₦airaland Forum

Welcome, Guest: Register • Login • With Google • Trending • Recent • New

Stats: 3,344,711 members, 8,513,315 topics. Date: Wednesday, 04 November 2026 at 06:36 PM

Toggle theme

Meccuno's Posts

Nairaland Forum › Meccuno's Profile › Meccuno's Posts

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 (of 245 pages)

Politics › Re: A Nigerian Soldier Posted How They Eliminated Boko Haram Members (graphics) by meccuno: 5:05am On Jan 10, 2019
silentEXPLOSION:
Not graphic. Like eye candy to me. Might even use the 1st pic as my phone wallpaper.

Fun-fact: I used that water-bottle back in primary school. who else did?
it means u are very old.
Health › Re: Gas Explosion Kills Lady 'Operating Her Phone While Cooking With Gas' In Lagos by meccuno: 8:26pm On Jan 09, 2019
JasonScoolari:
..
ur crazy men,,,,, grin grin grin grin
Politics › Re: We Will Replicate Anambra Education Revolution Nationally — Obi by meccuno: 8:14pm On Jan 09, 2019
globemoney:
Finally it has now dawned on you that Obi will lose woefully
grin grin grin looser
Politics › Re: NPA Completes Warri Port Channel Dredging by meccuno: 7:01pm On Jan 09, 2019
Flatheadpig:
Continue cryinggrin

Politics › Re: We Will Replicate Anambra Education Revolution Nationally — Obi by meccuno: 6:59pm On Jan 09, 2019
globemoney:
I can see your in cifia pains “Igbo man.” Ndo, wait till next month to start crying blood
cry? i careless who ever wins, and again. you are not igbo.
Politics › Re: NPA Completes Warri Port Channel Dredging by meccuno: 6:28pm On Jan 09, 2019
Flatheadpig:
All I want to hear is jubril till 2023
Two ugly kids. grin grin grin
Politics › Re: We Will Replicate Anambra Education Revolution Nationally — Obi by meccuno: 6:19pm On Jan 09, 2019
globemoney:
Haha this one is frustrated. Ndo
You are just dumb.
Politics › Re: We Will Replicate Anambra Education Revolution Nationally — Obi by meccuno: 1:30pm On Jan 09, 2019
[s]
globemoney:
I agree, I’m not igbo. Only you, Peter Obi and the other deluded peter lie Obi sycophants are igbos
[/s] u r not igbo please. thx
Politics › Re: Caption Atiku Wrist Is It A Charm Or A Designer Bracelet? by meccuno: 11:59am On Jan 09, 2019
Someone opens a thread and starts replying himself. is that not madness?
Politics › Re: Melaye’s Children Sleep In Darkness After Police Refused AEDC To Reconnect Power by meccuno: 11:53am On Jan 09, 2019
Niorte:
That's actually not fair.

The wanted has been captured so why extending it to the family.

Let all well meaning Nigerians condemn this act by the Nigerian police.

There cannot be justice without fairness
A vindictive Government. well i dont feel sorry for him. he brought this madness upon us all.
Politics › Re: Melaye’s Children Sleep In Darkness After Police Refused AEDC To Reconnect Power by meccuno: 11:51am On Jan 09, 2019
TarOrfeek:
Darkness = Horrific conditions

This man is a joker.


cheesy

Rich people will never understand.
i thought he meant something bad happening to them i didnt even know it was related to not having light. see the ben bruce o!
Politics › Re: We Will Replicate Anambra Education Revolution Nationally — Obi by meccuno: 11:34am On Jan 09, 2019
[s]
globemoney:
Peter Obi zombies are always mad that I speak facts always. They can’t fault any of my claims on the liar Obi. They just wish I won’t say it so they can deceive the gullible. Fools
[/s]
Politics › Re: We Will Replicate Anambra Education Revolution Nationally — Obi by meccuno: 11:33am On Jan 09, 2019
globemoney:
Peter Obi zombies are always mad that I speak facts always. They can’t fault any of my claims on the liar Obi. They just wish I won’t say it so they can deceive the gullible. Fools
You are not Igbo please. be proud of were you are from.
Politics › Re: We Will Replicate Anambra Education Revolution Nationally — Obi by meccuno: 9:04am On Jan 09, 2019
[s]
globemoney:
Chinese Peter Obi forgot that Anambra State university was on strike for years during his tenure as governor. Talk is cheap. The clueless liar believes donating buses and generators to schools caused education revolution in Anambra. I just laugh
[/s]
Politics › Re: Leave money on the table with Buhari in the room, you’ll find it there - Tinubu by meccuno: 4:10pm On Jan 08, 2019
shachris02:
Leave money on a table with Tinubu in the room....you won't find the table. grin
with the money included..
Politics › Re: Baba Stepped Back. 2019, Tinubu Vs Atiku. by meccuno: 3:59pm On Jan 08, 2019
Slave versus Master. grin grin grin grin
Politics › Re: Burial Programme For The Air Force Officers Who Died Fighting Boko Haram. by meccuno: 1:11pm On Jan 08, 2019
[s][quote author= post=74561297]For the people spewing rubbish already, the children of hate, this is for you,
You wake up every morning and rush to social media in search of bad news of this nation,
so that you will comment and share it among your friends.......
but when you see the good news, you pretend to be blind.
And every night you stay in one corner of your room praying to God to bless anything you lay your hands on in the same country 
Hmmmm!!! May God forgive and have mercy on you.
#May OUR President Succeed 
#When Nigeria become great , you will surely see this, but..........
[/quote][/s] stfu
Politics › Re: Sowore Tells Amina Zakari To 'do The Rightng And Resign' Her INEC Appointment by meccuno: 1:04pm On Jan 08, 2019
[s][quote author= post=74560633]END OF DISCUSSION.

