₦airaland Forum

aribisala0: You are right and it was given to abokis as Ileya gift in 2007 so We have to look at others that have not enjoyed such gifts.The SE is the obvious one and they are the ONLY ones capable of turning Nigeria around.They are honest and visionary and never involved in corruption

Did u just say d Igbos are not corrupt? I guess pple like d UBA brodas, Orji Kalu, theodore Orji, Nnamani, Metuh himself who "said d thought is premature" etc are nt Igbos den... I can only vouch for a female political aspirant in dat region cos dey av proven dia worth and are worthy ambassadors. As 4 d Men in d SE, der are full of Ego, nobody wants to be controlled or accept anyone as his leader and dis is dia Problem.

aribisala0: This is not true people are busy working for it.People like Chinua Achebe and Orji Kalu are working very hard

Wake up bro, No body will ever give it to u like d SW got it. Don't 4get d case of d SW was dat of Abiola and it only Lasted 4 just one Term. During d second term dey were lots of opposition 4rm different region.... Ohanaize shud present pple like Ezekwesile, Dora Akunyili, Soludo etc in d merger talk 4 VP. Den 4rm dia dey can av a shot at d presidency Next.

“We are saying the same concerning the South-East. When Jonathan leaves either in 2015 or 2019, depending on how the electorate view his performance, let it be our turn. We’re demanding justice in the interest of peace.”

Oganah said the group would only support presidential aspirants from the zone in any political party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, however told our correspondent that the demand by the group was premature.
MY RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE COMMENTS
I want to comment on those comments above.. First is on d comment made by Tony Ogana
h, d group Publicity secretary. He said when jonathan leaves either in 2015 or 2019! Also he said d group will support whosoever party dat fields an igbo aspirant will be supported by d group... D question now is dat, is d ohaneze supporting goodluck 4 2015? or all dey want is an Igbo person emerging under d platform of PDP? If nt I think d comment of Tony is ver confusing.
D statement of Oliseh Metuh is very obvious dat come 2015 dey is no show 4 d Igbo under d PDP.
Now what I thing dey shud do now if really dey are serious, is dat, dey shud take a stand and demand 4 d presidency in 2015 and nt wait till jonathan leaves or expect dem to get it as Gift. Equally dey can lobby 4 an Igbo picking d VP post in d merger talk. Dey av products like ezekwesile or Dora who can be d VP in d merger talk. Dis is d time 4 dem to liberate dia selves.

JANUARY 27, 2013 BY NIYI ODEBODE
72 COMMENTS
Opposition parties in merger talks are shopping for a young northerner with a pan-Nigeria disposition that can be fielded as a presidential candidate
in 2015.
SUNDAY PUNCH’s investigations showed
that the search was part of the plan of
the merger partners, if the Congress for
Progressive Change Presidential
candidate in 2011, Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari (retd.) dropped his ambition.
It was gathered that the opposition
parties might shift attention to a former
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,
Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, and the Action
Congress of Nigeria presidential
candidate in 2011, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
It was, however, learnt that the search
was not restricted to the two as it
would be extended to technocrats, with
progressive disposition.
Such a candidate, it was gathered, must
be able to take on President Goodluck
Jonathan or any other politician that
would be the flag bearer of the Peoples
Democratic Party in 2015.
A chieftain of the CPC, who spoke in
confidence with our correspondent, said,
“We are working on a plan B. If Gen.
Buhari does not contest, the parties will
shift attention to younger candidates.
“Our search will be extended to non-
politicians, including young technocrats
from the North. El-Rufai and Ribadu will
be among the pool of candidates who
will be screened.”
Buhari, had after the 2011 elections said
he would not contest again having
contested three times and failed.
But at the inauguration of the CPC
merger committee on January 16, 2013,
Buhari said the outcome of the merger
would determine his 2015 ambition.
It was earlier reported that Buhari
might drop his presidential ambition as
parties in the merger had an initial
understanding that leaders must be
ready to make personal sacrifices for the
success of the merger.
Such a sacrifice, it was gathered, might
see Buhari dropping his presidential
ambition, if it would thwart the merger
plan.
An aide of el-Rufai, who pleaded
anonymity, told our correspondent that,
“There have been various speculations.
There was a report that there was
tension between Gen. Buhari and el-
Rufai. There is nothing of such.
“The former minister is concerned with
the success of the ongoing talks among
some opposition parties.”
Efforts to get Ribadu did not succeed as
calls to his mobile telephone did not go
through, neither did he respond to a text
message sent to him.
A member of the PDP Board of Trustees,
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, had said
the merger plan by opposition parties
would not stop the PDP from emerging
victorious in 2015 elections.
Iwuanyanwu described the move as one
that would neither pull PDP down nor
succeed.
“As a democrat, I should sound a note of
warning; I have read recently about the
coming together of some political parties.
They are not coming together on the
basis of ideology. They are coming
together because they are afraid that
unless they gang up, PDP will win the
elections in 2015. This is a wrong political
calculation.”
The parties involved in the merger have
however accused the PDP of frustrating
their plan.
They said the merger plans had driven
the PDP-led Federal Government to
resort to tactics aimed at tarnishing the
image of key opposition leaders

www.punchng.com/news/merger-new-party-considers-ribadu-el-rufai-for-2015/

The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo, on Saturday called for the concession of the 2015 presidency to the South-East geopolitical zone.

It said the zone deserved a concession similar to what was given to the South-West during the 1999 election.

