₦airaland Forum

Contrary to reports of denials publish in some newspapers recently, the President himself has confirmed that Niboro will be replaced by Reuben Abati. Read about the Presidents confirmation here. The President however added thatt Niboro will be given a new portfolio.

On a lighter note (<=== hope you people understand the phrase ), Niboro  Beef will continue to run GEJ's facebook account. Sources say that he is currently working on a wizard excel macro which will pour sand sand in the garri of those investigating election rigging. He will return to NL soon. His recent recruiting effort showed him on NL looking programmers who can code loops. Look at the olodo and the ole ntele alfas here   

They say the best way to keep critics quiet is to give them jobs. If true, Abati's appointment will be a loss to the Nigerian public. Abati is fully qualified for the job, but I did not think he would accept a job which by nature would require him to bend the truth frequently.

On a lighter note, Ima Niboro (Beaf) has been MIA on NL for the past few weeks, we now know why.

The Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian (Nigeria), Rueben Abati, has crossed the street, professionally, to become the voice of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Abati's position as Senior Special Adviser On Communication is expected to be announced early next week When Mr. Jonathan returns from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, where he is attending a meeting of the African Union until the weekend.


When announced, Mr. Abati, who recently wrote a 10-part article on the Jonathan presidency, will replace Ima Niboro, the abrasive and often angry Special Adviser to Mr. Jonathan. Presidency sources told Saharareporters today that Mr. Niboro has yet to be informed of his exit. Only last week, the outgoing Senior Special Adviser was said to have been all over the presidential villa threatening to “re-organize” his office.

Mr. Abati is a long-running columnist with The Guardian, but his substantive job was to chair the Editorial Board and the editorial pages. In recent years, his star has dimmed professional on account of allegations of corruption, including his name being found on a list of senior Nigerian journalists who accepted big plots of lands in Abuja from the Yar'Adua government. Neither Mr. Abati nor The Guardian denied that allegation.


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/jonathan-presidency-juggling-reuben-abati-replace-ima-niboro

Under running costs, salaries and allowances of members, Tambuwal explained that the seventh session of the House “recognises the concerns raised by Nigerians about the jumbo pay of lawmakers. The watchword in financial issues will be fiscal conservatism”

Former Speaker Dimeji Bankole, ran a ‘collapse system’, merging all monies meant for the running of the House with the running of committee activities, leading to jumbo pay for the lawmakers.

hahahahaha!!! This action by Tambuwal may have provided the cover which Bankole needs to turn the case EFCC currently has against him into a 'Separation of Powers' issue and made it very easy for a judge who eventually sets Bankole free a way out. You see, the judge will simply rule that the loans otained by Bankole was to cover 'running costs' of the House of Reps and as such RMAFC or any other body has no authority to dictate how the house finances its running costs.

Basically, Tambuwal can also obtain a loan, and distribute it to members to run commitees and for other 'legitimate' house activities. We all know where most of such funds end up.

Thieving representatives.

I dey laugh with eyes wide opened, gworo in hand.

I agree 100% with Buhari and most Nigerians agree with him.

Former head of state and CPC presidential candidate in the last elections Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigerian elite who steal public money are as bad as militants who have been destabilizing the country. In an interview with Daily Trust in London, Gen. Buhari grouped light-manipulated elite in the same class with Boko Haram dissidents and Niger-Delta militants, saying that they are all destabilizing forces in the country.


“I am concerned about insecurity and destabilizing forces in our country. Anybody who steals public money in all the tiers of government – federal, state and local governments – is destabilizing the country and is as bad as the militants.”

Gen. Buhari blamed the authorities for providing a breeding ground for militants and dissidents by not dealing with issues within the ambit of the law, but expects the populace to be law-abiding.

“The government must do things within the framework of the law and be fair. If it does not, then people will try and look after themselves and this is what is happening now”.

Gen. Buhari said the government should dialogue with the Boko Haram dissidents as it did with the Niger-Delta militants, and rhetorically asked: “who committed more atrocities against the Nigerian state between Boko Haram and the militants?”

He, however, said government had adopted the right approach by asking the police to get to the bottom of the Boko Haram issue, stressing that it was the duty a of the police to tackle such issues within the ambit of the law.

