abeg u guys should leave me and this El rufia matter, ah! so wot if he is quizzed? i believe in a couple of hours, he will b relaxin in one five star hotel in dubai, we r here botherin ourselves with flimsy issues..

El rufia needs an appointment, but sorryyyyyyy, no vacancy for inhumane pple like u...go and get busy with all ur small yarinyas u built houses for and enjoy the ones u stole...

we wont o, those that want to die, shud go hang themselves, just like the poster said, they will disappear and later appear when the helpless hav finish fighting and dying, our present challenges will pass, i believe, letz stl leave as one Nigeria, a bless Nation we r.

every body tryin to b relevant, even Fawehinmi(jr), na wa o, if he is asked now, wot shud be done, he will b speechless, and if GEJ shud deplore troops now, he will b de first to cry human rights on the front pages of papers, abegi , we r all disturbed abt de security challenges, but de r beta ways to go abt it instead of multiplyin the tension wit our statements letz put heads together and develop a thread that will seek ways to end dis terror.

this a good one, but de shud try to make it circulate to all nooks and crany of the country, though d r alots of improvment where i stay..kudos GEJ, i pray u hav the wisdom t tackle the challenges b4 u

well it musnt be electricity alone na, probably other areas too, but wait o, electricity has reaally improved this pass few weeks, i get surprise sometimes, if this continues, no prob votin again, i think every president needs time, i believe b4 2015, it will b more stable

i think it just not a good idea, looking at wot is happening in the country now, letz focus r energy in tackling our own probs first.

REPORTS that the Federal Government is planning to send Nigerian troops to help battle Islamist insurgents in Mali is unsettling. The idea is totally misguided, considering that the country is facing unprecedented insecurity challenge from Boko Haram insurgents.

We have not been able to handle our own problem here; how can the country be thinking of sending troops to Mali to face the same challenge we have here? Equity demands that we solve our problem first and then be in a better position to help others.

The right thing to do, considering the critical security situation we are facing, is to give moral support to any effort to restore peace in Mali, but not to send soldiers. We need the soldiers at home to deal with our escalating insecurity problem. And, even at that, whatever support Nigeria would give should depend on her ability to foot the bill. This battered economy is ill prepared to foot huge bills arising from external combat mission.

Whereas it had been mooted earlier that Nigeria was planning to deploy troops to Mali to help in restoring peace to that country, but this was not taken serious. However, the statements by Reuben Abati and Ogbole Ahmed-Ode, spokespersons at the presidency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have confirmed our fears.

Reports say the spokespersons for President Goodluck Jonathan, Reuben Abati and that of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ogbole Ahmedu-Ode had separately confirmed that “Nigeria has responsibility to return peace to Mali”.

While Abati was quoted as saying that, “Nigeria is committed to resolving the crisis in Mali, especially as President Jonathan is a co-mediator in the crisis”, Ogbole-Ode on his part, reportedly said that, “it was mandatory for the country to salvage the situation in Mali where Islamic fundamentalists are unleashing attacks on the country’s monuments and people”.

The statements betray the expectation of Nigerians on the escalating insurgence in the country. Does it mean that government is committed in restoring peace in Mali and probably not in Nigeria, which explains why this crisis is getting worse. If Nigeria is committed to resolving the crisis in Mali, how committed is the government to resolving the worsening crisis in Nigeria?

Is the government committed in dealing with the insecurity in the country or not? If yes, why is it proving extremely difficult to deal with this situation and restore peace? I don’t want to imagine that government is not committed to the cause of restoring peace in Nigeria, but how committed is it? Is the commitment as strong as its avowed commitment in Mali as emphasized by Abati? We are yet to see the kind of commitment that Nigeria wants to showcase in Mali.

Furthermore, the Islamic fundamentalists staging crisis in Mali are very much here with us. Nigeria is facing the same unabated attacks from Boko Haram rebellion. Practically, no day passes without people being killed in one state or the other. The entire north is like a war zone. State of emergency has been declared in some states and yet there is no respite. Why should we leave the log in our eyes and want to remove the speck in another man’s eyes? Can we afford to give what we don’t have?