It urged political parties to give their presidential tickets to candidates from the area to end its alleged marginalisation.

National Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Tony Oganah, told our correspondent that group had begun to sensitise politicians from the region for the presidency.

He said, “Because the 1993 election of South-Westerner – Chief MKO Abiola – was annulled, the presidency was ceded to the South-West in 1999 to compensate the Yoruba. Both (Olusegun) Obasanjo and (Olu) Falae ran for the election.

“We are saying the same concerning the South-East. When Jonathan leaves either in 2015 or 2019, depending on how the electorate view his performance, let it be our turn. We’re demanding justice in the interest of peace.”

Oganah said the group would only support presidential aspirants from the zone in any political party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, however told our correspondent that the demand by the group was premature.

He said, “It’s premature. Let’s talk about what we have for the people now, before we talk about 2015. It’s very premature.”

Congress for Progressive Change described the demand as “laughable.”

The National Publicity Secretary, CPC, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said, “It is laughable — not because the Igbo, as an ethnic flock, should not take a shot at the presidency; it is their alienable right. However, they need to understand that Nigeria has six geopolitical zones and their demand should be with the consent of other zones.”

www.punchng.com/news/concede-presidency-to-seast-ohanaeze/

Pukkah: The link to this story could not be verified. It returned the following message:

Nothing Found
Apologies, but no results were found for the requested archive. Perhaps searching will help find a related post.

You should provide the correct source or retract the story.

don't know what's wrong bt maybe u copy dis link and paste and see if it will Open.

www.ynaija.com/muslim-who-raped-13-year-old-girl-is-not-jailed-because-his-religion-doesnt-teach-him-that-sex-with-a-child-is-wrong

The relative peace experienced in
Nigeria’s oil rich Niger Delta can be
said to be fallout of the setting up
of the presidential amnesty
programme for militants in the
region, but that programme will
come to an end in 2015.
The Special Adviser to the President on
Amnesty, Mr Kingsley Kuku, made this
known at a press briefing on Saturday,
when he announced that the
programme will not continue despite the
agitation by several groups springing up
in the region demanding to be
accommodated in the programme.
Mr Kuku stated that the federal
government is putting plans in place to
cater for those ex-militants whose
training will elapse after the timeline for
the programme.
He however noted that there might be
the need to extend the programme after
2015, but will only be deemed fit after a
series of evaluation

www.channelstv.com/home/2013/01/26/amnesty-to-niger-delta-militants-will-end-by-2015/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Ignorant: Adil Rashid (pictured) did not
know it was illegal to have sex with
a 13-year-old girl
A muslim who raped a 13-year-old girl
he groomed on Facebook has been
spared a prison sentence after a judge
heard he went to an Islamic faith
school where he was taught that
women are worthless.
Adil Rashid, 18, claimed he was not
aware that it was illegal for him to
have sex with the girl because his
education left him ignorant of British
law.
Yesterday Judge Michael Stokes
handed Rashid a suspended sentence,
saying: ‘Although chronologically 18, it
is quite clear from the reports that
you are very naive and immature
when it comes to sexual matters.’
Earlier Nottingham Crown Court
heard that such crimes usually result
in a four to seven-year prison
sentence.
But the judge said that because
Rashid was ‘passive’ and ‘lacking
assertiveness’, sending him to jail
might cause him ‘more damage than
good’.
Rashid, from Birmingham, admitted
he had sex with the girl, saying he
had been ‘tempted by her’ after they
met online.
They initially exchanged messages on
Facebook before sending texts and
chatting on the phone over a two-
month period.
They then met up in Nottingham,
where Rashid had booked a room at a
Premier Inn.
The girl told police they stayed at the
hotel for two hours and had sex after
Rashid went to the bathroom and
emerged wearing a condom.
Rashid then returned home and went
straight to a mosque to pray. He was
arrested the following week after the
girl confessed what had happened to a
school friend, who informed one of her
teachers.
He told police he knew the girl was 13
but said he was initially reluctant to
have sex before relenting after being
seduced.
Earlier the court heard how Rashid
had ‘little experience of women’ due to
his education at an Islamic school in
the UK, which cannot be named for
legal reasons.
After his arrest, he told a psychologist
that he did not know having sex
with a 13-year-old was against the
law. The court heard he found it was
illegal only when he was informed by
a family member.
In other interviews with psychologists,
Rashid claimed he had been taught in
his school that ‘women are no more
worthy than a lollipop that has been
dropped on the ground’.
When Judge Stokes said Rashid ‘must
have known it was illegal, unless he
was going round with his eyes shut’,
defence lawyer Laban Leake said
reports suggested Rashid had a
‘degree of sexual naivety’.
‘The school he attended, it is not going
too far to say, can be described as a
closed community and on this occasion
this was perpetuated by his home life.
Rashid had pre-booked a family room
at the Premier Hotel in Goldsmith
Street, Nottingham where he took his
victim
Sentenced: Rashid admitted at
Nottingham Crown Court (pictured)
that he had sex with a 13-year-old
after she ‘tempted’ him
‘It is not too far to say that he may
not have known that having sex
with a 13-year-old girl was illegal.’
Judge Stokes sentenced Rashid to nine
months youth custody, suspended for
two years, along with a two-year
probation supervision order.
Describing Rashid, the judge said: ‘He’s
had an unusual education, certainly in
terms of the sexual education
provided. Comparing women to
lollipops is a very curious way of
teaching young men about sex.’
But he said that Rashid knew what
he was doing was wrong.
‘It was made clear to you at the school
you attended that having sexual
relations with a woman before
marriage was contrary to the
precepts of Islam,’ he said.
Addressing Rashid, the judge said: ‘I
accept this was a case where the girl
was quite willing to have sexual
activity with you. But the law is there
to protect young girls, even though
they are perfectly happy to engage in
sexual activity.’