Gen. Buhari and his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare spoke at Chatham House, London on the April general elections in Nigeria which the international community has upheld as generally free and fair.

Earlier in the lecture delivered on Monday, Buhari said he will continue to boycott Council of State meeting pending the determination of the petition filed by his party challenging the election of President Goodluck Jonathan. The Council of State meeting is presided over by a sitting president, and attended by all former Heads of State.

Buhari refused to attend the meeting when he challenged the results of the 2003 Presidential Election won by then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He also expressed hope that the CPC will not have any cause to pursue its petition up to the Supreme Court as he did in the past.

http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21984:buhari-thieving-elite-as-bad-as-militants&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

[quote author=ekt_bear link=topic=699581.msg8604367#msg8604367 date=1309229167]Your point about revenue generated relative to the former Eastern region is correct and true. All I am contesting is which zone generated the most.

This is why in hindsight I think Awolowo screwed up btw. He should have just stayed in the Western region rather than bothering with federal politics. Imagine what the region would look like today if he hadn't made that decision? [/quote]To be honest, I have to agree that the Western region would have been in a better shape, but hindsight is 20/20.  

Seriously, Cocoa and groundnuts were the major export pre 1966. Note that Cocoa was 15% of total exports while groundnuts a bit less. The rest of the export included palm oil from the South, and several other minerals from the North.  When you add export proceeds from hides and Skins, Cotton, ginger, Tin, and other minerals from the North, I believe the numbers would show that the North generated the most revenue.

@Ezeuche, you've missed my point completely. This kind of unnecessary misunderstanding is why wars start. Na dis kind misinterpretation dey cause some of us to carry dagger pursue una from Kano to Sokoto. Truth is those conflicts are completely avoidable.

@Eko-Ile, oro e ko ye mi mo. O ti su mi. geez.

[quote author=ekt_bear link=topic=699581.msg8604245#msg8604245 date=1309226613]Where did you see this? Do you have actual #s, or is this just your general impression? Revenue-wise the Western region was a lot wealthier than the North or East pre-oil. . .at least this is my impression based on what I've read.[/quote]My main point was that a vast majority of government revenues were from Groundnuts and Cocoa proceeds. The Northerners and westerners shared the monies with love and funded most of the capital projects in the east and the so-called south-south. The hypocrits did not complain then, they are now talking about providing taxes from Breweries to sharia states. These are ungrateful people.

Eko-Ile, I expected your nonsensical response rant, but I know you are bright enough to get the point being made. congratulations. Olodo Eko o ni baje, and isale Eko a dara bi i downtown Kaduna, sooner or later, Mushin too.

Give it a rest guys. The fact that there was flooding in Akwa Ibom or Kano not not change the fact that Fashola could have done more to prevent the kind of flood we saw recently in Lagos. You guys, especially you, Eko-Ile, are overreacting. Sometimes criticisms can be constructive and good. Your governor is not perfect.

Go and look it up, proceeds from palm oil and coal contributed a miniscule amount compare to Kano groundnuts. Don't try to rewrite history, some of us are not blind almajiris. We are on to your tricks.

Cocoa and groundnuts were Nigeria's two major exports until petroleum surpassed both in 1965. Proceeds from groundnuts were the highest, from Cocoa 2nd, while pail oil was not even a distant third.

[quote author=EzeUche! link=topic=700149.msg8604130#msg8604130 date=1309223436]Soon Northerners will be paying homage to Boko Haram.

If this violence spreads to Kano and Katsina, then we should be very afraid.[/quote]What do you mean by Northerners paying homage to Boko Haram?

I do not believe that violence will spread to Kano or katsina any time soon. I expect those people to attack the symbols of government first - most of those that count are located in Abuja, Lagos, and PH.  In a way, a controlled escalation may force this clueless government to take a more effective action. Up till now the government's response has been nil. A disgrace.

ezeagu:
'Weak link' is actually fine.

ngwannu, he is a weak link and a weaklin.  But why did you people rig vote for him en mass? Were you clueless of these characteristics?

naijaking1:
Loosers of the last election like Adamu Ciroma and his group have vowed to use violence to make the country ungovernable.
GEJ and his team maybe using more than logic to counter them.

