₦airaland Forum

Beaf:
@Sapele and ndu

I sincerely believe that any process toward Yar Adua's impeachment would have swept the nation up into unimaginable chaos. The governors, Senators, Reps and PDP top echelon did the right thing in using the phone call as the tool to install an acting president.
I sincerely believe Jonathan should remain acting president as long as he can manage it; the confusion of choosing a deputy is something we can do without as ndu_chucks said. Yar Adua must be given the very best medical attention money can buy.

A reasonable statement from Beaf for a change.  

Stop issuing empty threats, Secede already!!! awon olodo, rakumin dajij.

SapeleGuy:
The reason I say that it is illegal is because we have no proof that that interview with the BBC was from 2010 or 2006. It is in that context that I say there is no provision for acting president, impeachment was the proper action. Legal minds will tell you anything, it is called taking a position, it doesn't mean it is honest, patriotic or right.

I understand your feeling. Unfortunately, your feeling or the fact that you don't have proof one way or the other about events, does not and cannot render anything illegal. The legislators passed the said resolutions rendering Jonathan's acting President status fully legal. It remains legal regardless on one's wishes until a court rules that the resolutions are illegal or unconstitutional. Its that simple.

I was also calling for Yar'Adua's impeachment when he was not in Nigeria and no one could say with certainty that the man is ill or even alive. That situation has changed. Yar'Adua is in Nigeria and sick enough to be unable to address the nation. The constitution does not call for impeaching a president simply because he is sick, even if the illness is terminal.

The right thing to do is to provide the best posible health care for our sick president. May God heal the man, he is a good man.

SapeleGuy:
My dear sir, you are a clever man and you know that the current situation is an illegality and a dangerous precedent, constitutionally there is no provision for acting president.

Legislators must act with transparency and dare I say it 'uphold the rule of law'. It will be very easy to pick a consensus vice president, what we musn't do is move the goal posts during the game.

The senate acted on that dubious bbc interview to 'construct' their motion, to uphold our constitution they should have declared the ex president incapacitated and commenced impeachment proceedings, if he failed to resign.

Very simple, no magomago no sweetmouth.

First of all, I disagree with you that there is no constitutional provision for acting President. Section 145 is a clear example of that provision. Secondly, Jonathan has been  made acting President by resolutions from both houses and given full executive authority.  He has also used this executive authority by replacing the AG and moving N19billion towards the protection of ND sea shores, among other acts.

You talk of the rule of law, I agree that we must respect the rule of law. To date, no court has overturned the resolutions that made Jonathan acting President.  Jonathan remains acting President until Yar'Adua resigns or (God forbid) dies.  

Please note that highly esteemed legal minds disagree with your position and not a single court in the land has ruled that Jonathan's acting President status is illegal. I venture to say that the status quo, regarding this issue will remain unchanged.

SapeleGuy:
He was flown in by ambulance, driven by ambulance to Aso Rock and has not been seen or heard from since. Why are we wasting time and money convening these so called medical experts?

Whilst we all wish him and other sick nigerians well, it is clear he has not recovered suffciently to lead the country. Resignation would be the honourable and patriotic course of action.

The brouhaha when Yar'Adua was in Saudi Arabia was because he failed to inform parliament that he was going on a medical vacation that would have enabled Jonathan to become the acting President with full executive powers. The parliament gave Jonathan those powers, albeit by resolutions with the same effect as section 145 would have had.

Now, the president is in Nigeria, obviously still on medical vacation, Jonathan is acting President with full executive powers.  It may be wise to maintain this condition for now.

The only real effect that the invocation of section 144 will have is to force Jonathan to pick a vice president immediately. Are you sure we need the drama at this point, as a practical matter? Just asking.

Information Minister,   Professor Dora  Akunyili has dropped another bombshell saying she is fed up with the “lies” told by some presidential aides about the health of President Umaru Yar’Adua.

She also says the president’s return on Wednesday has “actually exaggerated uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, fear and concern, not just by Nigerians but by the international community”.

However, four American doctors are due in Nigeria this weekend to attend to the ailing President.

They are expected to collaborate with some Nigerian doctors to reappraise the President’s health status.
Professor Akunyili whose February 5th memo to the Executive Council of the Federation, EXCOF, forced a change in the official position on the President’s health, told Sunday Vanguard and two other newspapers in Abuja, (See Full Interview on cover section ) that the confusion trailing the return of the President from Saudi Arabia could not be blamed on him because “he is peace loving” and the rule of law he preaches” is from his heart”.

“I believe that it is people around him that are gaining from the confusion; people around him that are doing to him today what 100 million political enemies cannot do to him”, she said, adding: “He has done a lot for this country and suddenly, a few people are rubbishing it. They stole him into this country in the night”.

Expressing personal frustration at her inaccessibility to information on the President’s health status, she said: “You manage information if you have information.  We did not have information that our President was travelling to Saudi Arabia until we read it in the news, and when he was in Saudi Arabia we hardly got information.

“We never had a comprehensive channel of getting information that we are sure of and most of the information sometimes, they don’t add up and it gets very disturbing. When they don’t add up, you feel very awkward reporting such information.

Although she admitted that her February 5th memo was a turning point in what she called “the politics of Yar’Adua’s illness”, and goaded some people into action at various levels, one of her children in the USA, who read it on the internet called on phone and asked “What is wrong with Mummy? Is she on drugs?”