Next...........[/quote][/s]
Politics › Re: Just In: Labour Protest Starts In Lagos - Photos by meccuno: 10:54am On Jan 08, 2019
[quote author= post=74557029]See one of them.....
To the Wailers.....
You wake up every morning and rush to social media in search of bad news of this nation,
so that you will comment and share it among your friends.......
but when you see the good news, you pretend to be blind.
And every night you stay in one corner of your room praying to God to bless anything you lay your hands on in the same country 
Hmmmm!!! May God forgive and have mercy on you.
#May OUR President Succeed 
#When Nigeria become great , you will surely see this, but..........
[/quote]
Politics › Re: "Buhari Debated With Himself And Still Lost" - Nigerians React by meccuno: 10:49am On Jan 08, 2019
danot1030:
Unfortunately ipobs votes is just 5% of the general votes Atiku is dumed
yes o! atiku is "dumed". grin grin grin grin
Politics › Re: "Buhari Debated With Himself And Still Lost" - Nigerians React by meccuno: 10:44am On Jan 08, 2019
axeman2:
The Northerners Will Still Vote Him Because 90% Of Them Are Illitrate
grin grin grin grin
Politics › Re: Kaduna Inland Port For Expansion In 2019 — Manager by meccuno: 10:41am On Jan 08, 2019
immaculatengang:
Why didn't GEJ fixed them while he was there?
Since Buhari came to correct the mistakes of GEJ ,why is he not fixing them?
Politics › Re: Midwest State And The Future Of Nigerian Federalism. by meccuno(op): 8:33am On Jan 08, 2019
TABLE I: VIEWS OF THE GOVERNING PARTIES TOWARD STATE CREATION

REGION

PARTY IN POWER

STATE CREATION IN THE REGIONS


EAST

NORTH

WEST

East

NCNC

Oppose

Support

Support

North

NPC

Support

Oppose

Support

West

AG

Support

Support

Oppose







As shown in the above table, the demand for state creation in any particular region enjoyed the support of the opposing political parties in that

region. For example, while the NCNC opposed the agitation for a COR State (Calabar-Ogoja-Rivers) in the East, they strongly supported the

agitation for a Midwest State in the West and a Middle Belt state in the North. Thus, for the Midwesterners, the AG was the "enemy" party on

the issue of a Midwest State. The debate over state creation in the various regional houses of assembly was dictated by the ideological prism of

the ruling political parties. With Awolowo, Anthony Enahoro and other prominent members of the AG facing charges of treasonable felony, the

AG opposition to the creation of the Midwest State gradually became insignificant. The AG crisis that began in May 1962, following the party’s

convention in Jos, fundamentally altered the alliance construct of Nigerian political parties in the 1962-1965 period. This provided an ideal

constitutional framework for the Midwest State movement. The crisis also offered the NPC -NCNC coalition government a golden opportunity to

crush the AG.

Meanwhile, deserters from the AG, led by Akintola and Ayo Rosiji, established a new political party - the United Peoples’ Party (UPP) - which in

mid 1964 was renamed the Nigerian National Democratic Party (UNDP). As premier of the West, Akintola emerged as the leader of the party. In

the Federal House of Representatives, Rosiji led the pack of former members of the AG to "cross carpets" to swell the cell of the NPC. The

disarray of the AG, and the impact of the treasonable felony trial against Awolowo, Enahoro and other leaders of the party, created ideal

situations for the NPC. The NPC no longer seem to need its alliance with the NCNC, and thus became politically arrogant towards its coalition

partner. Akintola, who as the premier of the AG-led government of the West had opposed the creation of a Midwest State, now began to view

the creation of the state through the same ideological prism of the NPC, a party with which his UNDP was now aligned. Thus, the governing

parties of the East (NCNC), the North (NPC), and the West (UNDP) now all agreed on the creation of the Midwest State. The houses of assembly

of the respective regions had little difficulty passing the required resolutions in support of the proposal to create the Midwest

State. Irrespective of its growing schism with its coalition partner at the federal level, the NCNC voted with the NPC and the UNDP at the

Federal House of Representatives in favour of the creation of the Midwest State. With the above scenario, the subsequent plebiscite of August 9,

1963, became a mere formality as Midwesterners overwhelmingly voted for the creation of their STATE. Midwest thus became the first STATE of

the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

WHY NATIONS FEDERATE

Simply put, nations decide to federate for one or a combination of the following reasons:-



1 socio-economic;



political; and



security.