I agree with the first part of your statement, but as for the bolded part, all I can say is you are dead wrong, GEJ and his handlers have no clue how to manage the crisis.

udezue:
GEJ is such a weak link.

Ogbanje udezue, I no know say you get small sense. GEJ is indeed a weaklin, not weak link, olodo. 

When most of your states' expenses were funded by government revenues wherein more that 60% came from proceeds from Kano Groundnuts pyramids, you selfish hypocrits did not complain. awon olodo

Udezue: MAY GOD PUNISH YOU. Idiotic unproductive son of northern bytch.

Udezue, I am not surprised at your effeminate and brainless emotionalism. If you disagree with my post, can't you express yourself with a contrary opinion in an intelligent manner? You are an intellectual midget who really does not deserve a response. Egbe ndi Israeli piafuka gi blokos, olodo aje'okuta ma munmi.

GEJ is a good man with a good heart but his handlers, many of whom are former MEND finaciers and oil bunkerers, are going to do him in if care is not taken. They puched the poor gur to contest for the presidential election and to break the PDP gentleman's agreement of power rotation. These foolish handlers failed to see that this agreement was very instrumental at keeping the country peaceful. To make matters worse, they decided to rig the election when they did not have to do that. In their foolishness they did not expect any negative impact.

Only a dullard would not have been able to predict the kind of violent reaction we are seeing in this country.  I predict there will be more violence both from groups like MEND, Boko Haram and the government itself. GEJ's handlers better wake up and smell the coffee or this administration will be the worst in Nigeria's history.

When another bomb explodes in Abuja, one in Lagos, and another one in PH in a coordinated manner, this administration may finally understand the gravity of the current situation.

I've always believed that the commoners of the SS and their counterparts in the North are the most marginalized Nigerians. These people have been ignored, r.aped, and neglected by our leaders for years. The SS responded through MEND and we all  hailed the group because we knew the cause of the common man  is a just one.

Well. the marginalized northerners are now responding in their own way. Unfortunately, we do not have a Yar'Adua to negotiate with Boko Haram. If you have not yet seen the video put out be the leaders of Boko Haram (its in Hausa language - get a translator), I'd recommend that you do. I'm sorry to say that these people have very good reasons for their actions. Having said that, I condemn every act of killing of innocent Nigerians, either by terrorist groups or a terrorist government whose officials continue to rob the mases of $billions on a daily basis. The irresponsible acts of  government officials have caused the deaths of thousands of Nigerians.

The government should be held squarely responsible for failing to provide a safe country for us.

How can she be the most beautiful Nigerian when she is wearing fake hair - a weave?  That hair is not a typical Nigerian hair, if she a half-cast or the hair is reasl, then my apologies.

[quote author=Abu-Maryam link=topic=699508.msg8593471#msg8593471 date=1309091752]kindly tell me which language is that, how did the country reach to name them as our national currency[/quote]Ny theory: kobo was derived from the yoruba term for penny and hausa term for penny. Naira = Nai from Nigeria, like nai[/b]ja; The 'ra' in nai[b]ra from the yoruba word for buy (ra).

I might as well give you my suggestion, since no one else knows the answer 

Sagamite:
Then it will come from the budget and they will have broken the law.

They will have to prove it is running cost and these 37 will be open to charge for fraud if the attempt fails, if not, then they will have to prove the followed the best practice due process procurement laws.

Anyone changing claims after expensing is committing fraud and theft!

The 37 are basically, unknowingly, volunteering to take the heat for their colleagues. In my opinion, that is fantastic because we have 39 people (i.e. plus Bank-Ole and Nafag) to prosecute, which is much easier and manageable than charging over 350.

All the Reps have perpetrated 'fraud' frankly. By the time the lawyers throw monkey wrenches in the process and monies start ending up in judges' accounts, nothing will happen to them. This case is not so clear-cut, EFCC should find other ways to nail these people.

Sagamite:
But who has to repay the loan?

The government? Who is the loan bearer?

The National Assembly pays any loan obtained on its behalf. Its not unusual for them to borrow from, say the senate or National Assembly Management, to fund some House of Rep project pending the passage of the budget after which they appropriate funds, as they see fit, to pay it back.  They do this routinely.

