₦airaland Forum

Written by Ben Atonko & Toryila Kajo in Makurdi Sunday, 31 July 2011 00:00

The Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal last Monday fled Makurdi citing security concerns. This is not the first time. Former head of the panel had also run away with complaint of threat to her life. Now, it is not certain whether the tribunal will resume its sitting in Makurdi this week even as it is fast running out of time.

Section 285 (2) of the 1999 constitution states: “There shall be established in each state of the federation one or more election tribunals to be known as the Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Tribunals which shall, to the exclusion of any court or tribunal have original jurisdiction to hear and determine petitions as to whether any person has validly been elected to the office, ” This constitutional provision is likely to be violated in Benue State because of vested interests.

How it started

After the April 2011 general elections, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) alleged that the elections were marred by different kinds of malpractices. It took its grievances to the legally constituted body known as the Benue State Election Petition Tribunal.

In Benue State, there are three panels: the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal and the House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal. While the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal handles only the governorship election petitions, the National and House of Assembly Petition Tribunals handle the Senatorial, House of Representatives and the House of Assembly petitions. Altogether, there are 38 petitions before the panels in Benue State.

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal is the one with the biggest trouble. It has two petitions before it: one filed by Prof Steven Ugba of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) against Governor Gabriel Suswam of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and another filed by Prof Daniel Saror of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) against Suswam.

Trouble started with the first chairman of the tribunal, Justice Daisy Okocha. It was said that she parked her car and some persons quietly went behind her and deflated the four tyres. She packed her luggage and left.

Then Justice Munir Ladan was sent to succeed her. Ladan started on a bright note. He commenced rulings. He delivered the first ruling in the application by Suswam that Ugba’s petition be dismissed for lack of merit. The motion was taken and the tribunal dismissed the motion -- the petition was sustained.

The second motion was filed by Ugba who contended that Suswam’s reply to his petition was out of time, for which reason the tribunal should hold that Suswam had no defence. The tribunal dismissed the application. This is the point where things turned knotty for Ladan.

The tribunal chairman announced last Monday in the open court that they were under threat of death, and that they were going to Abuja to report to the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Ayo Salami. Before this, the two governorship petitions were adjourned till 3rd (Saror’s) and 4th (Ugba’s) August.

The issue hanging now is whether the tribunal will come back to sit in Makurdi or relocate to somewhere else.


Benue people’s role

A PDP stalwart in Benue State who once represented the state in the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Chief Abu King Shuluwa exonerated the Benue people from blame, saying the tribunal is only interested in giving the Benue people a bad name.

He described the tribunal as being either incompetent to handle the petitions or it has compromised its competence. “If I’m made chairman of this tribunal, I’ll sit under a tree and pass my judgment and heavens will not fall. Cases of armed robbery and murder which carry death penalty have been disposed here, yet nothing happened,” he said. He wondered where the threat would have come from because in the last sitting, all roads leading to the court were cordoned off and only those who had business in the court’s proceedings were allowed in.

According to Shuluwa, cases of judges receiving threat text messages are not new, so the judges should bend down and work, pointing at the Niger Delta as a place where bombs were constantly detonated but judicial workers still did their work.

Citing the tribunal’s failure to carry on with its work, Shuluwa said this is one of the examples of Nigeria’s failure to implement constitutional provisions. He maintained that Benue people want to know the truth of what happened in the general elections for the sake of prosperity and democracy.

Minister of communications during the Shehu Shagari-led administration, Chief Isaac Shaahu who said election rigging is at the centre of all the crises maintained that his people value democratic values and so will not brook election rigging.

He said rigging set in when his generation quit the scene for the younger people. Shaahu believes that the April elections were massively rigged because, “If you go round Benue State, you will see the sign of the broom everywhere and you hear small children, three years, four years chanting Change, Change; why did we want a change? Because we were tired of the government and wanted a new democratic government. That is why you find the broom everywhere.”

He said he had asked why judges are raising alarm but nobody has given him the answer. He accused Suswam of being overbearing. He charged the judges to surround themselves with security men and pass their judgment, saying Benue people are peace-loving and will not deliberately do anything that will negatively impact on the tribunal.

He said Saror disappointed the people in 2007 when he abruptly dropped his case against Suswam. Suswam was similarly dragged before the tribunal in 2007 but the petitioner withdrew the case. Saror had repeatedly told his party supporters that it was the Tor Tiv, Dr Alfred Akawe Torkula that prevailed upon him to withdraw his petition. The same Saror told the court that he lacked the needed funds to prosecute the case.

The Benue State Commissioner for Information, Mr Conrad Wergba said government has not received any formal complaint from the tribunal. According to him, government has provided adequate security for the judges both in their places of rest and work, and that security is so tight that those who have no business in the court have difficulty getting there.

He accused the ACN of being behind the crisis. He said government has called on security agencies to investigate the claims, adding that government is prepared to redouble efforts to give the tribunal maximum security.

Should the panel fail to deliver judgment within the expected time, he concluded, Suswam will remain in power because it is no fault of his.

Former Special Assistant to Governor Suswam on Public Utility, Mr Gaddafi Asemanya told our reporter that the high wire politics and tension generated over the general elections is as a result of idleness on the part of the young persons and the opposition’s do-or-die syndrome. He charged parents to guard their children. He called on youths to take advantage of the numerous employment opportunities presented by the Suswam government to get themselves employed and eschew bitterness.

Barrister Andrew Wombo, a Makurdi-based private legal practitioner maintained that if the allegation by the tribunal is true, it cannot have come from ACN because as circumstances clearly show, the ACN has no any other place to lodge its complaints other than before the tribunal. He expressed, “Common sense will suggest that if you have a problem, you take it to somebody for arbitration, there is no reason you make it impossible for the arbitrator to listen your complaint.”

