₦airaland Forum

I need an in-depth explanation as to why he and APGA split. I keep getting surface info but I need someone from the inner circle to name the names. Big up to Gov Obi. He did major work during his tenure.

Crude prices plummeted. Government officials stole money and sent it abroad. People with access to interbank rates round tripped and worsened the parallel rate. We prosecuted looters and they sent their men to blow up our pipelines. Now 8% of our GDP is toast and over 90% of our forex is smashed. How could the Naira withstand such trauma?

That's just wicked.

http://sunnewsonline.com/buhari-favoured-south-east-more-than-north-buba-galadima/
https://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Baba-300x269.jpg



By Omoniyi Salaudeen

COMING together all the way from the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) as its pioneer national secretary, Alhaji Buba Galadima is an unrepentant supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari. He believed in his vision and unrelentlessly supported the struggles that culminated in his victory in the 2015 presidential election. In this interview, he reveals why Buhari suddenly made a U-turn, abandoned his old political base and embraced new found technocrats to run his administration. He also bares his mind on the vexed issues of restructuring, separatist agitations and perceived marginalization of the people of South-east extraction. According to him, the entire economy of Nigeria is in the hands of South- south and South-east.

The country is said to be more divided now than ever before under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. Why do you think it is so?

If there is division, it must be due to several factors, among which, is the fact that the government is not communicating at all with the people. Even their good intention is being misinterpreted because they do not have the people who will talk to the populace to make them understand. Two, Buhari has abandoned his political base completely and brought in new people that he does not know their background or their politics. Three, he is trying to distance himself from the elite, including political juggernauts that contributed to bringing him to power. Four, he has alienated his supporters who had been with him since 2002. None of those people is visible in his government. And these are tested hands that were offered whatever position you can think of in life but rejected because they wanted to promote him. Today, he doesn’t know them again because he says he doesn’t want to associate with politicians, forgetting the fact that it was politics and politicians that brought him to the chair which he is occupying.

He has now found new friends in civil servants and technocrats through whom he wishes to perform. This group has neither political base nor committed to his cause. Once he is out of power, they will be the first group to expose the activities of his government, especially when they are not getting what they used to get before. A combination of all these will definitely destroy any goodwill that somebody has gathered in the process of getting into power. There has never being any government that received the goodwill and support of the people of Nigeria from colonial time to date like this government. But all this goodwill is fading away like quicksand. No government in Nigeria has ever increased fuel money above two folds and got away with it. No government has ever devalued currency by about 200 percent and got away with it. No government has ever stopped importation of Nigerians’ basic needs; no government has ever witnessed tripling of food prices and survived without public outcry or outright removal except this government. It is only good for the government to do a self examination of itself before it pushes the people further to the wall.

The current wave of separatist agitations across different ethnic nationalities has also been blamed on the lopsidedness in distribution of political appointments in favour of the North by the present administration. Do you agree or not?

Tell me which people are agitating so that I will answer you.

There is agitation for Biafra in the South-east, and also in the South-south causing bombing of oil installations in the Niger Delta. Do you now agree?

I don’t agree. Let’s start by saying that appointment is the prerogative of Mr. President. He appoints those who he thinks can deliver and take his, government to the Promised Land. All the things I have said is not because I didn’t get government’s appointment.

It is because the government is not performing. In America, the president can appoint his two brothers or sisters to any ministerial position and there will be no complaints, if they are qualified and can deliver. Why should it not be so in Nigeria? When it favours us, we quote America, Britian or France. If it does not favour us, we complain.

But there is no federal character in the American constitution. Not so?

You mean there is no federal minister from Ebonyi, Enugu, Cross River or Delta State?

Of course, political appointment is not limited to ministerial nomination alone. There are several other political offices that the government can spread across to reflect federal character. Isn’t it?