Does the House of Representatives have a duty to appropriate emergency funds to themselves to carryout their duties, in the name of national interest, even if it some may think the spending exceeds the limits set by RMAFC?  I bet you some lawyer will find another loophole in the constitution that will make one answer Yes to the question. The Reps anticipated current EFCC action, so they set up a 37-man committee, made up of one member per state and the FCT, to review the welfare package. This committee recommended the enhancement of their running costs, providing a cover for the loan.

The situation is quite sad.

[quote author=ekt_bear link=topic=699032.msg8590563#msg8590563 date=1309033123]sanusi must go[/quote]Why? Beacause he is implementing the Islamic Banking system recognized world-wide, and was designed and customized for Nigeria by Soludo?

Sagamite:
I really don't think that any RMAFC increase can be applied retrospectively by law.

Secondly, even if the EFCC erred, I think the only way out for Bank-Ole and his group of representhieves is to repay the loan out of their own pockets na.

That said, if the loan has "Federal Republic of Nigeria" as the loan bearer, they have already broken the law. They all can only mitigate their sentence by repaying it out of their own pocket.

hehehe. Good luck on expecting the reps and bankole to repay a penny. The loan does not have Federal Republic of Nigeria as the loan bearer. The House of Representatives routinely obtain loans from various sources including National Assembly management, the Senate, and banks. Typically a House resolution is all that is needed to obtain such loans.

If only our wishes were the law ,

Sagamite:
If they are awarding themselves more than the RMAFC limit through loans, who repays the loan?

The politicians or the government?

If it is the government, they are still breaking the law by exceeding the limit, init?

The EFCC eeidiots should have waited until the new budget is passed, when the National Assembly would have included the funds to pay for the loan, and also twisted the arms of members of RMAFC to increase the said limit.  My prediction is that GEJ will ensure that RMAFC increases the current salary limit to ensure that, Bankole and the other 300+ members of the 6th National Assembly, most of whom are PDP members walk free.  If GEJ doesn't play ball, expect them to make his life miserable with impeachment threats.

Here is the view of the only witness that EFCC has announced to the public.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/9919-clerk-bankole-rejected-advice.html

Mai Suya:
moreover the fact that it was a loan and not taken directly from fed acct the doesn't obviate the fact the house members, under Banky, approved and got for themselves remunerations above what RMAFC had determined.

Indeed!! As a legal matter, they'll probably argue that they had the constitutional right to do just that. What they cannot do is pay themselves more than limit set by RMAFC with proceeds from the budget. Barawos

bioye: Ha!  Your argument is quite logical. But I hesitate to accept it as sacrosanct.  If you were to suggest an amendment to correct this loophole in the constitution, what would it be?

Even if the constitution is amended, determined thieves would still be able to find another loophole. What we have to do as a nation is to find ways to elect credible people to represent us in Abuja.

Also, what you are inadvertently saying in conclusion is that ONLY after the Presidency signs the budget and disburses the allowances (for last year and this year) to the House while exceeding the limit set by RMAFC does it becomes a crime.  And the criminal by law here would be the Presidency and the Presidency alone?

That’s not what I am saying at all. The constitution is clear, If Anyone/body/agency e.t.c, pays to the members of the House of Assembly such remuneration, salaries and allowances as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, and if the amount paid exceeds the amount as determined by RMAFC, that would be a crime. The funds paid by default is expected to be part of the national budget – not from my personal account or any loan obtained by the National Assembly (the loan is not part of the budget and RMAFC has no say on its spending).
 

If the legislators have not broken the law, why should they be shot? Because they were morally wrong though legally right?  That is where I would ultimately disagree with you.

Hehehe, haba Malam, You should agree with me 100%. What I am saying (and I believe you know), is that if the EFCC operatives get of their a$ses and do their jobs, they can easily find real financial crimes committed by most of these people. Don’t ask me for proof, ask EFCC. If you do not believe what I’ve said then you are in the minority of Nigerians.  

Sagamite: You need to provide more clarity.

What was the limit set by RMAFC and what was the allocation implemented by NASS?

