₦airaland Forum

Nigeria despite all of its potential has unfortunately become embroiled in an almost eternal game of 'soldier go, soldier come'

Where do they get all these statistics and figures? International guidelines for capturing data have to be customized to fit the situation on ground. So let us not fool ourselves by thinking that figures being quoted is a reflection of what obtains in reality. Statistics and figures can be doctored in such a way as to present a better picture than what obtains in reality. This is call Augmented Reality.

The poverty rate as seen and felt by actual Nigerians (not virtual Nigerians or those in high places) is probably about 70%. Meaning that 70 out of 100 Nigerians live below the poverty line.

Is there no balm to heal Nigeria?

I wonder!

The 'Debate Organisers' have set it up to fail right from the beginning.
It is being designed in such a way that nothing substantive will be said or can be taken away from the debate.
What will be the duration of the debates? 3 hours at the most; which means each candidate gets to speak for only a maximum of 13 minutes. It is almost certain that the two principal candidates will be arranged in such a way that there will be no crossfires between them.


It will be Jonathan's waterloo if the other 13 candidates decide to cross examine or highlight deficiencies in his record, but I see the 'Debate Organisers' trying to prevent this. This debate format will be the best option for Jonathan.

To be worth the while the debate should be between the principal contestants (Jonathan and Buhari) because the other contestants will only serve as a distraction. Goodluck Jonathan will still be in a tight spot because Buhari has no record per se to run upon. It will be unwise of Jonathan to attack Buhari's personality or record from 30 years ago because majority of the people think that Buhari's administration was not corrupt. This format will give the populace the chance to be able to dissect the content of their speeches but I don't see Jonathan coming out of this looking good.

A town hall style format where people can be planted to ask pre planned questions may be Jonathan's best bet if the 'Debate Organisers' can get it to work.

Unfortunately, most people who will vote don't speak English and will not watch the debate. So it's not a big deal after all and no undecided voters will be won or lost.

I still think it's a travesty of the Nigerian commonwealth that Goodluck Jonathan and Buhari are the best that we have to offer as leaders. I hope that whoever emerges victorious at the polls leads the country in the right direction.

It is a pity that the average Nigerian while educated is still an illiterate. Maybe democracy isn't the solution to our problem, this is because I do not think every human of an age capable of exercising their right to elect the leaders of the government should be allowed to.

I can not but wonder (and shake my head) when I read some comments here and on similar forums (and blogs as the case may be).

The average Nigerian will jump on the preposterous bang wagon of senseless innuendoes and vituperation without thinking about the validity and logic of their utterances. This is probably the result of the kind of education we have in our tertiary institutions.

For the PDP (Mr Olisa Metuh) to insinuate that choosing the vice-presidential aspirant after six days is a sign of incompetence warrants a thorough examination of his cranium and associated faculties.

Barrack Obama the epitome of all that is good to President Jonathan (as seen in "...Barack Obama is doing it... GEJ is doing it" campaign) took almost two months to choose and announce a running mate. The links below are references you can check:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/04/us/politics/03cnd-elect.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060300888.html

http://www.c-span.org/video/?280630-1/obama-vice-presidential-announcement
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24veep.html?pagewanted=all

in this electoral season I would implore everyone to engage in reasonable discourse rather than sentimentally biased arguments (or e-arguments) that will not move us forward as a nation.

@saint p, @ harmeenut, etc

I think it is rather preposterous and disingenuous  of you guys and others that think like you to suggest or imply that the NLC leaders were intimidated  by threats to them and their families. Someone on this thread  (can't remember his/her name) even said that that the eyes of the NLC leader were so bloodshot and as thus he was so tired and confused. The NLC leaders were obviously compromised and thus played along with the government. It was NLC that hijacked the protests by the Nigerian people.

It is a shame that the average nigerian like these guys above pluck ideas out of the blues and use that to justify an untoward action. The truth is that the NLC deceived the people. What explanation did the federal government give the NLC that is so sacred they could not share with the people.

Check the meaning of unilateral in your dictionary: it mean an action taken by only one side. So why call of the strike if the government is yet to acquiesce to your demands.

It was all a setup from the classical Nigerian market place: never quote the actual price of anything in the first instance. We all see it everyday in the market (after negotiating the buyers thinks he's gotten a bargain). The federal government wanted #97 all along and just used the #141 as the point of reference in the negotiations.
It is a shame that the government can not tell us the truth.

Nigeria is an oil producer and it is shame that we are allowing  the thinking of the western world to affect the policies of nation. Utilities like power, water and communication should ideally never be in the hands of foreign investors because that is analogous to Esau giving away his birthright to Jacob for peanuts. A joint venture with the government being the major stakeholder may work for a country like nigeria  where the technological know how is not readily available.

Iran's refusal to follow the model nigeria has just adopted (advocated by the West under the guise of the IMF and other dodgy parastatal) is the main problem the west has with Iran. Iran has other problems though but they are not issues that can not be resolved if Iran adopts the business model of the West.

What is the hope for the average Nigerian ?

Do not be surprise if the same set of people campaign for GEJ and or PDP come the next election ?

God will deliver us from ourselves.

It is time to hold our government accountable.