He said lawyers have given their clients hope that justice will be done and these lawyers have not had cause to complain because they have prepared their cases, evidence are set and they are ready to prosecute their petitions. According to Wombo, opposition has no reason to cause delays. He said the lawyers are not unconscious of the fact that the time of hearing the petitions is limited.

He acknowledged that lawyers have issues with the tribunal’s registry. “The registry has been so porous,” he stressed. He said wherever the tribunal decides to sit, it would not matter so far as justice will be done.

He said it is not only the judges that are being threatened. He showed our reporter a text message sent to his cellular phone on 1st June 2011 from an unknown phone number (+234 706 260 0546). It tersely read: “Barr. You are going to face an imminent danger.”

A civil servant in the employ of the Benue State University who did not want his name here said any time judges sit and the facts of the election crisis are presented to them, they, government officials become apprehensive.

According to the civil servant, this case is unique and because of that, the governor is not at ease. He stated, “The governor finds it difficult to stay [in Benue State] because he is not with the people. Right now as we speak, he is nowhere to be found in this state. Formerly, people’s will would be subverted and nothing would happen. But now, it is no more, Things have become so bad. The Tor Tiv has equally failed to calm frayed nerves, ”


The trouble with the registry

When Sunday Trust visited the tribunal’s venue last week, lawyers were there making complaints. Mainly, they complained about non-service of processes filed by parties. Already, the secretary and some clerks in the registry have been changed. Erstwhile secretary, Mr Abdullahi Bello has been replaced by Mr Hassan Suleiman Amida. It is said that things have been so untidy that even files or some documents in the files are often misplaced.



‘We will be the losers’

Benue State Chairman of ACN, Comrade Abba Yaro has already issued a statement saying his party has no hand in the shenanigans. The Deputy Director General of Prof Steve Ugba Campaign Organisation, Mr Onov Tyuulugh also explained that ACN will never do anything injurious to the tribunal members. “We are the ones seeking justice so we are more interested in providing very conducive atmosphere for the tribunal to hear our case. We will be the loser if the tribunal does not listen to this petition so we have no reason whatsoever to disturb the tribunal’s sitting. PDP will be the beneficiary if after 180 days this tribunal is unable to deliver judgment and that is one of the angles they are working at. They are seeking all dimensions and possibilities trying to elongate the tenure of the tribunal so it does not deliver judgment in 180 days and once judgment is not delivered in 180 days, the petition abates.



Judges crying wolf

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Alaribe Ejike noted that the judges are crying wolf. According him, the Benue State Police Command has always deployed all relevant men and equipment at its disposal to protect the judges. He said even on their way to work, the police are always by their side stressing that it is not just junior men but officers are deployed to guard the judges. He acknowledged that the tribunal members had lodged a complaint but police authorities had assured them of adequate security.

Obviously, actions by some persons may have given the panel members cause to worry. On the eve of the last sitting, the governor’s elder brother, Mr Terkura Suswam had placed announcement on the local radio, repeatedly calling on local council chairmen to mobilise party supporters to come to court and match ACN supporters who always turn out in huge numbers. The Commissioner for Information acknowledged this. He however maintained that the governor’s brother’s action was right because he is not holding any official position in government.

Efforts to hear from the Tor Tiv failed. When our reporter visited his palace, he was simply turned back at the entrance with the explanation that he was not present. Many have pointed accusing finger at the Tor Tiv saying he has been supporting the governor in the governor’s undemocratic moves to muzzle the opposition.

Now, Benue people are yet to unravel the puzzle: who is behind the threat on the tribunal? They are also anxiously waiting to know where the tribunal will sit in the next three days.


Emergence by crooked means

Suswam’s controversial emergence as governor in 2007 started at Aper Aku township stadium Makurdi at PDP primaries when he could not secure the mandatory majority votes to defeat 18 others. Following this development, the then governor, now Minority Leader in the Senate, George Akume lobbied his deputy, Prince Ogiri Ajene who was also in the race along side the then Deputy Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Ragh Igbago who each donated their votes that made up Suswam’s shortfall. Suswam was eventually declared PDP flagbearer.

After the election, his main challenger then, Saror of the ANPP dragged him to the election petition citing irregularities in the polls. Midway, Saror dropped the case giving Suswam his respite.

This time, the ACN has vowed never to look back and the battle keeps getting hot and interesting. Where this will take Benue People to is what nobody can say now

*Professor Steve Davis T. Ugbah:* They Call Him *Uncle*



Angbianev:



Some who read this note may say it is uncharacteristic of me – “Ankiki” J. Uvah – I will be the first to say that I couldn’t agree more. However, I feel a sense of duty to let all who care to listen, especially you, my brethren on Tivnet, to take a peek into what I know about the man they call *Uncle*. Why would this be important to you or I? The State of Benue, we all agree, needs leadership with a clear vision and a deep sense of direction so that the strides we make, small as they may be at a time, will continue to point us in the right direction. My utterances here today are personal, no doubt, but they are based on my knowing this gentleman from adolescence since 1969, and associating with him from that point to this day on a continuing basis. Moreover, if anyone has any information, public or private, that negates anything contained herein, it will be a disservice of monumental proportions to sit still while people with no iota of fact fabricate and conjecture so as to mislead a people in dire need of good

leadership. I am referring to none other than Steve Davis T. Ugbah.



