boko Haram discussed in their meeting before the interview and the attack? Did he order this fight between Boko Haram and it's fake members? NLanders help o!

Their end is drawing closer. Let them fight and kill themselves. All we need is peace.

The Federal Government on Wednesday said it accepted to hold dialogue with the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in order to arrest insecurity in the country as soon as possible.
“We have accepted dialogue as a way of bringing the (insecurity) situation to an end as quickly as possible. We have always called on those engaging in violence to stop because violence can’t solve any problem. So we welcome the decision to dialogue,” Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, told journalists in Abuja.
The Christian Association of Nigeria has, however, warned that the government should not hold dialogue with the sect on its own terms.
Though CAN said it was ready to support any step aimed at curbing the sect’s insurgency, it opposed the government-Boko Haram talks if they centred on the condition to Islamise of the country.
The sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, was reportedly quoted to have said in a video footage that President Goodluck Jonathan should convert to Islam or resign from office.
Jonathan in a statement by his spokesman, Reuben Abati, had rebuffed the condition, saying he had the legitimate mandate of the people, both Christians and Muslims, hence he could not resign.
The Voice of America had reported on Tuesday that a purported spokesman for Boko Haram, one Habu Mohammed, said the group had the Fedral Governement in direct talks on ways to end violence in the North.
According to the VOA, Mohammed, who claims to be a deputy to Boko Haram leader Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, said in a statement that the group decided to initiate the peace moves in response to numerous public appeals for peace in the country.
The VOA said a senior Nigerian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the talks to VOA.
Maku, while not denying that talks with the violent sect had commenced, claimed that the government also heard Mohammed’s claim on the radio.
Our correspondent reports that the minister might have refrained from confirming the talks in order not to stall its progress. Recent talks between government and the sect had broken down after they were reported. Northern clerics who facilitated these meetings had accused government of breaching an understanding reached by both parties that the talks should be kept secret.
He said, “We have heard about the news. The position of government from the beginning has been that we are prepared to negotiate and hold dialogue with members of this group because we believe they are Nigerians and they are our children.
“It is a known fact that violence has disrupted social and economic activities in some parts of Northern Nigeria.
“We have accepted dialogue as a way of bringing the situation to an end as quickly as possible.
“We have always called on those engaging in violence to stop because violence can’t solve any problem. So we welcome the decision to hold dialogue.”
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Leaders, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen has said there are proofs that government officials are benefiting from the Boko Haram crisis.
The leader of the group, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview on Wednesday that the inability of the government to hold dialogue with members of the sect in the past was because the unnamed government officials were afraid that they might stop making money from the crisis if the discussion had succeeded.

He said this was the reason the first talks between government and members of the sect did not yield any positive result.

Mohammed said, “The so-called talk between government and Boko Haram should be encouraged and must be pursued in good conscience with the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians at heart.
“The last time the talk was initiated; government started it with bad faith. This was because government officials and members of the Joint Task Force are making money from the crisis.
“This was why the officials sabotaged the talk. They knew that they might not make money again if the talk had succeeded. “
Junaid however said Jonathan could not also be trusted with a successful dialogue with the sect that had been prosecuting campaign of bombing against the country for the past two years.
He added, “But if now they are serious about it, it is alright. I will encourage them to continue because they know that members of the Armed Forces are not in the best position to defeat the sect.
“My fear is that the President himself is not a leader we can trust. He is not a good leader. And above all, he is also surrounded by bad people.”The Special Assistant (Media and Public Affairs), to CAN President, Mr. Kenny Ashaka, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday questioned whether Jonathan had satisfied the condition for dialogue with the insurgent group.
He said, “We in CAN believe in dialogue on matters that can be resolved by all parties to a dispute. Indeed, our attitude to matters of dialogue is altruistic contrary to the feelings of our detractors who believe that we don’t want dialogue.
“But our opposition to dialogue or negotiation with Boko Haram is because of their demand to Islamise Nigeria which is in clear breach of the nation’s constitution. So what CAN is saying clearly is that any move, no matter how central it is, to end the insurgency of the Boko Haram sect that seeks to curtail or wish away the rights and liberties of Christians in Nigeria will not enjoy our support. That is our stand.
“President Goodluck Jonathan at a point told Reuters in an interview early this year that if the Boko Haram people clearly identify themselves and say ‘this is the reason we are resisting and confronting government, killing people and destroying property, there will be a basis for dialogue.’ Has this condition been met?”

It is no longer news that some opposition parties are working assiduously to see how they can dislodge PDP from power. Recently Tinubu boasted that the unified opposition will finish PDP in 2015.  Meetings between the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) are taking place in Nigeria, Dubai and Ghana but the million dollar question is will the alliance work seeing as Buhari whose party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is the politically weaker of the two wants to play the dominant role and call the shots ?
For a start, the ACN controls all the six states of the Southwest except Ondo which may or may not fall into its hands depending on the outcome of the forthcoming Ondo Gubaernatorial elections. In the Southsouth the ACN also controls Edo state. On the other hand the CPC only controls one state, Nasarawa.
However, despite the political realities described above, the unbending Buhari is insisting on being the senior partner.
Also, not everyone in the ACN is interested in the merger as some see it as a personal frolic of Tinubu to further his own political nest. For instance, after the CPC announced that they were supporting Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state in his reelection battle, the comrade governor released a media statement the very next day rejecting any alliance with the CPC, a move that did not go down well with the Buhari camp.
Again, within the CPC all is not as united as the party is making out. The Buhari loyalists in the party are rather uncomfortable with the role that controversial former minister of the FCT is playing. Led by ultra Buhari loyalist, Buba Galadima, they believe that Elrufai who once described Buhari as "perpetually unelectable" in October 2010 is only using Buhari to position himself as a possible future Presidential candidate. On the other hand, there are those who think that Buhari (who us notorious for nursing a grudge) is only using Elrufai because it is convenient to do so for now but that he has not really forgotten Elrufai's demeaning insults on his person and at the appropriate time he would deal with the pint sized politician.