The South-east, the South-south and to a certain extent the South-west are the most favoured people in this government in terms of appointments. Nigeria’s problem is divided into two or three for now security, corruption and economy. The one that touches you and me is the economy. Security is the one that touches only me and not you to a certain extent. The entire economy of Nigeria is in the hands of the South-south and people of Igbo extraction. The entire oil industry is in the hands of the Igbo of South-east extraction. He decides who gets what, who does what.

Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups are agitating because they claim that majority of oil blocs in their region is in the hands of the people of Northern extraction. Isn’t it so?

Who manages the oil?

Federal Government manages the oil.

Who manages the process of getting oil blocs?

Federal Government manages the process.

(Cuts in)…. The entire oil industry is in the hands of the people of the South-east and South-south plus a few Northerners and Southwest people. 75 percent of those who own oil wells and don’t make noise about it are from the South- South and South-east. There is Free of Information Bill; tell Ibe Kachikwu to give you the list of oil well owners. You will be shocked. You people just write anything out of spite, out of jealousy, out of hate. Can lie ever become truth? The entire economy and financial system of Nigeria is in the hands of South- South and people of Igbo extraction. The Governor of Central Bank makes financial policy, and determines who gets what. I am I right or wrong?

Right.

Babatunde Fowler is from Sokoto? Babatunde Fashola who is in charge of the energy, housing and road network is from Maiduguri? The man in charge of the entire maritime sector from which Nigeria gets highest revenue, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is from Kano? And above all, the chairman of the National Economic Council, Prof Yemi Osinbajo as well as Political Adviser to the President, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, is from Plateau? I am asking you now.

I am listening.

You believe it is the only people from South-east, South-south and South- west that have rights to complain? We Northerners should be the one complaining about Buhari’s government, not the South-south, South-east and the South-west. And my reason is simple. There are about 557 agencies of government and parastatals and Buhari has not reconstituted 30 of these parastatals. 85 percent of the remaining 540 or thereabout are being headed by the people of the South-south, South- east and to a certain extent South-west because they were Jonathan’s appointees and Buhari did not remove them. As I speak to you, nobody from Yobe, Jigawa, Taraba, Gombe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kogi, and Benue has been appointed as head of any federal parastatal apart from the statutory ministerial appointments.

Can you mention one person that has contributed what I had done for Buhari becoming president from 2002 to date? Can you mention one person who had suffered arrest and intimidation like me? Did I ever complain that I wasn’t given appointment? Why should somebody else complain? There has never been a Nigerian that loves the Igbo more than Gen Buhari.

How do you mean?

In 2003, Buhari picked a prominent and illustrious son of Igbo extraction, a number three citizen of the country, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, as a running mate. Was that not a big consideration? How many votes did they give Buhari? Zero. In 2007, Buhari picked another illustrious and distinguished son of the Igbo extraction, Chief Edwin Ume- Ezeoke, as his running mate. In the whole of his village, Buhari scored only three votes. If I don’t like you, why should I like anything that comes from your hands? If Buhari doesn’t like them, don’t you think he should flush those heads of parastatals and agencies of Federal Government who are from those zones and give those who supported him? He got the highest votes from Yobe State. Yet, he appointed nobody from Yobe to head any parastatal. What do you expect the Yobe people to say? Should they go and jump into the Atlantic Ocean?

They also have the right to agitate.

That is because of democracy. In Zamfara State, Buhari scored 94 percent of total vote cast. He didn’t appoint one person apart from the minister allowed by the constitution.

If we want to build a country, we should throw away primordial sentiments, hate and spite and begin to look at every Nigerian as one of us or else we will never move forward. We should build a country where we will be our brothers’ keepers.

Would you then agree with those who are agitating for a restructuring of the country as a way of addressing the recurring issue of marginalization?