No one gives what he does not have. If peace is what Nigeria wants to give Mali, do we have peace here? It is hypocritical for us to pretend to be purveyor of peace that is lacking in our domain. We should work to achieve peace and stability at home first to have the moral justification to preach peace to other countries.

The Federal Government should act wisely to save Nigeria from unnecessary conflict. Nigeria’s interest must come first. Nobody is saying that Nigeria should not be involved in matters concerning sub-regional peace and security in West Africa. But to be involved in such assignment, the interest of the country must be uppermost.

It is on record that Nigeria has played prominent role in peace missions in West Africa in particular and Africa in general. Nigeria’s unflinching commitment in the Liberian and Sierra Leonean wars was instrumental to the return of peace to those countries.

But Nigeria was not facing internal rebellion when she took the responsibility to restore peace to those countries at huge human and material cost. There is nothing wrong if Nigeria should say she could not be involved in the Mali operation this time around because of threatening internal rebellion.

It needs to be emphasised that the Malian case is different from Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Mali case is not limited to Mali as a country. It is more of a sub-regional uprising cutting across the entire Sahel region by Islamists seeking to carve out territory for themselves. Some have identified them as Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb. It is on this note that Nigeria should be wary before plunging into the Malian crisis, in order not to attract avoidable enemies that will make what we are seeing now a child’s play.

http://nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

wot abt it, ur hightlighted text

probably his own share of the cake..

is de any hope for team nigeria?

The eyes of the world will be on London for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games today with Nigeria taking part in the event.

The ceremony will provide an opportunity for the world to view the culture of the host city and the UK and that of all participating countries including Nigeria.

Certain elements must feature in every Olympic opening ceremony, as outlined in the International Olympic Committee charter and today in London, there is expectation that the hosts will go beyond what the world witnessed in Beijing.

For the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, Her Majesty the Queen will be greeted by Jacques Rogge, President of IOC.

A procession of the participating teams will follow which will be done in alphabetical order, after which speeches will be delivered. The session ends with the invitation of the Queen to officially declare the Games open.

A total of 15,000 people will perform in the London 2012 opening ceremony, which will be watched by an estimated audience of four billion.

The Team Nigeria ended its preparation for the ceremony on Thursday with the position of flag bearer changing hands. Instead of Usman Maryam, Boltic Sinivie – a 96kg freestyle wrestler-will carry Nigerian flag later today.

The change came after a meeting held Thursday afternoon at the Games Village. Deputy Chef de Mission for the country, Al-Hassan Yakmut, said the change became necessary after Maryam’s coach suggested that she was better off not playing that role in view of her early competition on Saturday following the opening event .

Yakmut said, “The opening ceremony is going to stretch into the early morning of Saturday and Maryam will be fighting soon after the ceremony. It is for strategic reasons. We don’t want to wear her out in the ceremonies.

“Boltic is not new to events like this. He has been around and has won several medals for Nigeria at international events’’ he said.

The change is limited to that of the flag bearer for the march past. Team Captain remains the same as the Beijing Olympics bronze medallist, Chika Chukwumerije.

http://www.punchng.com/sports/olympics-games-start-today/

Gbaja again?? i tot we ve trash dis, he shud just go and bury himself in a hole...very soon he will want to contest for Lag state governor...shameless politicians

Samsung Electronics Co, the world's top smartphone maker, sold 50.5 million smartphones in the second quarter, stretching its lead over rival Apple Inc, a report by research firm StrategyAnalytics showed.

According to Reuters, Samsung took 34.6 percent of the global smartphone market, while Apple, which suffered a 26 percent sequential plunge in smartphone sales, had 17.8 percent of the market after selling 26 million iPhones in the June quarter, the report said.

Nokia took the third spot with a 7.0 percent market share, selling 10.2 million smartphones.

http://nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

Three eminent Nigerians on Thursday lauded the proposal for a five-year single term for some public officers in the ongoing debate for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, they said the proposed single term of five years being considered by the Senate was a good idea.