Also militating against the CPC is the fact hat the Northern establishment is not keen on a Buhari presidency. Many Northern aristocrats, like the Emir of Kano, remember the raw deal they suffered at the hands of Buhari when he was military head of state and are not keen to have a repeat performance. Also, the IBB political family are not comfortable with the idea fearing that Buhari may in his characteristic manner seek his pound of flesh against them should he return to power. It would be recalled that IBB kept Buhari under house arrest for years and when Buhari was released his bitterness led him to divorce his wife and that in itself is another story. And then finally on this note, even the party's only Governor, Governor Makura of Nasarawa state, has not been too close to Buhari. It will be noticed that he has not been very vocal n defense of both Buhari of the CPC and has not been enthusiastic about inviting Buhari to visit his state and commission projects as he would have been expected to do.
Moreover the people of the Middle Belt, of which Nasarawa belongs, have been alienated by the activities of Boko Haram and they see the terrorist sect, rightly or wrongly, as the core North's response to the loss of political power especially considering the statement by prominent Core Northern Muslims in the wake of the election that they would "make Nigeria ungovernable" for President Jonathan. The Middle Belt has borne the brunt of terrorist attacks over the past year.
Another problem faced by the CPC is that they do not really trust their Southern partners because of their experience during the last Presidential elections when several state chairmen from Southern states turned against them and declared after the election that CPC could not have defeated President Jonathan in their states because the party had no structures on the ground.

Furthermore, the CPC inner caucus does not trust Bola Tinubu who they see as a foxy politician who would betray them at the very last minute if it serves his personal interest. They cite the case of Nuhu  Ribadu who they feel was abandoned by Tinubu when he needed him the most after he had reached a deal with President Jonathan.

But perhaps the greatest impediment to the alliance talks is the fact that many in ACN are afraid of losing their popularity if they merge with the CPC which is perceived wrongly or rightly as being anti South by the populace in the South. Many Southerners remember the post election violence of 2011 and the refusal of Buhari to condemn it and the statements from many CPC supporters which seemed to justify the carnage. Also, there is the belief amongst Southerners that the CPC knows more than it is telling about Boko Haram. ACN big wigs therefore fear that they may alienate their supporters if they form a league with the CPC.
For now, it is safe to say that it is not yet Uhuru for the much hyped alliance which some have tagged 'the axis of evil'
http://www.naijapundit.com/articles-and-opinion/will-a-stronger-acn-agree-to-be-buhari-s-wife

The Action Congress of Nigeria on Wednesday morning restated its call on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, for alleged criminal conversion of state funds.
The party had made the call on Monday, asking Jonathan to take cognisance of the fact that Okupe was allegedly being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for failing to execute a contract for the Benue State Government.
It had also asked Jonathan to hand Okupe over to EFCC for prosecution and apologise to Nigerians for appointing him in the first place.
However, Okupe had dismissed the call in a statement on Tuesday.
But the party restated the call on Wednesday in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
The party described as “false and deliberately misleading” a statement credited to EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaaren, that Okupe was not under investigation.
“It is on record that Dr. Doyin Okupe was in the custody of the EFCC in Lagos for almost one month between July and August 2006, on account of a contract he obtained this time from Imo State but which he failed to execute after collecting a hefty mobilisation fee,” the statement said.
The party, therefore, warned the EFCC and other relevant agencies against obliterating the records “in order to give Dr. Doyin Okupe a clean bill of health in relation to these allegations.”

“The party reiterates its earlier position that retaining Dr Doyin Okupe as the administration’s spokesman on Public Affairs is not just an insult to the collective integrity of all Nigerians but also flies in the face of the administration’s flaunted commitment to fighting corruption.
“It reminds the Presidency that the President’s spokesman is the face not only of the President but of Nigeria as a whole and that responsibility cannot rest on the shoulders of a person morally damaged.
“Nigeria is definitely not in want of qualified individuals with talent and credentials for the position of a Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs and retaining Dr. Doyin Okupe in this position in the face of incontrovertible evidence as to his unsuitability will only give credence to the widely held belief that this administration is a haven for persons with criminal pasts,” the ACN added.
http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-must-sack-okupe-acn-insists/

noblezone: 1. Any body expecting to agree will have to shed tears of disappointment. These politicians do not have the interest of Nigeria at heart but just their selfish dreams.

2. It is winner take it all. The more money you bring, the more you decided who should be president, Vice down to the counsellor. You can even decided the governor of a system where you are not from.

3. That Ghana hosted the Aburi accord does not translate to hate for Nigeria. Besides, it was the then President who made it happen. Besides, if Aburi accord was honoured, we won't be where we are today still thinking about whether we should be one country or not.

4. Now you are making me to laugh. did you say ATIKU, BUHARI, BAKARE, ELRUFAI, AND TINUBU? mmmmmmmh. Laughter shall never end. I will keep insisting that if the these are the kind of great minds that the opposition can produce, then OBJ go still dey laf.
You have opened my eyes to new realities. Good analysis.

5. The northern issue is now more complex than before. The minorities in the Middle Belt are defining their own identity. It is not like before again.

You have opened my eyes to new realities. Good analysis.

This will facilitate massive construction works, leading to employment of labour. DANGOTE deserves commendation