A nation decides to federate for socio-economic reasons because it:









possesses shared values with other independent federating units;



wants an access to a larger domestic market;



desires a secured access to a sea port;



seeks access to a higher standard of living; and



would enhance its welfare policies.



Politically, a nation decides to federate in order to:












strengthen existing relations with its co-federating units



possess a stronger voice internationally.

Thirdly, a nation decides to enter into a federation in order to be able to protect itself from real or imagined threat to its national security.

The above factors, in varying degrees, could be said to influence the leaders of Nigeria’s three regions to federate after they had obtained their

respective independence. We recall that the East and the West obtained their self government status (independence) in 1957, while the North

obtained theirs in 1959. Each could have opted to go its own way as we witnessed in the case of the former federation of Rhodesia and

Nyasaland, which metamorphosed into the independent states of Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi. More importantly for us Midwesterners, the

above factors influenced our decision to remain as a constituent unit of the Nigerian federation in 1963. None of the federating units became

parts of a federal Nigeria in order to forefelt their independence. It is essential that we take this point into consideration in our discussions of

Nigerian federalism.

IMPLICATIONS OF FEDERALISM



1 The central government represents the federation as a subject of international law.



Federating units cannot represent themselves as subjects of international law.



Federating units independence within own jurisdiction must not do harm to the federation



A highly centralized central government does harm to the federal polity as it could lead to a quasi federal (or unitary) system.



A decentralized federalism could destabilize the federal polity as it is capable of eroding the powers of the central government and making the

federating units too powerful.


The two levels of citizenship - state, and central - could be entangled in perpetual conflict if the central government and the federating units fail

to agree on vital issues of interest to the federating units.



Citizens' loyalty gravitates towards their respective federating units than to the central government in a highly decentralized federal polity.



A central government's inability to equitably relate to the federating units could give rise to centrifugal forces that could destabilize the federal

polity.



It is more expensive to run a federal system than it is to run a unitary system because of the levels of governments in the former.



The system of checks-and-balances is more evident in a federal polity than in any other system of government.

The 1963 Republican constitution of Nigeria recognized the independence of the federating units. It was an example of how a federal

constitution should look like. Unfortunately, we have witnessed a systematic erosion of that independence since the military intrusion in the

governance of Nigeria. As I indicated in "If Nigeria Must Survive", in the Sunday Observer, (August 28, 1988, Benin City, p. 5) "A mere criticism

of the military regime does not, and could not, imply that Nigerian civilian governments have performed creditably in operating federalism". The

performance of the Shehu Shagari administration of the Second Republic continued the pattern established by the previous military regimes,

while that of the current Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian administration is an extension of his own military administration of the 1970s. I referred

to the Hausa-Igbo-Yoruba triumvirate as a tripodal conspiracy in our brief discussion on the creation of the Midwest State above. No where is

this more glaring than in the area of revenue allocation.



TABLE II: EVOLUTION OF REVENUE ALLOCATION FORMULA IN NIGERIA

YEAR

FORMULA PERCENTAGE


DERIVATION

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

FEDERATION ACCOUNT

1953

100

nil

nil

1954

50

20

30

1964

50

15

35

1970

45

25

30

1975

20

nil

80

1979

nil

nil

100

1982-89

1.5

nil

98.5

1999-

13

nil

87



It is interesting to note that, the decline of the amount due each state of the federation coincided with the growing significance of oil as the

main stimulant of the Nigerian economy. The current revenue allocation formula, as defined in Section 162 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria, 1999, discriminates against the minority ethnic groups of the oil producing areas of the country. We should also note that,

this formula is not applicable to other natural resources as iron, hides & skins, cocoa, palmoil which, again coincidentally, are situated primarily

in the non minority regions of Nigeria. When these products constituted the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, the revenue allocation formula

favoured the respective federating units. But the game was changed when oil became the dominant single produce sustaining the Nigerian

economy. Who changed the rules of the game? The answer is simple: members of the tripodal conspiracy group! Ask we say in Nigeria, monkey

de work, bamboo de chop. Not only did the change violate the principles of federalism as they were when Midwest State was created, it also

demonstrates a gross misuse and abuse of the power of the majority to subjugate the minority. As I have argued elsewhere ( "The Nigerian

Polity." Sunday Observer, Benin City, September 18, 1988, p. 5), the "federal revenue allocation to states should be made to correspond

proportionately to the revenue generated within each state. It is only in this way that states will begin to be serious and strive to be

independent and autonomous, instead of waiting for a national cake shared on a wrong formula whereby the bakers get less".