www.ynaija.com/muslim-who-raped-13-year-old-girl-is-not-jailed-because-his-religion-doesnt-teach-him-that-sex-with-a-child-is-wrong-pictured/

Igbo have no leaders – Ben Obi

https://vml1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Ben-Obi.jpg?cb5e28

By Dotun Ibiwoye

‘I warned that terrorism in Nigeria could go deadly’

Senator Ben Obi is the Special Adviser to the President on Inter -Party Relations. In this interview, Obi says he warned as far back as 12 years ago (2001) that terrorism in Nigeria could turn deadly. According to him, his experience motivated an anti -terrorism bill he initiated eight years ago in the Senate. He also speaks on President Goodluck Jonathan’s plan for Nigeria this year, Igbo leadership and the potentials of the country achieving Vision 20:2020, among other national issues. Excerpts:

Insecurity has become a major issue in the country. How did we find ourselves in the unsavoury situation?

The truth here is that when the issue of terrorism came to this country, it was completely at the worst state. We were unprepared for it. Nobody ever believed that, in Nigeria, people could tie explosives around themselves and blow themselves up.

I was in Washington when terrorists carried out the 9/11 attacks. I was held up there for one week because they stopped us from flying back (to Nigeria) due to the attacks. I went to attend a meeting at the Pentagon, I was there with the National Security Adviser. When I came back, I made a report to the NSA that ‘now that we have seen a new dimension of terrorism taking place in America, it will only be a question of time before we will experience it in Nigeria’.

So, when I went into the Senate, which I had to battle in court for two years after my mates were sworn in June 2003, I got sworn -in on February 2005, by 15 March 2005, I had put in two bills: one had to do with the establishment of anti- terrorist agency and eradication of terrorism. I gave reasons why the bills should be passed.

In the course of it, President Obasanjo directed his Attorney General, Bayo Ojo, to send in an executive bill after my bill had gone through the first reading. After the first reading, my colleagues from the North called me and said they were not comfortable with the bill, and they asked if this was sponsored by Israel. I told them that terrorism does not know colour. So they set up a committee to look at the bill, went through it and found out it was an innocent bill and a good one.

Meanwhile, I had recommended and pleaded with Professor Jubril Aminu to second a motion on the bill; Aminu was the Nigerian Ambassador in Washington when the 9/11 happened, and he was the one who spoke on behalf of ambassadors (to the US) to President W. Bush condemning the terrorist act. The bill passed the second reading before we left the Senate. I’m happy today that the process of passing the bill is on the way.

In the first week of the year, President Goodluck Jonathan assured that 2013 will be better than last year. But majority of Nigerians are not convinced because the same rhetoric have been repeatedly made by him. What is your take on this?

The president explained the situation, and I think he has given his word as president of the country, that 2013 would be a better year than 2012. And I want Nigerians to believe that it is not easy for a man in the position of the President of Nigeria to make such a declaration, I can vouch for him. Because there are several things that he has advantage of knowing ahead of all of us, so I believe that 2013 would be a better year.

During the presidential chat late last year, he had to take stock of the activities from the beginning to the end of 2012. You would also agree that no matter how much detailed report given by newspapers, people will still say that they are not satisfied. Being a president does not make him a super human being. There are so many things that are on the table of the president that a good number of us are not opportune to go out and verify.

And there are so many information also available to the Mr President that are not appropriate to let out for various reasons. Some of them may be security. But then, these are things that affect the day- to- day lives of Nigerians. When it becomes a security issue, it is advised that you don’t go into such things until certain things are put in place. So, once you occupy the seat of the President of Nigeria, there are several things people would want to know from you about the state of the country. Just because people are yearning to know these and you decided to let go, the reactions may be devastating.

National Life
Politicians would tell you that votes now count. That means that aspect of our national life is improving. We must be able to get our electoral process right. If we are able to put it together as it is being done now, the power sector, transport, then our industries and factories can come back to life. What that would cause is employment for the youths and the quest to be part of violence, terrorism or vandalism as being constituted by evil doers would drop.

The transformation agenda would bring clear changes that would impact on the lives of the Nigerian people. It is on course and I believe that is part of the reason the president said we will see a better 2013. Some people don’t even pay their tax; yet they want to enjoy the benefits of government. Where would the money come from? Above that, we have a country, and we want this country to be united, we want this country to grow. We will go into the year and be able to do an appraisal of 2013 to see if things have really started to improve. So I believe that for a man in that position to say to his fellow countrymen that things would improve, I believe things will improve.

You mean Nigerians should be optimistic when all we had in the past were empty promises?

When former President Olusegun Obasanjo was in power, people were saying he was harsh. When we had the eight years of his tenure, Nigerians said he was high handed because, as a general, he came with the tactics of the military. And people were saying we needed a democratic president. They said we needed a president with human touch and human face. Then came the Yar’Adua administration and people were saying,’ oh, now we are getting it’. And then President Jonathan came on board.

I am happy because I am serving under President Jonathan, because I try in my own interactions with him to see if we can try to govern this country using democratic elements. We know that he is the Commander- in-Chief, but let us see if we can do without applying that touch of commander-in-chief to make him bring down heaven on Nigerians, for any reasons whatsoever.