*A Brief History*

Having met Steve in rather usual circumstances . . . as he was seeking to know what students did in Makurdi while on holidays and was directed to inquire from me. We became friends instantly due to the ease with which he could relate to me. Three years later, I enrolled at Mt. St. Michael’s Aliade for the H.Sc., where Steve was in his ultimate year of his o’levels. Of course, unlike his other brilliant classmates who ran off to H.Sc., Steve took a break from school to help his uncle establish some community-based endeavors. He later headed off to the U.S. for the bachelor’s degree after which he returned to Nigeria only to be based in Jos. At this time, I was teaching at UniJos alongside my former classmate and childhood friend, Christopher Demenongu I. Ayu, known to me as “Antse”. We three *hung-out*together for a few years before I left Jos by 1980 for further studies. Out here in the U.S., Steve was to follow within a few years and we grew even closer and continued to meet and talk, and talk and do things together. In the second half of the 1980’s when Steve frequented my aboard, my children came to believe that they had one *Uncle* . . . and many other uncles. Some

of you may now know why in my house, you are Uncle James, Uncle Ty, Uncle Dimah, Uncle Emmanuel . . . there is only one *Uncle. * His other name is Steve Davis T. Ugbah.



*So, Who Is Uncle Steve?*



I know Steve as a sincere, thoughtful, caring, and God-fearing person of impeccable integrity. In spite of an exposed and relatively privileged life, Steve has remained very humble. He has consistently fought for the underdog, for social justice and equity. Armed with the ability to think clearly and communicate ideas succinctly, he has a knack for identifying and addressing

the imbalance in opportunities that persist in the society wherever he has found himself. I must hazard an excerpt from a draft letter of recommendation here (need I also tell you who wrote it?):



“. . . as a student, Steve was transparently conscientious, overly diligent, unusually focused, and self-motivated. From his days as a youth, his idea of a worthy career was dominated by the notion of “service to the people” and that has remained a fixture to this day. While not ignoring the good things in life, he has maintained that a life is worth only as much as it is used

for the betterment of many others, especially the down-trodden. This is evident in his choice of services …”, to wit, services:



· to his University, the California State University at Hayward (in such endeavors as weekend visits to impossible neighborhoods to recruit, retain, and graduate students from low-income families, for instance);



· to his community in the San Francisco Bay Area (such as utilizing the expertise from his company, *ComFax Consulting*, to provide free or discount fee grant-writing services for non-profit organizations that serve underrepresented groups to include gay/lesbian groups), etc.;



· to his Tivland community, such as evacuating the law library of retiring professionals and funding the shipment to BSU Law when they needed accreditation; or shipping books to a young Mkar University and influencing MOUs between Mkar University and the Cal-STate system, the largest system in the United States . . . so they can instantly be put on the world stage. “



· too many tangibles to enumerate, tangibles that have the SSI (Scope, Size, Impact).



In my numerous engagements with Steve, failure to achieve our desired results has never been a result of lack of a sincere and spirited effort. The Steve I know combines a generously endowed native ability with purposefully acquired skills, to perform at very high levels. I am particularly impressed with his ability to analyze a complex problem, see the big picture, and

proffer solutions that appear to be simple and are easy to understand when, in fact, such solutions are anchored on deep and sound logical pivots. It is the clarity of vision that permits Steve to express himself to various audiences in a manner that they each understood. When faced with serious challenges, Steve is often known to calmly say “ka abu u kiliki”, or “it’s a piece of cake” and the like, with a straight face, only so as to settle rattled and excited minds so he can think straight and solve their problem.



Even though Steve is a fierce competitor, his peace-loving personality shuns ill-gotten victory. His gentility coupled with extreme humility leave some the impression of one who is laid back. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you wish to see an animated and engaged Steve, bring up any aspect of societal development and you will see the clarity of thought, the lion

beneath the sheep skin, a can-do person whose diction is divorced from “cannot”. In spite of a sharp intellect, Steve’s carriage is marked by a willingness to accommodate divergent views on a topic even when he is the expert in the group. I once asked why he has such patience, to which he answered “if you don’t listen to all, you may not have the chance to implement the best of ideas”. This unassuming deportment has fared Steve very well among groups. It is a fact that out here in the U.S., it will be difficult to find a Tiv person who has fallen out with Steve even temporarily, a claim that none of us who engages (as he does) can safely make.



In my 42 years of dealing with Steve rather closely in a plethora of settings, I have found him to be man of his word, - pragmatic and practical-with the strength of character that could only be spelt with the word INTEGRITY. Case in point, when Steve decided to run for the exalted office in Benue State, I told him that I must suspend his role as Tivnet Administrator, a role from which I have benefitted immensely. He calmly asked if I had opened the attachment that he had sent me earlier that day excusing himself from Tivnet operations! I leave you to wonder why it did not cross his mind to use this medium that he helped to create, to jumpstart

his campaign. He is yet to complain that some are fast gaining notoriety on the same medium to recreate him in their likeness.



I have read so much falsehood that I began to wonder if the person being referred to in the political terrain was a different Steve. I believe most sincerely that Benue State needs leadership that:

· Is visionary . . . in my book, this is Steve’s middle name. It is only illuminated when it should be used.

· Remains inclusive. While very resourceful, Steve is always willing to listen to others.

· Can think outside the box. This is where Steve’s ingenuity and ability to assemble very able hands will come in handy.

· Consultative, delegative, but with hands-on supervision. He professes this.

· Is committed to very high ideals. Where else could one best learn this than to PHYSICALLY live it to know it in Silicon Valley, California.

· Accountable to the people being served. Persons with integrity have no problem with accountability.