CONCLUSION

The current structure of Nigeria federalism will lead to the demise of Nigeria, except a thorough restructuring of Nigerian federalism is urgently

put in place. A key consideration in a democratic polity is for the dominant political and economic class to recognize and respect its limits to

power. It should be prepared to discard its own selfish agenda where this conflicts with the national interest of the nation as expressed by the

population in given circumstances. It should not appropriate to itself the right to determine what should be the national interest of the nation. It

is the task of the ruling class, particularly in an embryonic democratic polity like Nigeria, to always ensure that democratic principles prevail.

Members of the tripodal conspiracy have failed in this regard. This is reflected in the entire body of the current (1999) constitution where the

federating units are described as subordinates of the central government. The concepts of independent and coordinates, key prerequisites of

federalism, have been completely discarded. Furthermore, the proposed Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bill which President

Obasanjo recently submitted to the Nigerian Senate is a graphic display of the machinations of this tripodal group. The bill outlines a strategy of

how to systematically dismantle a federal state.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIDWEST STATE.


http://www.dawodu.net/igho.htm
Politics › Midwest State And The Future Of Nigerian Federalism. by meccuno(op): 8:33am On Jan 08, 2019
An Essay in honour of

MIDWEST HISTORY MONTH 1999

by

O. Igho Natufe, Ph.D

INTRODUCTION



This essay is in honour of the MIDWEST HISTORY MONTH 1999. Before dealing with the subject matter, I would like to thank Dr. Nowa Omoigui

for his foresight in initiating this event. In my reply to him on July 30, 1999, when he invited Midwesterners to participate in this historical

milestone, I thanked him "for reminding us of our being". Too many of us have either forgotten or do not care about our history. To

Midwesterners, and to Nigerians in general, the creation of the Midwest State on August 9, 1963, will for ever remain a key factor in

determining the future of federalism in Nigeria. As a student and teacher of comparative federalism, I have always supported the federalist

movement in Nigeria. In one of my weekly columns in the Observer Group of Newspapers, the Sunday Observer, (Benin City, August 7, 1988, p.

12), entitled "On Nigerian Federalism" I wrote: "While Bendelites are celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the creation of their state this month, 567

Nigerians are continuing their assigned debate in Abuja to rewrite the Nigerian Constitution." In that same piece I argued as follows:

"As Nigerians, we assume we are operating a federal state when in fact we are not. ....Nigerian federalism ensures that the central government

dictates to the governments of the federating units, thus negating a key aspect of federalism ...It may not be necessary for each state to have

its own constitution, provided the agreed division of powers underlining the independence of each state is written in the Federal Constitution. It

is obvious that Nigerians do not want unitarism, but where they elect to adopt federalism then they should be prepared to pay the price of

federalism. The Constituent Assembly members should give Nigerians a Federal Constitution that is truly Fedral in all aspects. "

Eleven years later, we are still addressing the same concerns I articulated on the Silver Jubilee of the Midwest State. The purpose of this

anniversary piece is to underline the significance of the creation of Midwest State in Nigeria’s federal polity. We will also invite other concerned

Nigerians to (re)examine the federal structure of Nigeria in such a way that recognizes the independence of the federating units.

THE CREATION OF MIDWEST STATE

After more than two decades of selfless struggles by the representatives of the peoples of the region, the Midwest State was created on August

9, 1963. The creation of the Midwest State is significant for the following reasons:

It was the first state to be created in Nigeria.

It remains the only Nigerian state to be created by constitutional means, and not by a military fiat.

Its creation facilitated a stronger voice for the articulation of minority rights in Nigerian Politics.

But the journey to August 9, 1963 was not an easy one. We. Midwesterners, must remain eternally grateful to those who fought for the creation

of the state. Prominent among those was the Oba of Benin, Akenzua II, without whose personal intervention and guidance the state may not

have been created in 1963. The others whose names must be recognized were Dennis Osadebay, Jereton Marierie, and James Otobo. It is

instructive to note that Otobo was the only prominent member of the Action Group (AG) from the region who fought publicly for the creation of

the Midwest State. As we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the Midwest State, I am sad to declare that we have not done anything to

immortalize the lives of those four freedom fighters.

In constitutional debates, many may argue that Midwest State was a product of the series of commissions of inquiries that called for the

creation of states for Nigerian minority groups. It would be a gross oversimplification to do so, because the inquiries by themselves did not

create the Midwest State. While the results of those inquiries were powerful arguments in favour of the proponents of state creation, the

contour of pre-1963 Nigerian politics denied state creation for any minority groups. Let me explain.