NAN reports that the Senate Committee on Constitution Amendment had reportedly proposed either a five-year or seven-year single tenure for the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies.

Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), told NAN on the telephone that there was some sense in the proposal.

“The answer on whether or not I support it is not easy.

http://www.punchng.com/news/agbakoba-fasehun-keyamo-back-five-year-single-tenure/

“I like the idea of a single tenure, though it will require some careful thinking,” he said.

The former NBA boss said a single term would allow whoever comes into office in those capacities to focus on the job rather than re-election.

“Re-election bid creates problems as too much money is amassed by office holders for it,” he said.

Agbakoba asserted that the country’s constitution required substantial modifications to cope with the enormous challenges facing the nation.

Also, the Founder of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, described the proposed five-year single tenure as a good development for Nigeria.

“It is better for us as it will reduce the tendencies of elected public office holders to illicitly amass wealth.

“Rather than eight years of looting, Nigerians could endure for five,” he said.

Similarly, Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Festus Keyamo, said he supported the idea.

“I support it as long as the present administration does not benefit from it,” he said.

Keyamo said a five-year single tenure would reduce the problems of incumbents using state funds to run for second term.

There had been so much rancor in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in recent times, the latest being threats to impeach the speaker of the house, a development which took the intervention of vpower-brokers in the Peoples Democratic Party, including President Goodluck Jonathan, to solve.

But fresh crisis have apparently emerged among members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Wednesday following a heated exchange between the Speaker of the House, Mr. Kombowei Benson, and the former Deputy Speaker, Mr. Fini Angaye. The shouting match, it was reported, almost resulted in exchange of blows.

Sources from the Assembly complex reported that Angaye stormed the office of the Speaker and banged the Speaker’s table as he insisted that a certain money be paid. He was said to have threatened to deal with Speaker if the money was not paid and refused to leave the office.“Pay me my money now. If you don’t pay me money, there will not be sitting of this House”. The former deputy speaker was reported to have been shouting.

According to the source, who pleaded anonymity, “We don’t know the money he was requesting for. But he was serious and showed a lot of disrespect to the Speaker. It took the intervention of other lawmakers to prevent a fight between the two.” Meanwhile, aggrieved by the conduct of Angaye, some of the lawmakers brought it to the floor of the House under a matter of urgent public importance. A member representing Yenagoa II Constituency, Ebipaudo Fekeweimo, later moved the motion and called for a disciplinary measures against Angaye

http://www.informationnigeria.org/2012/07/pay-me-my-money-bayelsa-state-lawmaker-in-shouting-match-with-his-speaker.html

Kobojunkie: Nigeria is not other countries that it should be limited by what other countries can or cannot achieve. Nigeria should aim for 105% because unlike many other countries we have over 20,000 projects paid for that have not been implemented and still need to be.

56% implementation on a budget that contains well over 90% ONGOING PROJECTS is not good news. There are 5 months left in the year.

i think ur question shud b, when did they pass biill for budget implementation, how far hav the govt gone, lookin critically at various ministries.. d govt is just a few months into the budget implementation, letz allow them and when they fail, the diff ministeries return all un used funds after auditin or face the consequences

he is just givin excuses, and som pple will stl support him cos the hav shared the national cake together, he is guilty, he is guilty..after all he said so.

Presidency has implemented 56% of the budget, and released the sum of 324billion out of N4.69trillion.

“I think the point is that Mr. President is determined to implement this budget as fully as possible and therefore we will be moving towards the figure of as full implementation as we can by the end of the year because the budget was made for the whole year,” NOI explained.

According to her, “In terms of 100% implementation, I think that what I read that was said by sections of the National Assembly, will have to do 100% implementation of the budget by September.

First, in my experience worldwide, there is hardly any country where you would implement 100% even by the end of the year and this is based on very broad experience.”

She said that the usual expectation is that implementation would be in the 80% to 90% range, not 100%.