Nobody has defined restructuring for me to understand. I was in the constituent assembly of 1988 and the constitutional conference of 1994 and 2015, there is no Nigerian who has defined the word restructuring. Everybody is only talking of restructuring in line with his own interest. Nobody has convinced me of the need for a restructuring of the country. If there is anybody who believes in restructuring, please call a national debate and promote that debate nationally and internationally for me and him to challenge each other. Whether the man is a professor or student of history, I am ready to face him.

The restructuring people are actually talking about is such that will make the constituent part more independent and more functional. Don’t you think there is a need to reconfigure the present system?

Let me tell you, most of those clamouring for restructuring are looking for attention. They want to be noticed by Nigerians and by government. They have no point. And if there is anyone who has a point, write it boldly that Buba Galadima is challenging him to a television debate.

With the present configuration, are you saying that the local government, for instance, is performing its statutory functions to your satisfaction? Or you think the states are viable enough to promote competitive development the way it existed when Nigeria was operating regional arrangement?

Of all those who are talking of restructuring, nobody wants regional arrangement.

The most contiguous part of Nigeria is South-east. They are one people with small differences. Francis Akanu Ibiam, was one of the most prominent sons of the Igboland.

He was a governor of former eastern region. For him, restructuring means the downtrodden people of Ebonyi State must be given a state of their own. He lived all his life fighting for the creation of Ebonyi State.

And I want to tell you that as I speak to you now, no Ebonyi man or Abia man will want to come back under the weight of the Anambra people. If you ask them to become one region, they will never agree to that. Let alone you go and ask an Ibibio man or Efik man or Kalabari man, or Edo man, to be part of former Eastern region. If you start to do that, you are looking for trouble.

No indigenous Lagos man that will agree to go back to the former western region. If there is plebiscite tomorrow on whether the whole of western region should become one, I want to tell you that Lagos will say no. Edo State will say no to coming back to the former western region.

The issue of local government is the issue of overbearing of the governors. Everybody wants local government to be independent of the states and be given their allocation to manage their affairs. But up till tomorrow, people are agitating for new states; people are agitating for new local governments. So, the issue of restructuring and regionalism are elite phenomenon.

When people are not under consideration, they want to make noise to be heard. They have no means of livelihood except to make noise to be noticed or given appointment.

So, those agitating for restructuring are political jobbers?

Yes, they are. They have no means of livelihood. That is the only means

by which they can be noticed.

How would you also describe those agitating for Biafra or the Niger Delta people clamouring for self determination?

There is nobody who wants Biafra. My best friends are Igbo people. They even give me means of livelihood.

Nobody is asking for Biafra; they are being used by political jobbers who want to be called to negotiate so that they make money.

If there is plebiscite, 90 percent of them will vote to remain in Nigeria. Igbo need Nigeria more than any other group.

But you know, in Nigeria, you agitate so that you get more than your fair share. That is what they are doing.

What about the South- south people who want self determination for their region?

They are only talking about resource control. They are not agitating for self independence.

How can they live together? The militants agitating for self determination are miscreants, criminals. They don’t speak for the people. Many of those making noise have no job and they don’t want to sweat.

Fulani Herdsmen are today seen in some part of Nigeria as a threat to national unity. Yet there is this feeling that Buhari is soft on them. What’s your take on this?

There is no evidence that Buhari is soft on the Fulani herdsmen because they are his tribesmen. The press just wanted to destroy him and he has nobody to speak on his behalf to convince you guys. When he ordered a crackdown on the so- called miscreants that you people in the media tagged herdsmen, I don’t believe there was any Fulani man that was caught. How many thousands of people were killed in the last five years in Zamfara who are 70 to 80 percent of people of Fulani extraction?

By the so-called miscreants?

Of course. So, you don’t know that thousands of people were killed by miscreants in the last five years? You don’t know how they sacked villages and abducted their women and their children? They sacked a whole local government and carried away their cattle.

Are you referring to cattle rustlers?

What do you call those who attacked villages in Aniocha, Enugu or Benue and killed their children? Or you believe they were Fulani?

