₦airaland Forum

initiate:
you guys she stop glorifying ribadu. he is nothing but a complete arsehole.

beavers007:
Nice pictures dblock!
There's another cool project happening in Nigeria.The new terminal of the domestic wing Murtala Muhammad airport.I herad it's kool!
Any pics?

babasin:
@Mariory,

exactly. If this attitude of Tinapa; then we should anyone come to spend their hard earned money

You are right, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia all belong to same classe of unsafe air.

MAMAJAMA:
I don't know about that, I can list 4 commissioners of police that are performing above expectation. what do you say to people like ALOBI the FCT police boss who senior Ribadu in all aspect of the force. can you convice a guy like that or boost his moral to be loyal to his junior? The promotion in my opinion is unjust and I wish Ribadu the best of luck.

babasin:
@9ja4eva,
Wrong again. Plane crash everywhere but it crash most in Nigeria, Russia. So your chances of dying by plane crash is high in those countries.

Also plane don't just drop from Sky. It combination of skills, training, maintenance.

For your delight, another close one just in two days:

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=75383

Axiomlogic:
Atiku Abubakar,So much has been said about this man and in all fairness to him,Today's Judgement is in his best interest.A man must must come to terms with equity.
Here is a man the FBI investigated for corrupt enrichment ,the investigation streached to PTDF as we now know it.
The 1st senate panel that investigated him after the OJO panel found him guilty,
The 2nd senate panel ( REVIEW PANEL) also found him guilty
The EFCC found him guilty also
5 times he was found guilty

Agboola1:
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! this clear case of manipulation, i see ojoro in this, haba baba Iyabo Y now? i do not see why thje electorate are not allowed to decide for themselves. Haba kai! this is not right. if you guys actually follow the story from the begining you will know that this a sudden twist influenced arbitrarily by FG.why will somebody win over seven cases and end up loosing at the tail end. this is a shame on our judiciary that has gained hude glory in the recent past. na wa o. if theres nothing behind it why not allow atiku to run? Atiku running does mean his eventual victory now, Haba! but note that dirty mouth does not say clean thing. i think its a beauty democracy has offered so far. no problem. Be vigilant

dungar:
my message is for those who rejoices with the current news by the high court. u guys are just saying what u wish 2 say, but the truth remains that by the grace of God ATIKU OR NO ATIKU, OBA-MUMU MUST GO. we will team up with BUHARI"s camp and victory will be ours. so keep saying what u feel like saying all we know is that BABA-MUMU influenced all this.
y will inec go 2 court after d 1st ruling that they can not disqualify.
they have gotten what they want.
and we should all pray 4 peace during this election
thank u

agboifo:
I watched the debate, and yes Sunny Okogwu did indeed look (and act) like a clown. I couldn't believe he was serious. A friend of mine was just rolling on the floor dying of laughter. When he was asked a question about Electricity, he brought out a paper contraption he had (shaped like a square box), raised it up with his left hand, pointed to the ceiling and said (not verbatim quote): "Look at the sun, it is free. I will put something between the sun, to capture the power of the sun and give light to Nigeria for free. I will banish night from Nigeria!".

alabiyemmy:
Obasanjo Envisaged Rot, Reveals Document
By Yemi Adebowale, 03.31.2007