What I am trying to say is that Nigerians are saying’ no, we don’t want this high handedness’. Gradually, President Jonathan is trying to make sure that things are done properly, he reviews and consults before taking decisions on issues. Knowing my colleagues in the political arena, everybody counts himself very important. Everybody says he/she is a stakeholder. So, based on that, we try to make as many consultations as possible to be able to get the right answers. We may not be hundred percent in the results of the consultations, but at least people agree with us that they are being consulted.

And the issue of corruption that ex-President Obasanjo noted is not being fought thoroughly…?

There are agencies mandated to address the issue of corruption. My own simple position is that those agencies have not come straight to Nigerians that the tools they work with are being denied them. I am also conscious of the fact that in the days of Obasanjo’s administration, I was one of those legislators that quarreled with the impeachment of some governors with less than two thirds members in attendance – in Plateau, Oyo and Ekiti- which was virtually spearheaded by the EFCC. I am not saying that the governors were not corrupt, but, as a legislator, I believe that an impeachment can only succeed with votes of 2/3 of the assembly and nothing less.

It happened even in Anambra State when the legislators relocated to Asaba. As long as I remain an adviser to President Jonathan, I would advise him to give the agencies the tools to work. They have their own rules of how to go about it, so they should fight it just to make sure that the result is there, clearly that there are no issues as far as the constitution is on ground, nobody is above the law.

Everybody must be subjected to the law of the land. Whoever is found wanting, let the full sledge hammer of the law come upon him. And once the president tells you to do that, which he is doing now, nobody wants the president taking over the duties of the EFCC. We have to draw the lines. But if the EFCC comes up to say that they’ve not been funded, they don’t have the tools to work and they are being denied this or that, that is a different ball game. Then you can see President Jonathan battling corruption. People must not expect President Jonathan to play a role you find some former presidents playing in their tenure.

The postponement of the PDP Board of Trustees election and the ouster of a key member of the party give room for pundits to believe that there are intrigues going on in the party?

PDP is a huge political party and, for anyone to effectively manage the affairs of the party, more so when you want to play a more speculative role for the growth, you need to really scrutinize the BoT members, to know which of them would really uplift the credibility of an ambassadorial committee. So, if it is going to be the chief adviser, then that person must be able to carry the tag of a party like the PDP. So, when things like these happen, I am not surprised. For me, it is nothing unusual.

You were at the forefront of the agitation to immortalize the late Odumegwu Ojukwu and you advised the Igbo to wait for President Jonathan’s decision on 2015 presidency. What message are you trying to pass across?

[b]Igbo people don’t really believe in a monolithic leadership. It has always been a collective leadership. Odumegwu Ojukwu’s case was different because he found himself leading the people at a particular time that was quite volatile. And he was gifted. he was a teacher, he was a fighter, he was an orator, he was a courageous administrator. And he loved his people; he came from an aristocratic home, but settled with the people. He came from an aristocratic background to help his people and then chose the philosophy of showing the light where the people could find their way. That was a different era. And, of course, he was a man who had style and tradition, so all of that counted.

He never went out of his way to declare himself Igbo leader. I can say this authoritatively because I was actually one of his closest friends for many years. In fact , he hated the word “leader”, he would like you to say ‘i am a responsible citizen’. Yet he found himself playing a major role and leading the people.

In talking about leadership, don’t forget we also have Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who is very highly regarded. Because of Ekwueme’s emergence at the national level, it would really be difficult to place him as an Igbo leader. He was the vice president of Nigeria, and it would be relegating cocooning him into that small area of the region. I am not looking up to anybody to emerge as an Igbo leader, because Igbo are big and they don’t have leaders. Leadership in Igbo land is more of a collective thing.[/b]

We are looking and working toward Nigeria as one of the top 20 countries in the world in 2020. Do you think we are still working in that direction and is it achievable within this timeframe?

Government is programmed to actualize that dream. Again, it is not an easy effort for Nigeria to be one of the 20 economies of the world by 2020. But the potentials to achieving that is on the ground. We only need to do the right thing and that is why President Goodluck Jonathan came with the transformation agenda. It is only through the transformation that we would be able to get our acts right. But if we don’t key into the transformation agenda, we go back to our system of doing things, it is clear that we would go into our old habits. And once we are able to do that in two years, a lot of things would change. And because Nigerians are very active in doing things, I don’t see how we cannot do that.

However, we should also be conscious of the fact that all the other countries are not static. If we want to overtake them, they are also on the move. I am conscious of that fact. Now look at one major issue in Nigeria developmental stride. The issue of electoral process. At least, today, Nigerians must give credit to President Jonathan. The first time a sitting president would say, ‘listen to me, let nobody rig election for me. No Nigerian blood should spill because of my election. If I lose, I only go back to where I came from!’. And ever since then, he has stood by the truth in the Nigerian electoral process.

In Edo State, he mandated me to go there to ensure the constitutional rights of the people on free and fair elections. I went there and did a workshop and told them that President Goodluck Jonathan, though a PDP member, had no interest in who emerges as governor and that the process would be free, fair, transparent and credible. And I went there and I did my workshop. And the candidates came.

At the end of the day, it was a free and fair election. When we got to the time of Ondo State, he called me again and said ‘go to Ondo State and conduct that sensitization workshop again, and tell them it is going to be a free and fair election’. To a large extent, the elections were free and fair in Edo and Ondo. President Goodluck Jonathan was the first to congratulate the two governors: one, ACN and the other Labour Party.