The Richards’ three regional structure of 1947 rendered moribund the Lugardian north-south amalgamation that gave birth to "modern" Nigeria

in 1914. The event of 1947 coincided with the formation of the three main political parties that eventually governed the respective regions. We

all accept that Nigeria is a creation of British imperial rule. The hitherto independent kingdoms of present day Nigeria were colonized, "united"

and christened "Nigeria" by Britain. When these disparate kingdoms regained their independence on October 1, 1960, it was not as separate

independent entities which they were, but as a political community called NIGERIA. They were brought together by Britain to experiment with

the art of governing a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual polity. Since 1960 Nigerians have been grappling with this experiment. Of the three major

political parties that defined the landscape of contemporary Nigerian social and political history, only the National Council of Nigeria and the

Cameroons (NCNC) was established as a national political party. Both the AG, a creation of Egbe Omo Oduduwa, and the Northern Peoples’

Congress (NPC), were founded to promote Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani interests respectively. That the NCNC later became to be perceived as an

‘Igbo’ party was not entirely the design of Igbo political elites, but rather the machinations of some powerful Yoruba nationalists who did not

cherish the notion of an Igbo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, becoming the premier of Western Nigeria.

As the leader of the NCNC, Azikiwe was to be the first premier of Western Nigeria following the elections of 1951, with Obafemi Awolowo, a

Yoruba, the leader of the AG, as the leader of the opposition in the House of Assembly. It should be recalled, with profound sadness, that

prominent Yoruba traditional leaders and political elites exerted pressure on a number of Yorubas elected on the NCNC platform to "cross

carpet" in the House and join the AG, in order to deny Azikiwe the premiership in favour of Awolowo. The concept of "carpet crossing" was thus

introduced into Nigerian political discourse. Azikiwe had assumed the leadership of the NCNC following the death of Herbert Macaulay, a Yoruba.

There would have been no basis for "carpet crossing" if Macaulay, and not Azikiwe, were elected premier of the West on the NCNC platform in

1951.

As a result of this blatant injection of ethnicism into Nigerian politics, Azikiwe was compelled to "return home" to the East where he became the

premier of the government. It is safe to postulate that, were it not for this event, the post 1951 development of Nigerian politics could have

been spared much of the instability and crisis the country has experienced. This was a vital turning point in the political history of contemporary

Nigeria. It helped to influence most Igbos to seek political shelter in the NCNC, just as the AG became privatized by most Yorubas, and the

Hausa-Fulani political elites sought comfort in the NPC.

Following the 1959 federal elections, the NPC, with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as the prime minister, formed a coalition government with the

NCNC. Obafemi Awolowo, the leader of the AG, became the leader of the official opposition in the Federal House of Representatives. Samuel

Akintola replaced Awolowo as the premier of Western Nigeria, while Michael Okpara replaced Azikiwe as the premier of Eastern Nigeria. Ahmadu

Bello, the leader of the NPC, remained as premier of Northern Nigeria. As part of the NPC-NCNC coalition, Azikiwe became the governor

general, and subsequently the first (ceremonial) president of Nigeria, when Nigeria became a republic on October 1, 1963.

It was against the above background that the debate for state creation took place. The movement for a Midwest State was the most topical. For

the past 50 years the political development of Nigeria has been viewed, rightly or wrongly, as a power struggle for hegemony by the three

dominant ethnic groups: Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. Scholars later used the appellation, "Hausa-Fulani" to depict the symbiotic relationship

between the Hausa and the Fulani as a result of the strong Islamic ties that bind the two dominant ethnic groups in the northern part of

Nigeria. Before August 9, 1963, when Nigeria had three constituent parts, the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo political elites exercised hegemonistic

powers in the North, West, and East respectively. It is interesting to note that while none of them wanted a separate state created in their

region, they supported the agitation for state creation in the opposing regions. This position was identical to the concept of preventive

imperialism of 19th century European imperialism in Africa. I refer to the Hausa/Igbo/Yoruba hegemony as a tripodal conspiracy to subjugate

the minorities of Nigeria. We will return to this issue later.




We identify three premises of Nigerian federalism. These are (1) the equality of the federating units; (2) the Hausa/Igbo/Yoruba tripodal

conspiracy; and (3) the question of minority rights. If Nigeria were a normal political entity, we would expect the first premise to be dominant in

the polity. The fact that the Hausa/Igbo/Yoruba tripodal conspiracy determines the form and content of Nigerian federalism is reflected in the

way the political leaders of those three ethnic groups viewed the minority areas within their provinces as their respective colonial possessions,

just as European colonial powers regarded their African colonies. It was a scramble for Nigeria by the Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba to maintain their

power over the minority areas located in the regions that they controlled. (See Table I below) It was against this background that the battle for

the creation of the Midwest State was fought and won.
Politics › Re: Re: The North Is Suffering And Smiling By Balkisu Saidu by meccuno: 9:56pm On Jan 07, 2019
[s]
MANofMEN:
RE: THE NORTH IS SUFFERING AND SMILING

By Balkisu Saidu



“O you who believe! Fear God, and stand with those who are truthful (in words and deeds).” These are the directives of Almighty Allah (Quran 9:119).