PTDF

Fresh facts on the crisis rocking the Petroleum Technology Developm-ent Fund (PTDF) has revealed that President Olusegun Obasanjo made moves in 2004 to stop approvals by Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the placement of PTDF funds in banks. Documents made exclusively to THISDAY showed that Obasanjo had the premonition that the PTDF would end up in a mess, even when his relationship with Atiku was still rosy.
In the memo dated July 5, 2004 to Atiku, following a report on activities of the PTDF to the presidency, Obasanjo warned: “I do, however, consider the financial practice of having a large sum of N20 billion (Twenty billion Naira) and $150 million (One hundred and fifty million dollars) as deposit placements with commercial banks as an aspect of PTDF’s operation that is susceptible to abuse.” The President in the memo expressed fears that it would be detrimental to the economy for such quantum of funds to be left with commercial banks, “in the light of the sharp practices that are associated with the activities of the sector, now under scrutiny.” Obasanjo subsequently directed that the deposits be immediately withdrawn from the banks and transferred to the account of the PTDF with the Central Bank, for investment in Treasury Bills.
He continued in the memo: “Following from this, any other fund attributable to PTDF must be directly lodged in the same Central Bank Account. On a final note, I wish to state that henceforth, no monies of the fund from the Central Bank account should be withdrawn without the authorisation of the Vice-President and endorsed by me.”
The PTDF funds placed in banks eventually snowballed into a big crisis last year when Obasanjo – following security tips – called in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Atiku. EFCC investigated and found him guilty of money laundering and other financial misdemeanours in the management of PTDF funds. The EFCC provided evidence showing that Atiku helped Mike Adenuga pay for the Glo GSM license with PTDF funds. PTDF's $110m was allegedly placed at ETB owned by Chief Mike Adenuga and $20 million in TIB, substantially owned by Oyo and Osun States. PTDF had deposited money in 12 other banks, including ETB and TIB.
Atiku was also alleged to have transferred $20 million out of PTDF without Obasanjo and FEC approval. Again, the VP was alleged to own 12.5 per cent of Globacom. But the telecom firm has denied this. According to EFCC: "Prince Babatunde Akinyera is believed to be fronting for His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for the 12.5 per cent against his name at Globacom. That contrary to the believe that it was only the sum of $115 million that was placed at ETB by PTDF, it has been discovered again that another $50 million was transferred from UBA (New York) account of PTDF to ETB with the knowledge of the approving authority, just at the time Otunba Mike Adenuga was to pay his $20million deposit to NCC." It indicted Atiku of being party to the placement of deposits in Equitorial Trust Bank (ETB) and the defunct Trans International Bank (TIB).
An administrative panel headed by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo, was subsequently raised by Obasanjo to examine the report of the EFCC. Others in the panel were Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; Education Minister, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili; National Security Adviser, Major-Gen Sarki Muktar (rtd.); and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Bamidele Dada. The Panel of Inquiry also found Atiku guilty. The panel submitted that money was laundered from the PTDF to procure the Globacom licence. The panel was said to have confronted Atiku with incriminating documents. It questioned Atiku on the coincidence of Adenuga’s payment of the 10 per cent deposit required for Globacom’s licence shortly after ETB received the PTDF deposit. The panel also questioned Atiku on how Otunba Oyewole Fashawe, believed to be Atiku’s business associate and an estranged friend of Obasanjo, was able to secure over N700 million loan from TIB shortly after the bank secured the PTDF’s deposit. Atiku was also questioned about Fashawe's donation of a building to ABTI Academy owned by Atiku.
Atiku told the EFCC as well as the Administrative Panel that he would not know the factors that come to bear when banks determine how they use their deposits.
On Globacom, Atiku said it paid for its license eight months before ETB secured the PTDF fund placement. An aide of Atiku who pleaded for anonymity claimed that the PTDF’s former executive secretary, Hamisu Yusuf Mairago, had recommended the placement of the deposits in the local banks because he believed they would attract higher interests than leaving them in overseas banks: The aide said: "In fact, while foreign banks were offering 3 per cent and 4 per cent, the Nigerian banks offered more than ten per cent. It was on the basis of the sound business judgment that the Vice President recommended the request to the President who immediately approved. PTDF went on to earn over N1billion interest from its deposit at ETB. The bank has also paid back the money following government’s recall of public funds in commercial banks. In other words, not a single kobo of PTDF has been lost in the transaction.”
An adhoc committee set up by the Senate and headed by Victor Ndoma Egba was asked to investigate the PTDF scam. It found Atiku guilty in controversial circumstances. It also found the president guilty for taking decisions outside the prescribed mandate of the fund while asking he should make refund in an instance where he made an unwarranted withdrawal. The panel while prescribing punishment for Atiku merely stated that the president should be advised for the wrong decisions he took over the fund placement.
A review committee was later set up by the Senate, which found both Obasanjo and Atiku guilty. Atiku, who was disqualified from the April Presidential polls on the basis of the Ojo Panel Report, is already in court, challenging it.

Afam:
On the contrary, I can state that majority (if not all) of you that oppose the EFCC are into corrupt practices and are criminals because till today the EFCC has never arrested nor convicted an innocent man and that is the main issue.

Again, only criminals will oppose the activities of the EFCC all the time.

But while reacting to a statement credited to Lagos lawyer used as Missile in THISDAY yesterday, Political Adviser to the President, Bashorun Akin Osuntokun, said Atiku, rather than the president has questions to answer.
Osuntokun's statement reads: "Our attention has been drawn to a quote contained in the THISDAY of Tuesday, March 27th, 2007, in which renowned social crusader, Mr. Femi Falana, called on Vice President Atiku Abubakar to resign over his various indictments concerning the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
“Mr. Falana was quoted in these words: 'What Mr. Vice President is saying is clear. That I am a thief and that my boss should also own up. That admission is enough for him to resign and quit the presidential race. In a normal situation, both of them would have resigned honourably, having been indicted by the National Assembly'.
"As much as we appreciate the concerns of Mr. Falana on this issue, we have to, however, set the picture straight. [b]The PTDF issue has gone through five stages of investigation or review viz: the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigations and indictment; the Federal Executive Council review headed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo, his indictment, white paper and gazette; and the Professor Ignatius Ayua Administrative Panel of Inquiry inquest and indictment.
"Furthermore, the Senator Ndoma-Egba Senate Committee report similarly investigated the issue and returned a verdict of indictment on the Vice President, followed at last by the Senator Tsauri Committee of the Senate, which reviewed the Ndoma-Egba Committee’s work. It also returned a vote of indictment on the Vice President.
"The only difference this time is that the Tsauri Committee, which is chiefly populated by senators who have one axe or the other to grind with the President, decided to also drag President Obasanjo’s name into the scandal- not for corruption but what it deemed as 'illegality' in the approval of public utility projects
"The President has maintained that he did no wrong, and his views have been corroborated by prominent and credible government officials, including the Chairman of the EFCC, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman.
"The same cannot apply to Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whose only defence is that he is not the only one with soiled fingers. We agree with Mr. Falana that it is only an abnormally immoral person who will be indicted by five consecutive panels that will still remain in the office of the Vice President and in the race for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria[/b].