*A Recommendation*

In sum, I wish to inform the good people of Benue State that the Steve I know has a conscience, is a man of his words and is very reliable. He builds relationships that last a lifetime (I’ve seen over the years that he keeps tab of friends he made as a kid). A very confident technocrat and tactician, Steve possesses one quality that stands tall among the many competing traits – Independence! Steve is a man of his own who is NEVER drawn into anything

by others unless he believes in it. From this distance, I see that he is beating the bushes in harsh tropical weather to earn the people’s confidence, rather than waiting to be wheel-barrowed to a GHM. The State of Benue will be blessed to have this asset, Professor Steve D. T. Ugbah, as perhaps the first *servant* Governor. While wishing his opponents well, I

must warn that they have a big *battle *on their hands if the debate is about futuristic but practical ideas, for not only is this gentleman a compendium of those, he is most comfortable standing on the shoulders of many giants. He will not be a tall timber in a forest of dwarfs.



Having stayed in the U.S. for a cumulative of over 3 decades, Steve has had many pleasant experiences that some in the U.S. only dream about. He will adapt methods of which he has had the fortune of consulting about professionally, to develop Benue into a Middle Belt California of sorts. He knows a thing or two about building consensus. Governing a state is not a one-man endeavor as has been fashioned to be in recent times. Steve is most comfortable in his skin, so I envision that he will assemble a high performing team without the fear of being overshadowed by the brilliance ofothers, an idea that Benue has not seen a quite a while.



I, Jossy Uvah, therefore recommend him to the people of Benue State without any reservations whatsoever. At the end of his tenure, I invite all to return to this mundane note, line by line. I guarantee that your red pen will “check”, “check” and “check”.



*Now, a word to my good friend, Steve D. T. Ugbah*:

I know you’d be embarrassed with my comments here, limited as they are. I can only remind you of your words: “speaking the truth as I know it is the one speech that is worthy of uttering.” If I, who know you well, cannot vouch for you, who could. As you seek to serve your people in the current muddy waters where fact and fiction comingle unabated, please remain true to whom I have known you to be these 42 years. Keep it clean, my friend, keep

it clean. I have never known you to be in the gutter and cannot see you there no matter the stakes. Just win one for me!



Jossy Uvah, Ph.D

Professor of Applied Mathematics

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, FL 32514

CHANGE HAS COME TO BENUE



Being a speech of the Governorship Candidate at the People’s Campaign Flag-off by ACN for the April General Elections in Benue State.



By



Professor Steve Torkuma Ugbah



Protocol

1. Let me begin by saying thank you to all who have travelled from, far and wide to grace this occasion which will go down in the annals of history of Benue State, as the day, the people of Benue have decided to take their destinies into their hands in order to secure their own future and that of the children yet unborn. We all made this journey for a reason. I am deeply humbled by your presence, but in my heart I know you did not just come here for me, you came here because you believe in what this state can be. In the face of despair, you believe there can be hope.



2. My good people of Benue State, as you all know,2011, the year that you longed for, the year that you prayed for, the year that you waited patiently for is here with us. It is the year in the democratic sequence that gives us the opportunity to assess our leaders, assess our governments, and demonstrate through the ballot box that power truly belongs to the people.



3. Power belongs to the people. As you vote leaders into positions this year, you have the power to either vote them out or re-elect them come 2015.Your vote is your power that is why power belongs to the people. When you cast your vote conscientiously, it attests to whether you agree that you have been led well, and whether you have been represented well in the past four years. Wehave a duty and a responsibility to our children to make this assessment very honestly. After the honest assessment you can withdraw the mandate you gave or revalidate it.



4. My dear people of Benue State, we have to ask ourselves these questions. In the past four years, has government implemented policies that have improved your agricultural yields? Have you got fertilizer and other inputs? Why is there so much hunger on your faces? Is the food basket empty? Were you able to access good medical facilities and could you afford it? Were teachers taken good care of, so that they had the comfort to train our children properly? Why were our University lecturers on strike for so long? The little stipend that is paid to students by way of scholarship, was it paid as at when due? Have we thought that the stipend is grossly inadequate and we have overburdened the parents? As parents, did you find it easy to register your children for Exams such as NECO, WAEC and JAMB? Why has so much money been released from the federation account to the local governments, and yet nothing in terms of development has reached our rural areas? Why? Why? The questions are many and bother on our lives, and on the responsibility of Government. I know that most Benue people will answer these questions without a resounding NO!.



5. This means that there is need for change. Positive change needs to come to Benue. We need a change that will address the issues of our collective welfare. We cannot continue to be the food basket of the nation and die of hunger. Benue state is a land of promise. God has blessed us with material, human, spiritual and cultural resources that can be the basis for building a prosperous and sustainable state. We need change because we cannot afford to allow these potentials to waste.



6. The desire of the Benue electorate to effect change in the state has not been met by genuine aspiration. Unbelievably, up to this moment, only a few have come out to formally declare their interest to contest for the governorship of the state. This scenario is quite unusual. Benue people have been intimidated to a state of unusual fear that is not in the character of its courageous citizenry. This apathy is not unconnected with the rumored capacity perfected by the incumbent government to intimidate and harass interested qualified people to keep off the race.



7. My dear people of Benue State, ladies and gentlemen of the Press, history is replete with all these tactics. These cannot postpone the judgment of the people. I have taken time to reflect on the situation and consulted widely with the people and I have decided to brave the situation and rise up to this challenge. Honestly, my life will be meaningless, if I sit idly and watch Benue State and the labour of our heroes past, Chief Dr. Senator Joseph SaawuanTarka, Chief J. C. Obande, Mr. ApollosAperAku, all of blessed memories, end up in vain. I prefer to die a brave man fighting to emancipate my people than to live in our collective cowardice. Why for heaven’s sake will everybody know that something is wrong yet nobody is ready to speak out?