I was shocked by the content of an article titled ‘The North is Suffering and Smiling’ by Abu Shekara, Special Adviser on Media to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, published online by thisdaylive.com on 5 January 2019. My shock stems from the personal knowledge I have of the author, having worked with him at various times, since the 90s. Abu was known to me as a person who paid great attention to details and was interested in accuracy of facts. The flowery and superficial article in the publication bears little resemblance to the quality I expected from the Abu Shekara I knew.

It is, however, a political season. And as Albert Einstein reflected “all of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field.” Political agenda can becloud good judgment!

It is therefore not surprising that Abu Shekara will publish such scathing attack on the person and administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. What is surprising is his failure to point to the economic policies of the Government that were designed, as he claimed, to “adversely target” the Northern economic activities and have “ravaging impact on the livelihoods of the Northern masses.”

What I know, as a Northerner, is that going into the 2015 elections, our major concerns in the North were:

1. Insecurity, majorly in the North East, where insurgents were in full control of 17 Local Government Areas with frequent abductions; recurring ethno-religious and communal conflicts; and farmers/herders clashes;

2. Inadequate and dilapidated infrastructure, which had crippled economic activities with devastating implications on standard of living; and

3. Growing population of out-of-school children and fallen standard of education.

In the three-plus years of the Buhari administration, all the areas under the control of the insurgents in the North East have been recovered; hundreds of abducted persons have been rescued; deliberate and decisive steps have been taken to address the farmer/herders clashes and communal conflicts, with verifiable accomplishments. Admittedly, there are still pockets of asymmetric attacks by insurgents and criminal activities by hoodlums and bandits, who are on the run and being rounded up.

These three-plus years have also recorded numerous achievements in the execution of projects in the North. Some of these projects include:

1. The completed 135km Sokoto–Tambuwal–Jega Road, in Sokoto and Kebbi States.

2. The completed Shagari Irrigation Project, in Sokoto State.

3. The provision of power supply to Federal Universities including Usmanu Danfodiyo University – Main Campus, Sokoto; Bayero University – New Campus, Kano; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University – Gubi Campus, Bauchi; and Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue.

4. Provision of 60MVA 132/33KV Power Transformers in Sokoto, Sokoto State.

5. Construction of Yauri-Koko-Jega Road, in Kebbi State.

6. Provision of 60MVA Transformer in Dan Agundi Substation, Kano, Kano State.

7. Provision of 2X60MVA Transformer in Kakuri Substation, Kaduna, Kaduna State.

8. Provision of 60MVA Transformer in Katsina Substation, Katsina, Katsina State.

9. Provision of 40MVA Mobile Substation at Zaria, Kaduna State.

10. Provision of 2x40MVA 132/33KV Power Transformer at Daura, Katsina State.

11. Provision of 60MVA 132/33KV Power Transformers at Hadejia, Jigawa State.

12. Provision of 60MVA 132/33KV Power Transformers at Funtua, Katsina State.

13. Completion of Galma Dam, Kaduna State.

14. Construction of 3,050MW Mambilla Power Plant, Taraba State.

15. Completion of 330/132KV Molai Transmission Substation in Maiduguri, Borno State.

16. Completion of 330/132KV Damaturu Transmission Substation, Yobe State

17. Provision of 60MVA 132/33KV Power Transformers at Bauchi, Bauchi State.

18. Provision of 40MVA Mobile Substation at Damboa, Borno State.

19. Provision of 28/40MVA Mobile Substation at Mayo Belwa, Adamawa State.

20. Provision of 30/40MVA Mobile Substation at Gombe, Gombe State.

21. Sabon Gari and Kantin Kwari Market Electrification Projects, Kano State.

22. Construction of 215MW Kaduna Power Plant, Kaduna State.

23. Construction of 10MW Katsina Wind Power Plant, Katsina State.

24. Construction of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway.

25. Dualisation of Kano–Wudil–Shuari section of Kano–Maiduguri Road, linking Kano–Jigawa–Bauchi–Yobe–Borno States.

26. Dualisation of Kano–Katsina Road.

27. Construction of Kano Western Bypass.

28. Construction of Kaduna Eastern Bypass, Kaduna State.

29. Construction of Modern Medical Diagnostic Centre at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Kaduna State.