Of course, as much as they rear cattle.

Did you see any cattle near the community they attacked? Do you believe a Fulani man can abandon 200 or 300 cows after sacking a community? Do you know how much a cow costs?

YUNGLURD:
see him gworo teeth.....meanwhile

What is Gobe?Gobe is wen someone stake game lastweekned,11odds, i.e celta vigo, with 5k, he nkum say make him join madrid dere, 1.10dats gobe,,,,gud nite

You'd think with all that money he would have better dental care!

The Transcorps Boys Club strike again!

He shouldn't have left APGA. He says he was unwanted but even still he should have fought to stay.

To quote BBD "never trust a big butt and a smile. That girl is poisonnnnn."

EZIOKWU!

MRSALT:
What is there to summarize? Old story, Tinubu camp broke away from Presidency camp. This story of face off and fall apart started in 1960s. This is a clear evidence of a failure of a nation to learn from history to starting asking 'what is there for the future of my nation'? instead of 'what is there for me and my cabals'? The most annoying aspect of this national embarrassment is that some ignorant youths will celebrate this national disaster because it is APC while other unitelligent ones will support eithet Tinubu or the presidency. It is quite unfortunate.

Well said.

sheyguy:
Most people can't understand the harsh truth you wrote up there.

Can't or won't? Nigerians aren't stupid. We are just at present allowing sentiment and politics of hate to cloud our better judgement. It's not rocket science what I've posted. But it gives too much credit to Buhari and puts responsibility on the militants. How every could they allow such a thing to occur? SO instead let's blame all mishaps on APC.

Did you stub your toe? Buhari! Drop your last chin chin? Tinubu! Get a flat tire? OSINBAJO! Burn your mouth with hot soup? You guessed it ATIKU! AMAECHI! FASHOLA! UTOMI! SARAKI! DOGARA! AHHHHH! See it's always their fault. I know it makes me feel much better.

I was told as a child "those who don't listen shall feel." Right now we have collectively chosen not to listen so we are feeling the pinch.

trapQ:
What kind of lie is this?

I suppose you know better than gov't officials. Since you have decided to come at me sideways I'll take some time and set you straight.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/osinbajo-niger-delta-militancy-caused-recession/163141.html

Udoma, who said inflation stood at 17.1 percent as at July 2016, put food inflation at 15.8 percent, adding that core inflation reached 16.9 percent in the same month.
“Oil sector contributes less than 9 percent of GDP but about 80 percent of government revenue and 95 percent of forex. With the collapse of crude oil prices from over $110 per barrel in 2014 to less than $30 per barrel in the first quarter of 2016, market expectations are that it’ll be lower for longer. Foreign reserves declined from $37.3bn in the second quarter 2014 to $25.4bn by August 2016 with reduced confidence, leading to declining equity and foreign investment capital inflow from $9.7bn by the end of the second quarter, 2014 to $0.64bn at the end of the second quarter in 2016,” he said.
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/osinbajo-niger-delta-militancy-caused-recession/163141.html#IwD2TbGrOv3OXdei.99

Any further questions?

Don't cheer when pipelines are bombed and then cry when our currency plummets. 8% of our gdp is oil but it is over 90% of our forex. This is what happens when the oil stops flowing. They wanted to cripple the economy well congrats to the morons in the creek. They have succeeded in killing thousands of black people by virtue of their actions.

Now if INEC ruled it inconclusive they'd be called clueless. When a candidate behaves like a tout what will the thugs do? I'm just proud no one died.

That's terrible!

Stunting out the sunroof like 2pac! Enjoy tonight! But biko deliver on your promises. We are watching.

EastGold:
Dem don dey make another promise again.


How much is a dollar in parallel market today?