8. I am aware of the enormity of desperate moves that will be employed to frustrate this mission. I am consoled by the undying words of Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim:

“If they do not succeed by false propaganda, by calling us all sorts of names, if they fail to make us unpopular in order to win… they can arrange assassination. They can do it by poison or by setting our own people against us. They can go to any length”.



9. It is true that I was part of the process that produced the present administration. It is also true that, I have not lived in Nigeria for many years, but I have a family here and this is my state.

- Benue State does not belong to governments.

- Benue state does not belong to political parties.

- Benue state belongs to us, ordinary people.



I have remained in constant touch with the ordinary people of Benue. I know what goes on in Owukpa, Edumoga, Ugboju. I know the suffering in Adi Etulo, Kur, Agwabi, Ikpa – Mbatierev, Gwarche, Mkar. I have enough knowledge of the problems in Ugba, Anyiin, Sai, Ikowe, Gbeji, Abako, Kpor, Anshagba, Jato – Aka,Udeadeku, Ajio, Tsar, Kornya and everywhere.



10. The fundamental questions now begging for answers are: how do we get Benue out of the present level of penury? How do we revive our political culture to enable people have confidence in the system and cooperate, for the overall development of our state? I strongly believe we have the answers to these questions.



11. To actualize our vision for a greater Benue, my Administration has outlined five (5) critical areas of intervention which includes:

- Good governance

- Economic revitalization and job creation

- Accessible, quality health care

- Accessible, quality education

- Targeted Infrastructural development



12. We have all witnessed the complete strangulation of the Local Government system in the state through draconian enactments. In this law, local governments have been reduced to the status of pay points and places for siphoning funds meant for rural development by government officials. Local government chairmen have been given the status of pay masters and clerks responsible for doctoring records to cover up the looting.



13. When I am elected Governor, we will rescue the local governments in the state, and make them regain their pride as the third tier of government. I will grant autonomy to the local councils and make conditions favourable for Council Chairmen to embark on massive development of rural areas. I will also channel other programmes to the council to further improve the quality of life of rural dwellers.



14. Staff welfare will be given adequate priority by our administration. We shall implement the new salary structure proposed by the federal government as well as clear the backlog of salaries and allowances being owed civil servants in the state. We understand Teachers have not been paid their leave grants and others entitlements since the inception of the present administration. Our administration upon assumption of office, will urgently review and clear all that is due to the Teachers.



15. Pension is another area that will be properly addressed by our administration. How can someone after spending 35 years of meritorious service to the state, be denied his monthly pension and gratuity? A pension reform policy will be introduced by our administration in such a manner that, as you are disengaging from the civil service, your gratuity will be paid at the point of exit while you pension will start running immediately. Money will be made available to pay all outstanding pension arrears in the state.



16. Industrialization and modernized agricultural system are the ‘two legs’ upon which the Benue economy must stand if Benue is to be counted among states with viable economies. Accordingly, my government will set up agro – based and other relevant industries in every senatorial zone within the state. Thus, thousands of tons of oranges, mangoes, tomatoes, pepper, tubers of yams, rice etc. produced in the state will be channeled into these industries. Apart from absorbing the army of unemployed graduates within the state, these industries will attract millions of dollars through exports and billions of naira from Nigerian markets for our dear state. The moribund industries will be revived and privatized for efficiency.



17. I am very mindful of the fact that power and energy are critical variables affecting industrialization. Power supply in the state is simply grossly inadequate to service the industries envisaged above.



18. Our agricultural policy aims at modernizing agriculture through mechanization and introduction of improved variety of crops and livestock. Herbicides, pesticides, fertilizer and other farm inputs will be made available to farmers at the onset of the farming season, and at affordable rates. Silos, cold-rooms and other storage facilities will be installed at strategic places to improve the preservation of agricultural products. Agro- service centers which were conceived to play a critical role of facilitating rural agricultural revolution have all been abandoned. My government will revive, renovate and reposition them to provide extension and demonstration services to farmers at designated points across the state. Bearing in mind that the value of perishable crops like tomato, pepper etc. diminish during rainy season, but regain an astonishingly high value during the dry season, our administration will encourage serious irrigation farming. We shall encourage Benue farmers to organize cooperative societies where government shall give them irrigation machines for use in dry season. Fortunately, Benue state is blessed with major rivers and streams which flow all year round, such machines can be used effectively. Besides, we shall sink motorized boreholes in extremely dry places to avail farmers in such areas the opportunity of embarking on all - year - round farming.





19. Our health institutions will be given sufficient attention. This can be done through provision of modern equipment, supply of authentic drugs, construction and renovation of blocks in state owned general hospitals. Each local government will have a standard general hospital with quality health personnel. In consultation with College of Medical Sciences and other relevant bodies, we shall set up pharmaceutical companies that will manufacture quality drugs to service our hospitals and other healthcare centers across the state. Knowing that our Teaching Hospital is strategic in providing quality manpower to our numerous hospitals across the state, we shall hasten work and ensure its completion in the shortest possible time. We will take over the treatment of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening transmittable and non – transmittable diseases free of charge at our various general Hospitals across the state.



20. My good people of Benue State, we all know that quality education is an indispensable tool in achieving social economic development. It is therefore so disheartening that the present administration has completely abandoned the educational sector to deteriorate to a point of total collapse. Never in the history of Benue state have we experienced complete systematic collapse in education such as we are experiencing under this administration.