30. Completion of Sabke Water Supply Project, Katsina State.

31. Dualisation of Shuarin-Azare section of Kano–Maiduguri Road linking Kano–Jigawa–Bauchi–Yobe.

32. Dualisation of Azare–Potiskum section of Kano–Maiduguri Roadlinking Kano–Jigawa–Bauchi–Yobe–Borno States.

33. Dualisation of Potiskum–Damaturu section of Kano–Maiduguri Roadlinking Kano–Jigawa–Bauchi–Yobe–Borno States.

34. Dualisation of Damaturu–Maiduguri section of Kano–Maiduguri Road linking Kano–Jigawa–Bauchi–Yobe–Borno States.

35. Reconstruction of Gombe-Numan-Yola Road.

36. Reconstruction of 122km Mayo Belwa-Jada-Ganye-Toungo Road.

37. Construction of 40MW Kashimbila Dam & Hydro Power Plant, Taraba State.

38. Construction of 29MW Dadin Kowa Hydro Power Plant, Gombe State.

39. Completion of Takum Water Supply Project, Taraba State.

40. Construction of Oju/Loko–Oweto bridge over River Benue to link Loko (Nasarawa State) and Oweto (Benue State).

41. Dualisation of Abuja–Abaji–Lokoja Road.

42. Dualisation of Suleja–Minna Road in Niger State.

43. Dualisation of Abuja–Abaji–Lokoja Road, Koton Karfe–Lokoja in Kogi State.

44. Dualisation of Lokoja-Benin Road: Obajana–Okene in Kogi State.

45. Rehabilitation of Enugu–Makurdi Road.

46. Construction of Otukpo-Oweto Road.

47. Completion of construction of 93km Ilorin-Jebba Road.

48. Dualisation of Abuja–Keffi–Lafia–Makurdi Road.

49. Rehabilitation of Suleja-Minna Road.

50. Construction of Nigeria’s Central Rail Line (Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Standard Gauge Line), spanning Kogi, Edo and Delta States.

51. Rehabilitation of the Abuja International Airport Runway, and construction of new Abuja International Airport Terminal.

52. Completion of the Bill Clinton Drive Interchange Bridge along the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Road (Airport Road), in the FCT.

53. Construction of Apo–Wasa–Karshi Dual Carriageway, in the FCT.

54. Construction of the Inner Southern Expressway (Goodluck Jonathan Way) in the FCT.

55. Completion of Mangu Regional Water Supply Scheme, in Plateau State.

56. Completion of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi Water Supply Project, Benue State.

57. Construction of 30MW Gurara Power Plant, Niger State.

58. Construction of 700MW Zungeru Hydro Power Plant, Niger State.

59. Provision of 150MVA 330/132//33KV Power Transformers at Kanji (Fakun), Niger State.

60. Provision of 2x60MVA 132/33KV Power Transformer at Lokoja, Kogi State.

61. Provision of 1460MVA 132/33KV Power Transformers at Kontagora, Niger State.

62. Provision of 60MVA 132/33KV Power Transformers at Okene, Kogi State.

63. Provision of 2x40MVA 132/33KV Power Transformer at Kainji (Dogon Gari), Niger State.

64. Provision of 2x60MVA 132/33KV Power Transformer at Kukwaba, FCT.

65. Provision of 60MVA Transformer in Karu Substation, FCT.

66. Construction of Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway.

67. $12.4 million project funded by the Japanese Government for the upgrading (installation of power capacitor banks) of two Transmission Sub-Stations, in Apo, FCT and Keffi, Nasarawa to stabilise power supply to 7,000 households.

The N-Power Scheme of the Social Investment Programme (SIP) has recruited beneficiaries in each Local Government Area of the 19 Northern States, who are providing support in teaching, healthcare, agriculture, etc. The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme of the SIP has resulted in increase in enrolment and retention of pupils in Public Primary Schools, while providing employment to hundreds of cooks and farmers. The TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni have been disbursed in all the 19 States of the North, supporting small and medium traders with cash flow; while MSME Clinics provide technical support to entrepreneurs. The Anchor Borrowers Programme’s support to smallholder famers and millers has brought about unprecedented boost in agricultural production in the North; and the Conditional Cash Transfer to the poorest of the poor is providing succour to the hitherto forgotten underprivileged members of our communities.

I ask Abu, please which of the above economic policies of the administration of Muhammadu Buhari has ravaged the livelihoods of the Northern masses?

Perhaps Abu Shekara would like to refocus his attention home. Perhaps he would like to assist the people of our State, Sokoto, with a list of achievements recorded by our State Government from May 2015 to date. Even with what Abu Shakara has described as “failures” of President Muhammadu Buhari, the fact remains that, from May 2015 to December 2019, a total of ₦207,032,768,396.67 has been released by the Federal Government to the Government of Sokoto State.

These releases include:

1. Share of Federation Account ₦158,159,883,659.42 (May 2015 to December 2018);

2. Budget Support ₦17,569,000,000.00 (June 2016 to January 2018);

3. Paris Club Refund ₦31,303,884,737.25


Abu may wish to inform Sakkwatawa of the projects executed in Sokoto State that are commiserate with over Two Hundred and Seven Billion Naira. After all, governance is the shared responsibility of the three tiers – Federal, States and Local Government Councils.
As the record of President Muhammadu Buhari in the area of development in the North is examined, let us look inwards to also examine, in a similar dispassionate manner, the records and achievements of our State. Sokoto, the Seat of the Caliphate; the cradle of just governance; the exalted home of revered Sheikh Usmanu Bn Fodiyo and Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.