The so-called running cost of members was N27million per member per quarter (needless to say this was the maximum limit established by RMAFC – they didn’t have to pay each member this maximum amount, but that is what they did).
As greed set it, members threatened Bankole with impeachment if he does not go along with their 419 plan, so they all agreed to increase the running cost to N42million per member per quarter.
If at this point if they had paid themselves with government funds (afterall they are charged with appropriations, so they can find the money from other government programs), then they would have been in violation of section 84 of the constitution. Their 419 solution – obtain a loan, share the money and claim that they were carrying out their duties and because of the separation of powers principles, the judiciary and the executive branches can go to blazes.
By now, Nigerians should have been protesting by the hundreds of thousands in front of NASS. Being idol-thief worshipers and cowards, Nigerians have not taken any action.

bioye:
Actually, as far as I know, the 6th House of Representatives broke the law by increasing allowances for 358 of the 360 members of House of Representatives. This is because according to the constitution, only RMAFC is empowered by law to do so. This collective action is morally wrong and illegal.

Your statement that the 6th House of Representatives broke the law by increasing allowances for 358 of the 360 members of House of Representatives can be easily debunked in court. Let's take a quick look at section 84 fo the constitution:

84. (1) There shall be paid to the holders of the offices mentioned in this section such remuneration, salaries and allowances as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, but not exceeding the amount as shall have been determined by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

According to the constitution, the National Assembly has the constitutional duty to prescribe salaries and remuneration of members of the House of Representatives. The duties of RMAFC, is to set a limit which the NASS should not exceed. RMAFC does not have the authority to increase or decrease allowances or other remunerations.

Based on what is reported in this case, Bankole and NASS did not spend more than the limit established by RMAFC.  (1)NASS voted to increase allowances - a constitutional act (2)NASS did not pay its members a penny over the limit established by RMAFC (from government funds/budget)  -  RMAFC has no authority whatsoever on how the said loan proceeds were spent by Bankole and others.

EFCC goofed here, I'm sorry to say that Bankole and the 6th House of Reps have perpetrated one of the biggest 419 in history. These people deserve to be shot, if I may quote Sanusi.

@bioye, I appreciate your effort to tell the other side of the story. Would you be willing to proclaim, with the same amount of vigor, that the action of the legislators including bankole in this case is morally reprehensible, even if 'legal'? Would you sir, be willing to admit that the said action by the legislators and Bankole is morally equivalent to theft, albeit 'legal'?

[quote author=X-factoria]“It was the Accounting Officer of the House of Representatives who advised that the short fall in fund be met by loans to be taken from a commercial bank to meet the funds required"

Note the use of the word advised. The Admin Officer did not approve the taking of the loan. He only advised. Bankole and his so called committee gave authority to the taking of the loan to fund an illegality. The Admin Officer on his own could not have gone to the Bank to take the loan. Besides, the Bank would always require a resolution of the house committee as a condition precedent to drawdown on the loan.[/quote]You seem to be implying that if the Admin Officer had approved the taking of the loan, EFCC wouldn't have a case against Bankole!!  This alone indicates that EFCC's case is quite weak and Bankole will be found not quilty with ease. Bankole will have no trouble coming up with his own witnesses who will contradict this EFCC witness, the Admin Office. If anyone believes that the hearsay by the said Admin Officer is sufficient to get Bankole a prison term in Nigeria, then he/she must be naive.

This case has only served as another confirmation that we are ruled by nothing but a bunch of thieves. At best, the supreme court will throw the case out on based on the principles of 'Separation of powers'. The court has no business telling the legislative arm or executive arm how to conduct its constitutionally provided duties.


We all know that the legislators and Bankole robbed us all in this case.  Unfortunately it was a constitutional robbery.

Bankole has a point, a fair court would set him free. You may disagree with his method or believe the acts were not performed in good faith, but the fact remains that the house voted and passed legislation which necessitated the loans. There is nothing fraudulent about obtaining a loan to fund NASS activities as a temporary measure.

The jokers should find real crimes to prosecute. Awon olodo. They should be going after the alleged $1billion found in one of Bankole's proxy accounts. They are all nothing but a bunch of barawos.