21. Let us be a generation that will reshape the Benue economy to compete in the 21st Century. Let us set high standards for our schools and give them the resources they need to succeed. Let us recruit a new army of teachers, give them better pay and more support in exchange for efficient and quality service delivery in terms of quality graduates. My government will take over the responsibility of registering all students in public secondary schools for both Junior and Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations in line with the ideology of the Action Congress of Nigeria. I will ensure that bursary allowances to students are reviewed upward to an appreciable level and paid on time. The culture of academic excellence through hard work and honesty will be inculcated in students. Very importantly, we shall require that all public officers must necessarily enroll their children and wards in public schools. What is good for the goose has to be good for the gander.



22. No responsible government can afford to produce and abandon graduates to roam the streets, for we know that such attitude will force them into crime as a way of earning a living. We shall device methods of taking statistics on the number of graduates Benue state turns out every year. This will enable us to provide employment opportunities and meaningfully engage them in other positive areas of livelihood. Our commitment to gainful employment will have the vulnerable groups particularly the youth and women as the main targets. We shall therefore bring to reality the small and medium scale industries that will engage our youths and women so as to enable them achieve economic empowerment and self reliance. Every single person willing to work should be able to get job training that leads to a job and earn a decent living.



23. My good people of Benue State, our greatest developmental challenge in Benue State remain Accelerated Rural Development. In spite of the fact that the present government has spent billions of naira supposedly on rural roads, our rural roads are still in extremely deplorable condition. In the last three years no meaningful program has been put in place for comprehensive rural development in the state. We intend to embark on massive construction of rural roads with a bid to opening up rural communities for development. Such rural roads will ease the process of marketing agricultural products by local farmers. In addition, we aim to reorganize the settlement pattern of the rural people into semi urban areas for easy provision of electricity and pipe borne water. This will lift the burden off the shoulders of the typical villager who lives at the borderline of animal existence without these amenities. This will also curb cases of waterborne diseases in rural communities as well as create an enabling environment for establishment of small scale businesses in rural areas to boost their economy.



24. Our government will embark on independent power generation. River Benue, solid waste, abundant sunlight, and silicon in the state constitute a great potential for alternative energy. I wish to assure you that all these are not empty promises; they are achievable projects. This is time for real business; this is the time for action.



25. In spite of the abysmal performance of this administration and despite the huge allocations collected from the Federation Account more than ever since the creation of the state in 1976, the debt profile of this administration is very astonishing and is still increasing. We have been committed to unreasonable debts without justification. One wonders why such financial recklessness! As at now, Benue State has been mortgaged for over twenty years to come. If you don’t rise up now and effect change, our Benue will have no future or there will be no Benue to deserve a future!



26. For far too long have we acted out the proverbial man who lives by the riverside but washes his hands with spittle! Up to this moment, no town in Benue State, including Makurdi the state capital, has a functional water works that is adequately catering for the water needs of its inhabitants. We will embark on water resource development and conservation for domestic, industrial and agricultural use. Water works in various places begging for completion will be completed within the shortest possible time. There will be water everywhere all the time.



27. All of us know what those challenges are today – a dependence on oil revenues that threatens our future, schools where too many children are not learning, and families struggling to have access to the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter and clothing despite working as hard as they can. We know the challenges. We have heard them. We have talked about them for years.



28. What has stopped us from meeting these challenges is not the absence of economic and human resources, sound policies and sensible plans. The major obstacle is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics-the ease with which we are distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions and our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of building a working consensus to tackle big problems.This is the gap I have come to fill. I believe that the experience of the past few years has made us all a lot more wiser; I am confident that we all realize that it is now time we subtract the mediocrity factor from our leadership equation. This however cannot be accomplished without your support. I hereby solicit your much needed support as I run for the governorship of Benue State in 2011 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.



29. My dear good people of Benue State, I have great faith in the promising future of our beloved state. Benue is richly endowed with natural and human resources worthy to be counted among the leading states in Nigeria. Perhaps, the only factor that is responsible for its backwardness is lack of focused, determined and visionary leadership.



30. Action Congress of Nigeria ACN is the party for now and the future. Nigerians are tired of the deceit and the dishonesty of the PDP. Nigerians who desire democracy cannot live under the autocratic rule of the PDP. The Peoples Democratic Party has lost confidence in the people. The founding fathers of the party have declared that the umbrella cannot provide the desired shade. They are leaving en masse; our own Sen. George Akume, Sen. IyorchiaAyu, Sen. JubrilAminu, Gen. BubaMarwa, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Chief Dr. Sen. OlusolaSaraki etc etc. Every citizen of conscience is picking the broom to sweep out the mess of the PDP. To sweep out the PDP mess in Benue is a task that must be done.



31. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom in Benue State.



Thank you so sincerely for coming and God bless.



Long live, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Long live, Benue State

Long live, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)





Prof Steve Torkuma Ugbah

March 3, 2011

BADMAN REMIX BY LA SALA STUDIO NEW YORK!!! LISTEN NOW!!!! ON www.myspace.com/modenine

Here is the full list of the winners of the second edition of the Soundcity Music Video Award.