Donzman:
Use of presidential position to divert public funds to another project without the public's consent. Strike 2!

Indictment of both President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar by the Senate Review Committee on the PTDF scandal has continued to elicit reactions from Nigerians with Lagos lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, enjoining Atiku to resign.
Falana, who spoke with newsmen in Ibadan at the weekend, said the indictment was enough signal on Atiku that he is on a wild goose chase as far as the April election was concerned.
The radical lawyer was irked by the admission of guilt by the Vice President and his advise to Obasanjo to admit guilt.
"What Mr Vice President is saying is clear. That I am a thief and that my boss should also own up. That admission is enough for him to resign and also quit the presidential race," Falana said.

PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo's political adviser, Chief Akin Oshintokun, yesterday raised fresh posers for Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Umar Tsauri-led senate Review Committee on the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, picking holes in the report.

He raised the questions in a statement in which he also wondered why the review panel's dissenting minority opinion of one of its members, Senator Akin Olasunkanmi, did not lead to the constitution of another committee by the Senate to re-examine the Tsauri team's submissions as was done with regard to the Ndoma-Egba committee.

Oshuntokun's statement reads: "The contrived controversy that resulted in the establishment of the Umar Tsauri-led Senate Review Committee was sparked off by the so-called dissenting report of Senator Titus Olupitan. (It is noteworthy that Senate President Ken Nnamani remarked the wrongness of Olupitan's membership of the Senate Adhoc committee on Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, in view of revelations of his vested partisan interest in the investigations).

Now that a member of the five-man review panel, Senator Akin Olasunkanmi, has equally protested the review report and tendered a dissenting report, will the Senate constitute another review panel to review the Tsauri panel report? This is the logic of the acceptance of the politicization of the Ndoma-Egba committee which resulted in the empanelling of the wholly superfluous Tsauri Review panel.

"To underline, for instance, its ulterior motive of minimizing Vice President Atiku Abubakar's guilt and indictment, the Tsauri panel reasoned as follows: 'The committee finds that in the case of the additional approval of $20 million on 14th October, 2003, the then Executive Secretary, Hamisu Abubakar, misrepresented the facts and wrongfully obtained approval from His Excellency, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

Oshuntokun went on: How did the Committee arrive at this curious conclusion? Where did the Vice President make the claim that Hamisu Abubakar misrepresented the facts and wrongfully obtained approval from his excellency? Or was it the Executive Secretary who admitted, from hiding, that he committed such a grievous offence?

If the Vice President claimed he acted on the basis of misrepresentation then he would have to reconcile this claim with the fact of his knowledge and approval that the PTDF funds are kept as fixed deposits unutilized for the projects it was meant to execute. If the Vice President knows that the funds are kept in fixed deposit accounts, how can he claim to be in ignorance of the lie in Hamisu Abubakar's request for additional $20 million for the execution of on going projects?

"Certainly, anybody who knows that the funds meant for execution of projects have been otherwise committed as Bank placements; will also know that no projects were being executed with the funds. Yet the Vice President pretended as if he did not know and the Tsauri committee would also have us believe the pretence.

The statement further states: "According to the Committee's own findings, On the 14th of October 2003 the Executive Secretary wrote and got the approval of the Vice President as follows " In the course of execution of the projects, we observed the need to achieve uniformity and complete spread of the projects. These needs have consequently exposed some funding gaps which have to be filled through an urgent supplementary release.' The same Committee noted that'It is a fact that $125 million was not utilized for the execution of any of the projects mentioned above'.

If the Vice President knows that these funds have been placed as term deposits how would he then not know that no projects were being executed as fraudulently claimed by the Executive Secretary? How can the Tsauri Committee then advocate that Hamisu Abubakar misrepresented the facts and wrongfully obtained approval from his excellency when his excellency knows that the funds meant for project execution had been committed as bank placements?"

Oshuntokun alleged that to "further confirm his being privy to Hamisu Abubakar's fraud, the Vice President had on another occasion defended the non execution of the projects as attributable to the time lapse arising from the fulfillment of due process!"

"Discerning observers can now see how the Tsauri Committee has held itself to ridicule in the thinly disguised effort to connive in deceiving and confusing the Public. Nobody doubts the fact that Vice President Abubakar and his cohorts have proved extremely disingenuous and clever in deliberately beclouding issues and engaging in sundry evasion manoeuvres. Nobody expects that corrupt people will not be clever and even persuasive in covering their tracks and explaining away, through all manners of subterfuge, their misdeeds."

lewa:
It would be the end for anyone that tries attacking Iran!Their interests all over the world would not be safe from destruction.Iran ain't Iraq,they have been fermenting strife since 1979,after the fall of the US supported Shah!
Hope common sense prevails~ they go hia when(it won't be funny for US and allies)