It closed at 480 but sank to 490 something at its lowest. The men in the creeks have really done us in. If they would stop blowing pipelines things could get better but they have insisted on making all of us suffer in the name of their unholy war. But no worries it is well.

faithugo64:
2010 = original, beautiful (see as she resemble Martha,the Ghanian actress)


2016 = fake, ugly


2020 = ghost, multiple colours (yellow nose,brown cheeks,green hands,black legs e.t.c)


NB: you are beautiful just the way you are!!!

TELL 'EM!

This is good news!

Then people will complain about the exchange rate.

If he can create 1 million jobs then I am convinced if voted in I would have all of us driving Bentleys with chinchilla floor mats. This is madness!

After contacting my sources at the Name Checker Association FCT Branch, I am convinced the names belong to people from the Northern Axis. Will this be billed as a witch hunt or is this a justifiable case?

[img]http://3.bp..com/-wEwXylu-KEo/VeajBoY0-FI/AAAAAAACnoI/nLupPYuTSLg/s400/images%2B%25281%2529.jpeg[/img]

Egboga & Obiano are cooking up sumtin special!

CHAI! I gotta get a political godfather. Then I can become special assistant on video games and puff puff!

"Secret committee" and yet you know and now because you can't keep a secret a secret I know? I have a 3rd Niger Bridge I would like to sell you. AHAHAHAHAHAH!

solok:
Typical of your ilk; uncouth, abussive, doddgy!!
Address the issue raised!
Even if you don't have any cogent/concrete example for now, give instances/examples of how Yorubas are being consciously integrated in Igboland....how many have direct shop allocation from govt, how many are chairmen of CDA or landlord associations, how many CofO applications by Yoruba names have been granted in the last 10yrs?
Contextualise all these by checking them against similar accross Yorubaland - SouthWest.

Stop hiding behind your finger! We all see you!!

Your anger clouds your ability to reason. Where did I say any of what you typed is happening? I said this is a step towards causing those events to take place. Who hurt you?

Dat dere bride price will cause hypertension and poverty.

We are together as ever. Don't let Internet pissing contests fool you.

temptnow:
buhari say na war, he wan come fight. He will get it from all angles

It's too much! We need a timeout. We jump out of the pan into the fire each time. I just want some peace.

This year has been too action packed. As my uncle would say," O DI EGWU O!"

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari today foreclosed any chance for a referendum as a path to bring healing and closure to the vexing issue of Biafra. He made the statement during a media event in New York City at the end of his visit to the United States as the leader of Nigeria's delegation to the 71th United Nations' General Assembly.

The president stated that the choice left for Biafran activists is to form a political party that would advance their interest within the Nigerian democratic space.

The president’s advice to Biafrans activists came a day after commercial activities in some key cities in the South East, and South-South of Nigeria were grounded following a stay at home order from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB ). There were also protests in various cities around the world by Biafran activists demanding the release from prison of IPOB's leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

In recent past, the president had been dismissive of Biafran agitators as kids who did not see the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War. A few weeks ago, while speaking to Youth Corp members who visited him at his country home in Daura, the president pressed on them to ask their friends to forget Biafra.

Mr. Buhari also used the opportunity offered by the media event to outline the accomplishments of his trip to the General Assembly. He stated that Nigeria was well represented at various meetings held as part of the General Assembly. President Buhari talked about Nigeria's signing of the Paris Climate Change Accord and progress made at the Chad Basin conference. He announced that the US and the UK pledged over $300 million dollars to support the efforts of his government.

Media personnel at the event were disappointed that the president was not going to take questions from the media despite the event being tagged a press conference. At the insistence of SaharaTV's Adeola Fayehun, the president reconsidered the position and took just three questions. He also granted a ten-minute interview to the Hausa Service of the Voice of America.

Accompanying the president to the event were the governors of Lagos and Zamfara states. Other government officials present were ministers of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence, Internal Affairs and other top government officials.

Buhari departed New York for Abuja after the press conference.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/09/24/no-referendum-biafra-president-buhari

Legends never die. Long live Okadigbo!