Best Male Video
Naeto C – Kini Big Deal

Best Female Video
TY Bello – Ekundayo

Best Choreography
P-Square – Roll It

Best Special Effect Editing (Winner to be determined)
Dipp – Dangerous

Best Cinematography
Bigiano – Shayo

Best Hip Hop
Str8buttah – Last Standing

Best R&B or Pop Video
Darey – Not the girl

Best Duo/Group Video
P-Square – Roll It

Best Collaboration in a Music Video
Tuface Idibia ft. Sound Sultan – Enter The Place

Soundcity Viewers Choice
Bigiano – Shayo

Soundcity Fresh Video (Winner to be determined)
Steel – South African Girl

Discovery of the year
Kel – Waa Wa Alright

Hit Producer of the Year (as used in a music video)
“Suddenly” by D’banj (Don Jazzy)

African Video of the Year
340ML (Mozambique)

Best Video
Tuface – Enter The Place

Modenine of the Redeye Music has finished work on yet another track titled 'Loke' produced by Kraft featuring YQ and the lyrical OD. I am yet to get the link,

He also stated that the new album may not drop 090909 as earlier speculated and a new title is given for it.

Modenine of the Redeye Music has finished work on yet another track produced by Kraft featuring TQ and the lyrical OD. I am yet to get the link,

He also stated that the new album may not drop 090909 as earlier said and a new title is given for it.

There is this news making the rounds that naija's giant musical label is on the verge of signing two of its former artist (2Face Idibia and Edris Abdulkareem) who left Kennis at the end of their contracts and have both released atleast an album under their personal labels.

The hottest in the building are working on a collabo mixtape titled MIX gotten from Mi and mode IX.

This homeboy came up with a highly commercial rap album with tracks like 'celebrity', 'OK' 'Sip easy' Feat. 2Face, Braggin Right Feat. Blaise etc that won for him the hiphopworld 'Rap Artist of the Year' 2008.

He has been off the naija musical scene for some time, where is he now and what's up with the dude?

chasisgirl:
NO! except u do a tight video for modenine ft faze originality remix and modenine ft banky w talkin to u , and don't allow all those small boys to be using southafrican videos to win you. and upload some modenine songs for me

Thank God, I intended asking something about this; does Modenine has a track titled originality too or Faze featured Modenine on originality remix?

From Faze's facebook page;

Nigeria: Independent Entertainment will launch the third full-length studio album of Faze on October 4th at Planet One, Maryland. Lagos

The launch is tagged an "Originality Nite with Faze". Faze unleashes his ability and takes us back to where it all started. "The road to success is rough and narrow, but only a few can make it and I thank God I’m one of them” says he in his song "Story" off his upcoming album "Originality”. Faze has come a long way from the days of wondering where the next meal will come from to hopping unto the Okada "motorcycle" to singing about spending his money on his new album. The star’s success only gets better with hit records one after the other. He is an artist with longevity.

Originality Nite with Faze will take us back to the days of Platashun Boiz, Faze alone, Independent and to the new era, Originality. Faze is bringing his celebrity friends to share his success and celebrate as he enters another phase in his life. Stars like P-square, D-banj, 9ice, Timaya, Nonso Diobi, Tonto Dikeh, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde and more will be present at the launch party. There will be surprise performances by Nigerian top artist and also guest appearances by top dignitaries.

The Album is said to be the most highly anticipated new album of 2008 in Nigeria. Originality marks the artist's first new studio collection since the multi-platinum-selling Independent album released October 5th, 2006

Fans will get their first glimpse of the artist's new album with the simultaneous preview of six of the album's key tracks -- "Spend my money", "Dutty Whine", "Play ball", "Yawa", "I’m in love” and "Valentine" and also an exclusive preview of Faze's ground breaking hit “Originality” video --Spend my money is confirmed to be Faze's next single which is scheduled to hit radio waves on the 9th of October.

Faze recently shot a video worth over 10million naira on his international track "I’m in Love" in California, Los Angeles. USA. Due to popular demand for the song, Independent Entertainment will be pushing out the song to radio stations sooner than expected. I’m in love is evidence that the next Akon and the future of African music resides here in Festac, Lagos. Nigeria. His raspy and smooth vocals combined with his strong lyrics in his songs are a strong indication that Faze is up for a Grammy sooner than the World thinks and will become a mainstream International artist.

With all songs written and produced by Faze, the artist's third studio album is his most personal, reflective and revelatory collection to-date. Originality the album hits stores October 6th, 2008.

For more information on launch and album release
Contact:
Cornell Udofia
0803 303 2768
www.foreverfaze.com
info@foreverfaze.com

javalove:
coming back from where?

The Don has been in the US of A for some years now. It was when he left that 2Shotz had to pitch tent with Biglo and some other TrybesRecord artist went Solo too.

I stumbled over this in Facebook,, it's really nice to hear it anyway;

Start Time: Friday, September 26, 2008 at 10:00pm
End Time: Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 7:00am
Location: Club Octopus @ Studio 868
Street: plot 868 Bishop Aboyade Cole street, Victoria Island
City/Town: Lagos, Nigeria

I managed to create my account yesterday and is still on 'Additional Information' page. When I select my State from the list, the LGA option disapears completely, it luckily opened the other time and the district didn't open so, the page could not be updated. I slept in the cafe last night hoping the website will be less busy during the early hours of the day but, the problem continued all through.

I'm just confused!

The song is really nice, the chorus starts off like a church hyme.

It's giving me problems, the page hardly opens, most times it opens as a blank page.
Has anyone completed his/her registration yet, how did it happen?