The big difference here is: while President Muhammadu Buhari is open to, and actually invites scrutiny of his record, others find any enquiry about their records as “political witch-hunt”, “attempt to embarrass”, or “act of disrespect.” It is understandable that the overwhelming acceptance of President Muhammadu Buhari by the Northerners will be disconcerting to the opposition, however, the blatant attempt to manipulate the Northerners into thinking that their brothers and sisters from other parts of the country are now their enemies or that their capable and over-achieving President is being controlled into “abandoning” their cause is not going to work. Northerners are not gullible. Northerners crave facts not fiction; and they can certainly discern the motives behind outlandish and concocted allegations, mischief and misrepresentations.

My counsel to Abu Shekara: please do not allow political agenda to cloud your judgment.



Saidu is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research, Legal and Compliance Matters, Office of the Vice President
[/s]
Celebrities › Re: Cossy Orjiakor Blocks Instagram User Who Advised Her To Stop Displaying Her Boob by meccuno: 5:46pm On Jan 07, 2019
Glycolysis:
There is no lesson whatsoever!
We minding our business is the main reason so many people have become shameless in THIER dressing undecided
A lady will be naked comfortably on the street because we have decided to "be minding our business" and they continue to feel nothing is wrong with their disgusting dispositions .

Start speaking up bro, else your children and ours will feel their is nothing wrong with even having sex while they are very young in the present of their parents!
After all, everybody will be busy minding THIER business undecided
dude. whatever you say to her would not change a damn thing. its her life. as far as i am concerned she broke no law. she is an adult. for the fact that she could post it tells alot. if you dont like what she is doing you look the other way. after all we are not feeding her. as for my kids,when you have a good relationship with them, i doubt if social media would take the responsibility of a father nor mother. she has decided. let her be. if she goes naked of what benefit is that to you or me? absolutely nothing. focus on things that matter. the internet is already filled with crap.
Politics › Re: Ebonyi Not Part Of Biafra – Umahi by meccuno: 12:34pm On Jan 07, 2019
[s]
Sanchez01:
Ebonyi state Governor, Engr. David Umahi, on Sunday said Ebonyi state was not part of the states that formed the “Sovereign States of Biafra,” which had been proclaimed by the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Umahi, who also serves as Chairman of the South East

Governors’ Forum, however said some of the agitations of IPOB members were genuine, except that the approach used in actualising their objectives were bad.

Umahi also raised the alarm of an alleged threat of kidnap on the five governors of the zone by the group and added that the fresh threat was received via text messages, sent to his wife.

He spoke on Sunday at the Nkwegu Military Cantonment in Abakaliki, the state capital, during the inauguration of Operation Python Dance (Egwu Eke) phase III, by the Nigerian Army.

He said, “The GOC, you are coming at a time we had our brothers and sisters of IPOB sending text messages tha, there will be no elections and insulting the leaders, particularly the South-East governors.

Just few days back, they sent text message to my wife that the five governors of the South-East would be kidnapped and that their security would be overpowered and that after ransoms were paid, they would kill them and kill themselves.

“That is laughable; although as a leader in the zone, I must say that some of their complaints are genuine; but the approach is very bad. That is why the leaders of south east are not in support of their approach.”

“So, we are not against them, but their approach. And as the Chief Security of the state, I do not welcome them; Ebonyi state is not part of Biafra, we are a sovereign state, and we don’t want to be colonised again, as we are a state demanding better treatment in the affairs of our nation.”
https://punchng.com/ebonyi-not-part-of-biafra-gov-umahi/
[/s] Rubbish Talk.
Celebrities › Re: Cossy Orjiakor Blocks Instagram User Who Advised Her To Stop Displaying Her Boob by meccuno: 12:27pm On Jan 07, 2019
Lesson of the day: "Mind Your Fvcking Business".
Politics › Re: No Investor Will Put Money In Nigeria Under APC Government by meccuno: 7:19am On Jan 07, 2019
[quote author= post=74490101]GOD BLESS OUR PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI. [/quote]
Politics › Re: Cherubim And Seraphim Endorses Buhari Promises To Burn 1 Million Candles For Him by meccuno: 9:19pm On Jan 06, 2019
[s]
deomelllo:
[s][/s]




#SAIBABA2019 don't give a poo about the rubbish you write or your endless wailing..

@ #SAIBABA2019-2023


NEWSFLASH::::::: PMB won in 2015 without your worthless votes in 2015 so who cares aboiut your meaningless votes in your ipob village?

Abeg move..
[/s] grin
Politics › Re: Cherubim And Seraphim Endorses Buhari Promises To Burn 1 Million Candles For Him by meccuno: 9:12pm On Jan 06, 2019
[s]
deomelllo:
[s][/s]




#SAIBABA2019 don't give a poo about the rubbish you write or your endless wailing..

@ #SAIBABA2019-2023


NEWSFLASH::::::: PMB won in 2015 without your worthless votes in 2015 so who cares aboiut your meaningless votes in your ipob village?

Abeg move..
[/s] grin

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 (of 245 pages)