And I think the only way this country can develop and grow and become one of the 20 economies by2020 is for us to work hand-in-gloves and move on. I know Nigerians have suffered a lot. I am appealing to them to exercise a little bit of patience and we will get there.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/igbo-have-no-leaders-ben-obi/

BedLam: All na gra gra! them think say nuclear bomb na wetin agbero d make? it will even take them 20years to acquire such knowledge..........somebody wake me up when 2013 is over.

pls no say na gra- gra oooh. Moreso he didn't say der were going to make d nuclear bomb. Der are going to purchase it or be given by country who want to see d end of our unity. Dis country is surely going to be on fire. I pray it does nt sha.

It is either dis Igbo pple are Slow learner or dey want to deliberately Mortgage dia chance of producing d next president in 2023 if d North Ascend Power in 2015. I don't see it happening where GEJ will ever transfer Power to d South East. That will be Disaster of d Century. The North Surely will not allow dat which we all know dat. Please let's Fa ce reality and Do things right. Igbo's shud be deceived pls

Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday said that it would have been more honourable for former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo to sit back home as a former president and political leader whose home should be a political pilgrim rather than parade himself all over the country as an indispensable ruler and party leader.

Clark, who made the comment while addressing press conference on the state of the nation yesterday, alleged that Obasanjo had opted to join forces with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum which was presently behaving like a party opposing the federal government and the 2015 electoral interest of the sitting president.

“Obasanjo now pays instant homage to any governor that speaks ill of President Goodluck Jonathan. He is causing confusion in the polity rather than sitting back at home as a former president and political leader whose home should be a political pilgrim,” Clark said.

In a letter he addressed to the Governors’ Forum which he made available to journalists during the press conference, Clark told the governors that their forum had become a threat to the peace and stability of Nigeria.

“My dear governors, today I am over 85 years old. I have a slogan which is that when one is 70 years and above, he is at the Departure Lounge, waiting for the Boarding Pass and, therefore, such person must have the courage and wisdom to speak out one’s mind on any issue affecting the destiny of the country,” he asserted.

Clark accused the governors of acting with impunity in serially and deliberately breaching both the nation’s constitution and that of the PDP.

“The Forum has now become a threat to the peace and stability of Nigeria. Most of the governors today are more dictatorial than the then military governors,” Clark said.

The elder statesman declared that this had to stop, “because our democracy is now resting on the keg of gun powder. The governors have to choose between to be or not to be with democracy in Nigeria.”

Clark lamented that things were so bad in the PDP that the party could no longer hold its convention in the traditional way.

“The ugly truth is that, today, the PDP as a political party is no longer in control of its various organs and, for some time now, proper elections at congresses and conventions have not been held democratically due to the imposition of unqualified members on the good members of the party, contravening Section 87(4) of the Electoral Act 2011(as amended) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Act.

“The PDP governors now regard themselves as the leaders of the party, using their own structures to entrench corruption, lack of internal democracy, imposition of candidates within the structures of the party over the recognized structures as entrenched in the party’s constitution,” he said.

The Ijaw leader contended that the continuous imposition of candidates in total disregard to the provisions of the party’s constitution was weakening the party’s cohesion and harmony, and destroying its peace, unity, solidarity and democratic values.

“Worse still,” he said, “the quality of governance in most of the PDP controlled governments is very poor, thereby jettisoning the aims and objective of the 1998/1999 founding fathers, which is the propagation of democratic ideals in the Nigerian polity.”

He further decried the absence of unity in the rural party.

According to him, “It (PDP) is fragmented everywhere. An example is Ogun State where a former president of the nation under the flagship of the party and, until recently, the BoT chairman, lost election in the state due to fictionalization of the party.

“Currently, there are three factions of the party in the state; one is headed by the former president of the nation, the next one is headed by Chief Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of the state, and the third is headed by Buruji Kashamu.”

Clark lamented that the state secretariat of the party was under lock and key at the moment, yet Obasanjo “is parading himself all over the country as an indispensable ruler and party leader, causing confusion rather than sitting back home as a former president and political leader whose home should be a political pilgrim.”

“The PDP members at the grassroots no longer control the party and the power of the party no longer belongs to the people. The people have lost the power reluctantly, accepting the slogan: ‘Power to the Governors.’

According to him, the over-bearing influence of the Governors’ Forum in the polity has become a matter of serious concern.

“The activities of the PDP Governors Forum in particular have become very disturbing and calls for urgent correction as it is fast eroding the authority and the supremacy of the party and posing a serious threat to our democracy.