A Muslim man in Egypt killed his wife because she was reading the Bible and then buried her with their infant baby and an 8-year old daughter. The girls were buried alive! He then reported to the police that an uncle killed the kids.
15 days later, another family member died. When they went to bury him, they found the 2 little girls under the sand - ALIVE!
The country is outraged over the incident, and the man will be executed.
The older girl was asked how she had survived and she says:- 'A man wearing shiny white clothes, with bleeding wounds in his hands, came every day to feed us. He woke up my mom so she could nurse my sister,' she said. She was interviewed on Egyptian national TV, by availed Muslim woman news anchor. She said on public TV, 'This was none other than Jesus, because nobody else does things like this!' Muslims believe Isa (Jesus) would do this, but the wounds mean He really was crucified, and it's clear also that He is alive! But, it's also clear that the child could not make up a story like this, and there is no way these children could have survived without a true miracle. Muslim leaders are going to have a hard time to figure out what to do with this, and the popularity of the Passion movie doesn't help! With Egypt at the center of the media and education in the Middle East , you can be sure this story will spread.
Christ is still turning the world upside down!

MODENINE is gonna be Rocking Singapore on the 14th of sept and Malaysia on the 18th of Sept , word!!!

Mode's Singapore album sampler!

The track is titled 'Lagos To Abuja'. It's a song by An Abuja based Benue born artist named 'Romeo 14' featuring 9ice, Pherowshuz, Ruggedman and Teddy King.

The track is already out in Romeo's album titled 'The Changed Man'.

Listen to new mode9 joint 'GREEN Passport' from his yet to be released album 'Chapter Nine' under his personal record label 'Redeye Music' on his myspace page www.myspace.com/modenine.

Baro:
sorry i can't buy a 3 track album even if na angels sing am. . . . will wait for the full album to drop before i get one.

Same feeling here bro, if the full album is going to come soon, why waste money on a promo CD I'm certain all the tracks will be on the full album?

Watch this spanking new Video from Modenine titled 'Hiphop', the first promotional single off his yet to be released album.

Follow the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksTGbQSH3PM

A passerby noticed an old lady sitting on her front step: “I couldn’t help noticing how happy you look! What is your secret for such a long, happy life?”

“I smoke 4 packs of cigarettes a day”, she said. “Before I go to bed, I smoke a nice big joint. From that, I drink a whole bottle of Jack Daniels every week, and eat only junk food. On weekends, I pop a huge number of pills and do no exercise at all.”0

“This is absolutely amazing at your age!!!!”, says the passerby. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-four”.

'Angelica' and 'Girl of my dreams' by Age Beeka

I always dream of dancing to this songs with my bride on that D day, I pray Age Beeka will still have the strength and skills then to sing the song live during the reception ceremony.

Tha Rapman and O.D are set to push out a joint album called "All Join". It's a 11-track album that features hot joints like "If I katch You", "Stunnaz On" and a lot of songs with banging beats produced by Tommy III fingaz, Pheroshuz, Jamix and Dr. Benstine.

A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the gem of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for office so he asked his wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. His wife, preoccupied in the kitchen totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle fascinated by its color and drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just five words.




[center]QUESTIONS :
1. What were the five words ?
2. What is the implication of this story?










ANSWER :
The husband just said "I am with you Darling"[/center]

The husband's totally unexpected reaction is a proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he had taken time to keep the bottle away, this would not have happened, No one is to be blamed. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her.

If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world. "A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step". Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears. And you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
This story is really worth reading. , Sometimes we spend time in asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship,
in a job or with the people we know. By this way we miss out something called L.I.F.E

I bought the www.jambites.org scratch cards for checking of result; though they are of two types, the one with 12 digits pin code and 10 digits serial number while the other has 14 digits pin code and 7 digits serial number.

Initially, it was the former that was effective on the site while the later showed invalid pin number but, since I was advised that while using the later, to use the first 12 digits of the pin code and add three zeros before the serial number, the website www.jambites.org is not accessible completely.

I don't know if someone else is experiencing the same situation, what should I do?

LOVE HAS NO LIMIT, ,



While Dad was polishing his new car,

his 4 yr old son picked stone & scratched lines on the side of the car.


In his anger, Dad took the child's hand & hit it many times, not

realizing he was using a wrench.


At the hospital, his child said "Dad when will my fingers grow back?"

Dad was so hurt.


He went back to car and kicked it a lot of times.


Sitting back he looked at the scratches, child wrote "I LOVE YOU DAD"



Anger and Love has no limits,

O girl as I the see you waka, everybody the look your baka, them the wonder how the go fit to touch your something ,

for shizo, this is a club banger, I'm feeling it right now that I'm writing this reply.

[center]Why are you crying, a young boy asked his Mom?
"Because I'm a woman," she told him.
"I don't understand," he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said,
"And you never will, but that's O.K.",
Later the little boy asked his father,
"Why does Mom seem to cry for no reason?".
"All women cry for no reason," was all his Dad could say,
The little boy grew up and became a man,
still wondering why women cry.
Finally he put in a call to God and when God got back to him, he asked "God, why do women cry so easily?"
GOD answered,
"When I made woman,
I decided she had to be special.
I made her shoulders
strong enough to carry
the weight of the world, yet,
made her arms gentle enough to give comfort,
I gave her the inner strength
to endure childbirth
and the rejection
that many times will come
even from her own children.
I gave her a hardness
that allows her
to keep going and take care
of her family and friends,
even when everyone else gives up, through sickness and fatigue without
complaining,
I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all
circumstances. Even when her child has hurt her badly,
She has the very special power to make a child's boo-boo feel better and
to quell a teenager's anxieties and fears,
I gave her strength to care for her husband, despite faults
and I fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart,
I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but
sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him
unfalteringly,
For all of this hard work,
I also gave her a tear to shed.
It is hers to use
whenever needed and !
it is her only weakness,
When you see her cry,
tell her how much you love her, and all she does for everyone, and even though
she may still cry, you will have made her heart feel good.

She is special![/center]