By September, you know September is the ninth month of the year, so we will definitely be moving towards the figure,” she said, noting that funds for the Third Quarter would be released within the next two weeks.
She pleaded that there is neither lack of effort nor of goodwill. [b]“If we could go from 39% in May to 56% by mid-July, that shows a considerable leap [/b]and I'm quite confident that as we go month by month both us and the National Assembly will be able to look at it and say yes a good effort has been made for the country.”

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/i-cannot-meet-your-demand-budget-implementation-jonathan-answers-angry-house-reps

The World Bank has pledged to provide financial support to the Federal College of Education (Technical) at Umunze in the Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra.

The Team Leader of the bank in Nigeria, Dr Olatunde Adekola, made the announcement in Umunze on Wednesday, after inspecting the bank’s assisted Science and Technology Education Post Basic (STEP-B) project at the college.

He said that the support would enable the institution to commence a vocational training centre for speedy development of human capacities in various technological skills.

According to him, special attention will be given to courses such as engine mechanics, computer and cell phone repairs and electronics among others.

Adekola commended the Provost of the college, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu, for what he described as the proper management of the STEP-B project in the institution.

He advised workers in the institution to rise and set their orientation toward understanding the purpose of their mission in the school.

Adekola said that the workers' ability to harness the potential of the new scientific and technical knowledge through the vocational training centre would create major source of competitive advantage for them.

"Accordingly, the measure will also bring about wealth creation and improvement in the quality of life of the people," he stated.

The provost of the college commended the bank for assisting the college in the establishment of the STEP-B Information Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory.

According to Ogbuagu, the STEP-B project has continued to improve human capacity as well as infractstructure development in the college.

"Since the introduction of the STEP-B ICT laboratory in 2010, it has impacted greatly on the lives of the staff, students and even the host community.

"A large number of staff and students are now fully computer literate, they have opened up e-mail addresses through which they communicate with the outside world," Ogbuagu said.

The provost, however, solicited for more assistance in vocational training and other areas that could help the college immensely in technological and technical education.

He said that the college would soon commence the teaching of ICT education to primary school teachers in the area, noting that the measure would encourage effective teaching and learning in technical education in primary schools.

http://nigeria.news24.com/National/News/World-Bank-to-give-technical-support-to-FCE-20120726

our national dailys shud stop givin us false info abeg, so FG didnt buy the cars afterall...some pple r just out to heat up the polity...abeg o

"Unfortunately, a lot of those who should lend to the salvation of Nigeria are busy shielding themselves behind tinted windows, while tossing canisters of unwarranted criticism in all directions. In engaging in this dangerous pastime, they assume that their lot in an unraveled Nigeria would be a grand ringside view of a chaos consuming others. That’s delusion par excellence"...

well said, if those who think the r good enof, can clearly profer beta solutions, rather than engage in criticsm, i believe d country will hav scaled tru som challenges...i wish they cud read this piece...letz allow GEJ work, and at the end success will b achieved

the so call SNG wont come and bring him down frm the house, if it will help make them win 2015 elections, infact the r all birds of a feather

this is someone's opinion, cnt u read?

Nigeria's military said on Tuesday thousands of residents of Plateau forced to evacuate after deadly unrest could now return home after soldiers wrapped up operations in several villages.

Herdsmen from the Fulani ethnic group said last week that the army had confined them to squalid camps ahead of a planned campaign to root out gunmen accused of killing more than 100 earlier this month.

Authorities in Plateau state said members of the mainly Muslim Fulani group carried out July 7-8 raids on several Christian villages and a funeral.

"The Fulani from four of the five villages vacated for military operations have been asked to go back to their homes following the completion of our operations in the area," said Captain Salihu Mustapha, military spokesperson in Plateau.

Residents of a fifth village will remain in camps while security forces continue their campaign, he added.

It was not clear what the operation achieved, or whether any arrests had been made, but Fulani spokesmen have been critical of the military's strategy, saying it could worsen tensions in the state.