“The Forum has become a powerful tool in the hands of the governors who now use it to pursue and promote their individual and collective interests with little or no regard to the letter and spirit of the party’s constitution and supremacy.”

www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/45981/2013/01/25/2015_obasanjo_governors_plot_stop_jonathan_clark.html

Dis shud be a sober reflection on d lack of peace dat exit among us in dis country. How can u kill 38 pple in 60days haba! Please I beg u all to preach peace everywhere. Only if our govt can just find a lasting solution to dia killing. In one nigeria I stand.

nedu2000: Ezekwesili is saying all these 'cause she's И̣̣̣̥o longer in government,if she was she won't say all these......she's И̣̣̣̥o different,who doesn't know that funds are being squandered everyday

in all sincerity, Even if u re a true Pastor, Can u ever Query ur boss action or deed in public even wen u know dat dey are wrong. U can't do dat. U can only do dat wen u leave his place. So don't blame her

The northern state of Nigeria, Kano
may have latently turned into a
genocidal killing field for the non-
indigenes of the State – particularly the
indigenes of the south east region of
Nigeria, the Igbos. Information made
available to 247ureports.com through
the top boss of the Kano State Chapter
of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Tobia Idika
revealed that 38 Igbo indigenes have
lost their lives between November 10,
2012 and January 22, 2013 – as a result
of the religious violence orchestrated by
Jihadists under the name of Boko
Haram.
According to the Ohaneze top boss, the
killing of Igbo people have gradually
been on a steady increase – since the
renewed hostiles by the operatives of
Boko Haram. He cited the lackadaisical
attitude of the Kano State
administration towards the rampant
killings of south easterners as one of
the chief reasons the Jihadists have
continued to murder south easterners
unchecked. For this reason, the
Jihadists managed to instill fear into all
the families of south eastern origin
resident in Kano – to the extend that
business activities have grounded to a
halt.
“On Tuesday, January 22, 2012, three
Igbo sons were gunned down by
unknown men on motorbike - hours
after the governor banned the use of
Okada – and the governor and his
people did not even send a condolence
message to the family or even
comment publicly or privately on the
matter“ - the Ohaneze top boss said
while adding that the cries of the Igbo
family in Kano appears to be falling on
deaf ears – as the government of Kano
State appears unconcerned about the
unfolding genocidal wave.
The November 2012 murder of two
young brothers [Chisom, 18 and Nonso,
21 - the sons of Gabriel Ejikeme] from
Umuennem, Otolo Nnewi in Anambra
State at Hotoro Quarters in Kano by
Jihadists on motorbikes – showcased
the body language of the Kano State
Government towards the incessant
killings of south easterners.
Available information reveals that the
Kano State government through its
representative, Boniface Ibekwem was
said to have travelled to Otolo Nnewi
for the burial of the two brothers – on
behalf of the Kano State government.
At the burial, the Kano State
representative presented a cheque of
N400,000 to the family on behalf of the
Kano State government – for
condolence.

247ureports.com/we-have-lost-38-igbos-in-2-months-in-kano-ohaneze/#.UQJ6rfCGnso.twitter

KANO—Northern leaders including
Vice President, Namadi Sambo and
three former Heads of State, Generals
Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida
and Abdulsalami Abubakar were
conspicuously absent at the peace
summit organised by Northern
Development Focus Initiative, NDFI, in
Kano.
Also absent were the Senate President,
Senator David Mark, former Vice
President, Atiku Abubakar and
Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Waziri
Tambuwal who were special guests of
honour during the two-day peace
summit.
No official reasons were given by the
organisers of the event over the
absence of the political bigwigs but
General Muhammadu Buhari was
drafted to be the chairman of the
summit in the absence of General
Gowon who was originally selected for
the role.
The appointment of Gen. Buhari as
impromptu chairman was not without
some hiccups as the national leader of
Congress for Progressive Change, CPC,
initially declined and later grudgingly
accepted the offer.
The summit with theme: “Development,
peace and unity as tool for enhancing
socio economic and political reform in
Northern Nigeria,” was aimed at
discussing the multi-faceted security
challenges confronting the region.
Insecurity reared its ugly head in the
Northern region in 2009 following the
death of an Islamist leader, Sheik
Muhammad Yusuf in an uprising by
his group culminating in the crippling
of the socio-economic life of the region
that was already bugged down by
poverty and under-development.
Defending the absence of northern
leaders, Senator John Kennedy Waku
said, “it is too early to make a case
over their absence. It is just day one of
the two-day event and I want to
believe they will make it”.
However, the event originally
scheduled to hold at one of the popular
hotels in the ancient city was held at a
more secure Government House where
invitees were frisked thoroughly by
stern looking securitymen before being
allowed inside.
The summit was largely attended by
retired military officers of northern
extraction, retired technocrats, some
politicians and artisans.
Speakers at the summit concurred that
the security challenges confronting the
country has been localized as problem
of people of the North East geo-political
zone with little or no commitment by
the government to resolve the crisis in
the interest of peace and development.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/gowon-babangida-sambo-others-shun-peace-summit-in-kano/

VellyG: To pass MCTS at this age shows he's really a guru

Every body can learn in his area of interest only if d teachers are Good in making academics Easy. Nigeria teachers are Dull.

Naval sadiq: you need helpz.with the current situation power tussle between the north and the south south.the man should wait till 2023.thats the right and appropriate time for him to run for the presidency.

Infact 2023 is nt certain in d real sense, cos when d north takes over in 2015, their tenure ends in 2023, and d best region to govern in d south is d SE region in d real sense of Zoning. Bt he can get d Vice president or Senate president sha!!! I love Fashola. Eko oni Baje oooo!

Naval sadiq: you need helpz.with the current situation power tussle between the north and the south south.the man should wait till 2023.thats the right and appropriate time for him to run for the presidency.

Infact 2023 is nt certain in d real sense, cos when d north takes over in 2015, their tenure ends in 2023, and d best region to govern in s south is d SE region in d real sense of Zoning. Bt he can get d Vice president or Senate president sha!!! I love Fashola. Eko oni Baje oooo!