A Fulani chief in the Riyom area, Ardo Mamuda, said the herdsmen had already resolved to return home, regardless of whether the military consented.

"Residents had already made up their mind for the worst because it is better to face the possibility of a [military] raid than live in such dehumanising conditions in the camps," he said.

Fulani leaders said 10 000 people were forced into the camps, which lacked the most basic necessities.

The herdsmen are seen as "settlers" by the state's Christian indigenous groups, even though the Fulani have been there for decades.

Violence in Plateau has left thousands dead in recent years.

- AFP

http://nigeria.news24.com/National/News/Army-lets-displaced-return-home-20120725

State Security Service in the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday paraded two suspected ritualists, John, alias Tambara, and Ishaya (surnames withheld), for possessing a fresh human skull.

The SSS Assistant Director of Operations in the FCT, Ibrahim Halilu, gave the identity of the victim of the ritual killing as Samu Danjuma, a seven-year-old boy.

Halilu said the suspects were apprehended at AYA Junction, Asokoro, Abuja, on Sunday while on their way to get a buyer for the fresh skull at Maraba, Nasarawa State.

Both suspects confessed to committing the crime.

Also, the police in Rivers State on Tuesday arrested a member of a gang specialising in stealing cars in the state.

Police Public Relation Officer in the state, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, in a statement, said they got a report that a Toyota Camry with number plate HQ 506 AAA had been stolen from where it was parked along Airport Road, Rukpoku near Best Bite Restaurant in Port Harcourt.

Ugwuegbulam said later arrested a member of the gang that stole the car identified as Lambert.

He said apart from recovering the stolen vehicle belonging to one Mr. Theophilus, another Toyota Camry, suspected to have been stolen by the bandits, was also recovered by the police.

http://www.punchng.com/news/sss-police-arrest-ritualists-carjacker-in-abuja-rivers/

no more cutting of corners, no more awoof money, effects of PIB

wonders shall neva end..smh...all dis for wot, abeg de shud allow dis small light i ve bin enjoying to remain o, make dem carry their juju go their house

will he ever listen, he has made up his mind to win 2015 election, so how eva he gets der is non of his biz, na God go help us

LAGOS — The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) yesterday, threatened to shut its operations within 48-hours if government failed to pay the subsidy claims to marketers.

Mr Dapo Abiodun, the President of the association, gave the ultimatum in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Abiodun said that government’s failure to pay all verified and outstanding subsidy claims would force the members to suspend supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

“We are not fighting government but what we are saying is that government should pay all our outstanding subsidy claims which have affected our operations.

“If after 48-hours government fails to effect payment, we, the members of DAPPMA are going to put our operations on hold nationwide pending when it is paid,” he said.

Abiodun said that banks were charging marketers about N1.80k as interest on a litre of petrol per month due to non-payment of the subsidy claims by government.

He said that it costs members about $30 million to import 30,000 tonnes of petrol, adding that non-payment of subsidy had resulted to huge debts from funds borrowed from banks.

According to him, the bank loans used to finance importation of petroleum products have continued to accrue interests over and above the 45 days.

He said also that the decision of Federal Government to suspend indefinitely all verified and outstanding subsidy payments since January had exposed its members to financial crisis.

“Our members have been exposed to harsh effects of the devaluation of the naira.

“That will make it impossible to fully repay the outstanding dollar denominated loans when eventually payments are made by the Federal Government.”

Abiodun said the situation had made it imperative for marketers to demand also the payment of all accrued interests over and above the contractual period.

He said that the association was not against the ongoing investigation of the 2011 subsidy claims by marketers but requested for the full payment of 2012 subsidy claims so far.

“We have subjected ourselves to the various panel investigations but nothing came out of the reports. Government doesn’t have reason to hold payment of claims when marketers duly imported products.”

Meanwhile, Wole Ademolekun, the General Manager, Operations of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), said that they would not join issues with marketers on the subsidy payment.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/petroleum-marketers-threaten-to-shut-operations-in-two-days/