The decision of the House of
Representatives to summon former
Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anenih,
over road contracts that were awarded
during his tenure in office came as a
big surprise to many Nigerians.
The Chairman of the Public Accounts
Committee of the House Hon. Solomon
Adeola Olamilekan had last weekend
declared that the House would formally
invite Anenih this week to explain his
role in an alleged N20billion contract
scam.
Hon. Olamilekan stated that the contract which was awarded during the Olusegun
Obasanjo administration had made it nearly impossible for the committee to conclude its report on the Auditor General
of the Federation’s annual reports for 2006. The committee had initially Indicated its intention to invite the
former Works Minister during one of
its public hearing sessions late last
year over an abandoned road project in
Nassarawa State in 2006.
The contract was said to have been
awarded in 2001 when he was still the
Minister of Works.
Also mentioned for possible summons
were the site engineers, Federal
Controller of Works and the Permanent
Secretary of the ministry when the
contract was awarded.
Olamilekan had threatened that the
House would not hesitate to use the
services of Interpol to extradite the
contractor, Torino Internazionale
Nigeria Limited which left the country
after collecting N1.8 billion without
executing the road project.
According to him, Chief Anenih had
been invited in respect of a memo he
presented to the then Federal
Executive Council, FEC, under former
President Olusegun Obasanjo, which
convinced the body to award the
contract, despite an earlier strong
advice that the firm had no technical
capacity to handle the road project.
The committee had expressed
reservation as to why such a huge
amount of money would go down the
drain under the watchful eyes of those
at the helm of affairs.
Auditor-General of the Federation, AGF,
had in its 2006 audit report, alleged
that the failed road contract was
awarded at the cost of N2.3 billion, of
which N552 million was paid, before
the contract was terminated.
The contractor later went to court and
obtained court judgment of N1.3 billion
against the Federal Government for
terminating the contract.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/n20-billion-contract-scam-why-reps-want-anenih-to-appear-before-house/

petrov 10: are u a learner.....d guy went 2 jail for gudness sake ,..once they are realeased u call dem ex convicts okay ?

it is you I must ask if u re a learner? Are u saying all prisoners are Ex- Convicts? Please tell us?

This is definitely an indictment on the PDP led federal Govt on the payment of the Fuel Subsidy and how Agencies under it command has failed to perform.
Two officials of the Petroleum
Product Pricing and Regulatory
Agency (PPPRA) took the witness
stand on Wednesday at the Lagos
High Court, Ikeja to testify as
prosecution witnesses in one of the
ongoing fuel subsidy trials.
In the fuel subsidy case, two accused
persons, Rowaye Jubril and his
company, Brila Energy, are facing 13
counts of fraudulent collection of about
N967 million for the purported supply of
13,155,807 metric tons of Premium Motor
Spirit (petrol) under the Petroleum
Support Scheme. They are also alleged to
have forged documents to facilitate the
fraud.
The two officials of the PPPRA who
testified before Presiding justice Lateefah
Okunnu were the Zonal Coordinator,
Ibadan office, Tope Ogundola, and the
Assistant General Manager, Lagos office,
Victor Zamani.
In their testimony, the men gave the
indication that the agency relied on
trusting the claims made by the oil
marketers supplying subsidized
petroleum products rather than
subjecting such claims and documents to
verification processes.
Led in evidence by the counsel for the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), S.A Adeh, the first
official to testify, Mr Zamani said the
PPPRA collected photocopies backing the
marketers’ claims on the supply of the
products without further verification.
“We don’t take the original copies of the
documents. We take photocopy based on
trust,” Mr Zamani said.
He added, “We have many governmental
agencies who witness the discharge of
the products at the tank farm. Our staff
are not always there for 24 hours when
the oil marketers are discharging the
products to retailers. We rely on the
reports submitted to our office based on
trust.”
According to Mr Zamani, the documents
supplied by marketers are usually
compared with PPPRA’s checklist
comprising 38 items among which were
the Bill of Lading, Certificate of Quantity,
Certificate of Quality and Cargo Manifest.
During cross-examination by the counsel
to the accused, Rapael Oluyede, Mr
Zamani dismissed the possibility of oil
marketers loading discharged products
back to the vessels on the sea and
making away with it.
“Each profession has its code of conduct,
that will be a professional aberration,”
he said.
The second witness, Mr Ogundola, who
was then the Coordinator of PPPRA’s
Lagos Office, said he was the one who
cleared the documents supplied by Mr
Jubril after “it is assumed that the
product has been discharged to the
retailer at the tanker farm”.
Responding to further questions on why
he should make assumption on whether
the products were actually supplied, Mr
Ogundola said, “I was not there with
them at the tanker farm”.
He affirmed that all the needed
documents were supplied by Mr Jubril
and there were never complaints over
his supply by his office.
“I must be honest with you, Mr Jubril
brought the documents and the checkers
checked them with the checklist and I
wrote and signed a cover letter attached
to the documents and sent it to the
Abuja office.
If the cover letter is not signed by me it
will be sent back from Abuja.”
The bundle of documents supplied to the
PPPRA by Mr Jubril was tendered and
admitted as exhibit.
Justice Okunnu adjourned till the 11 and
12 of March to allow the EFCC to call
additional witnesses in proof of its case
against the oil marketer and his
company.

www.channelstv.com/home/2013/01/23/subsidy-scam-we-didnt-verify-claims-we-trusted-marketers-pppra-officials-tells-court/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

karl max: Is Bisi akande the AC.N chairman not an ex convict? For those who didn't knw he was found guilty of fraud and jailed under his now would be partner buhari during his regime in 1984!and was released by ibb!.so we have ex convicts in all political parties in 9ja even hon gbaja or whatever he calls his name thes e days

brother 4 d purpose of knowledge, dey is a big difference btw an ex-convict and a political prisoner. An ex-convict is dat person convicted by a competed Law court applying every rules of d land and given a fair hearing. While a political prisoner is one jailed based on political sentiment, without free hearing and in an arrangeee court. So Bisi Akande is nt an ex-convict as u can nt call an obasanjo, Falana, Gani, Abiola, etc and Ex-convivt..

karl max: If na jona tell em ministers watin fash tell em commissioners the clowns supporting fash here would be abusing him and calling him clueless.Nigerians knw better like I said in one of the thread on Nairaland we are going to send a clear message to AC.N in lagos come 2015 everyday people are seeing through their deceit and propoganda

Hey Man get it right, what d govt is trying to do is to Check mis-information of d populace by govt workers. Dis is exactly what is happening in PDP where SA to d president will release a press statement and will be denied by d presidency. E.G Doyins comment on Ribadu's report was denied by Abati and also d Claim dat d First lady was nt ill was rebuff by d president in his Media Chart. Dis leave one to ask d Question? Who is lying?. So I think its a great Move.

BY DAPO AKINREFON
THE Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has faulted Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State over his directive to his commissioners and senior civil servants not to speak to the press on matters of governance in the State.

The party alleged that following this directive, it has shown that Governor Fashola “has skeletons in his cupboard and desperate to cover up his misdeeds, even If he has to turn the state into a fully Fascist State.”

In a statement by its chairman, Capt Tunji Shelle (rtd), the party said the move was an attempt by the governor to cover up his alleged misdeeds.

Shelle said “similarly, such a step presupposes that all is not well in Alausa and the Governor is panicking.”

He added that such a reactionarydirective can only be sustained in a “fascist regime which the Governor may turn the state into if not checked”,
noting that “no wonder the Lagos State House of Assembly is so slow to domesticate the FOI Act, which would allow private persons to get information on the workings of the Government.”

Besides, the party chairman said;”we have said severally that Governor Fashola is not on the seat to serve Lagosians selflessly. We have equally
stated too that the huge IGR, now over N40 billion monthly, are being shared between the Governor and the ACN leadership.

“Now that the Governor is jittery and has come out to ban his Commissioners and Senior Civil servants from speaking to the Press, then he has admitted failure and misdeeds. We are now indeed vindicated.

PDP recalled that the same Governor had sometime sacked certain Media houses from reporting from the State Secretariat, claiming that they are Anti
ACN-policies.

“We make bold to say that Governor Fashola is now obviously fatigued of ideas to further govern Lagos State. He is now so overwhelmed by the self imposed pressures and no more has original ideas for Lagosians.

“Lagos state is too sophisticated to be used as experiment. Rather than become a ‘taiwan’ idea Governor, we advise Governor Fashola to apologise to
Lagosians and bow out honourably”, Shelle stated.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/fashola-is-fatigued-of-ideas-lagos-pdp/

[color=#990000][/color]The Name Aliona is Originated 4rm dia New musical Hit Alingo. While d female child is name "Aliona" the Male Child is Named "Alanta".
Hope dis settles d Whole issue.

Super1759: this pix isn't current jooor!!!! Rotimi amaeachi is in naija now!

Rotimi as at tuesday was nt in nigeria.. He travelled to d USA 4 sumtin. remember it was reported dat he attacked d minister of niger delta 4rm USA. So it is possible he went to London to visit his broda. D pix is real as it has been confirmed by vanguard.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/exclusive-governor-chime-speaks-to-vanguard/

brownlord: Just shut up as u r the one acting like proper illitrate now, so u mean, those who are not as educated as u should not join in public discussion right, yet u say this the reason nigeria is where it is today, if u for no reason just insult someone because he made a mistake which could be a typo error, i would hv bn happy if u had counter what he said if he was not on point and not his text which may be a mistake and even if not mistake, they did not say this forum is for professors only, but nigerians, and people do learn everyday here including me nd ur foolish self, so shut the Bleep and join the discussion, Mr lecturer

I see no reason y u shud be furious 4 strongly condemning dat error. It was nt suppose to have happened, if the writer had writing in pigin, and nt further damage the little image our Education have. Moreso, it will be right to say dey is a huge gap btw a mistake and an Error. Any mistake made intentionally is an Error. What that person Made can be call a deliberate or intentional Error, cause it was consistent in his/her statement.. No hard feeling here just a point of correction.

ihedioramma: LET SOME ONE GO WITH YOU TO *THERE* *HD,*OFFICE IF U *HAS* NOT OPEN IT THEY WILL PAY U SOME MONEY . TRY AND SE THE *MANIGER* DONT LET OTHERS *NO* WHY U ARE THERE.

dis is one Good example y nigeria education system is said to be very porous.... How can u write in dis manner in a 21st century...
Everything about ur grammar is worst. Poor sentences, ineffective use of punctuation etc. Bros Abeg speak Pigin english next time Abeg.....
With just 35words u Made (5)blunders..... SMH

It was pasted here on dis forum dat d presidency queried d authorisation of channels broadcasting d college and that the video was politically motivated, some pple here shouted and called those papers an opposition sponsoring media. Now I think with dis, it tell dat d president is truly furious with d Good job channels TV did and he is nt ready to approve d programme. God Save us.