* American doctors coming for Yar’Adua
The invitation of the four man team is to the knowledge of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Americans are to work in collaboration with some Nigerians medical experts, with a view to reviewing the Yar’Adua’s health status.

Their findings will determine to a large extent the next line of action of Acting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan this week.

Former President Obasanjo and some past leaders are said to be involved in or have ideas about the move to bring in the medical experts.

Unofficially, Acting President Jonathan is also working with the assistance of some Western countries with a view to laying to rest the present matter of constitutional stasis.

The statement of the American government to the effect that the return of Yar’Adua to Nigeria should not be used by his associates to create unnecessary instability in the country is a testament to that country’s role towards a better resolution of the present power game.

Closure is near; read the rest of the story here: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/02/28/im-fed-up-with-lies-about-yaradua-dora-akunyilis-latest-bombshell/

[quote author=paddy_lo link=topic=405382.msg5599017#msg5599017 date=1267316844]by clever by half i mean there are constitutional ways to end this but the yar adua camp are the ones blocking this from day one

the man is incapacitated,but u hide the fact because if it is known then its all over

the point is sir,our president should be examined ASAP and the verdict given to the ECF and NASS to enable them do the right thing for Nigerians[/quote]I don't think everything you wrote above is in conflict with my initial statement to which you responded. What I was lamenting was that, my fellow forumites were not calling for following our constitution in resolving the issues at hand as loudly as I had expected. Instead some have turned the resent saga into a tribal/regional battle. It has become an issue of Jonathan vs some so-called Cabal, or Jonathan versus Northerners.

What is needed is what you stated i.e. president should be examined ASAP and the verdict given to the FEC and NASS to enable them do the right thing for Nigerians. The FEC and NASS need to do their constitutional duties, period.

I hope you now see my point. By the way, I had fun at Penn's Landing last summer.

[quote author=paddy_lo link=topic=405382.msg5598981#msg5598981 date=1267316190]Are u mad?. . .what constitution,the one yar adua violated by not writing a letter to the NASS b4 jetting out?

stop trying to be clever by half[/quote]Please don't be rude, sir.

You just made my point, by the way. Did you urge your representative in the NASS to start an impeachment proceeding, if that was the necessary action that should have been taken? Please explain what you mean by clever by half - if your opinion differs from mine, please state your own position and I may learn from it.

The most unfortunate tragedy in all this is that, the so-called enlightened and educated nairalanders have turned the resent saga into a tribal battle. It is now an issue of Jonathan vs some so-called Cabal, or Jonathan versus Northerners.  People do not realize that deals have already been made between all enemies of the people (i.e. the thieving elite including Jonathan, the NASS, and other power brokers).

None of our in-house educated people is calling for following our constitution in resolving the issues at hand. This, in my humble opinion, is the greatest tragedy.

Onlytruth:
Why do you love rigmarole and spin so much. So, what is the transfer (correctly read by many as "diversion" about when you can simply "assign" funds to it.? What is the whole noise by your fellow northerners about then? Maybe you should go and explain that to them so that they can shut up. The thief crying alongside his victim.

You are fighting a losing battle on this issue. Go and find a more honourable cause to rant about. I repeat, Jonathan took the responsible action here.

I'm very disappointed in your stance here. Olodo

mikeansy:
Is the North no longer part of Nigeria?

All I am saying is that its possible to do both. Dredge River Niger and shore up the coastal lines too. Whats the point cutting off your nose to spite your face?

If Jonathan engages in divisive politics he will end up a 12months weak acting President.

I apologize if I misunderstood you. Jonathan has not stopped the said dredging project as reported by the OP but only transferred N19 billion out of the N36 billion special intervention funds for the dredging of River Niger to shore line protection and land reclamation in the Niger Delta. Jonathan's action is very prudent and correct.

Both projects you mentioned above will be carried out

mikeansy:
Our support for Jonathan is based on justice and fairplay and not based on cynical politics.

If all he ever wanted was to be a weak 12months acting President then by all means he can carry on as he so pleases.

THERE IS NO NEED ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL

I submit to you that the people of ND represent the proverbial Peter in your statement above. There is indeed no reason to continue to rob them willy nilly.

MrCrackles:
Dude chill the fu/ck out. . .
You obsession is too much on the Yaradua show. . .
You seem to get more stories on Yaradua than Turai, his wife!
RELAX!!!

LOOOL, Beaf's obsession will not stop until Jonathan is sworn in as the President of Nigeria. We are watching Jonathan like a hawk, any screw up will see him out, quicker than he can say Turai!

Ibime:
What is ill thought out about recommendations that Independent experts have made in their EIA?

Are the Independent experts also speaking from tribal sentiment?

Infact, you lot are the only ones speaking from tribal sentiment here.


I dont think anyone here on Nairaland knows the possible repercussions of any work done on the Niger. . . . in the meantime, please lets stick the opinions of the experts.


If that means the project is delayed for one year, then so be it. . . . nobody should try and be reckless here. . . I would remind y'all that certain Igbo communities such as Omoku are potentially affected as well.

Ibime, I agree with your point of view in this case.  Jonathan has not stopped the said project as reported by the OP but only transferred N19 billion out of the N36 billion special intervention funds for the dredging of River Niger to shore line protection and land reclamation in the Niger Delta. Jonathan's action is very prudent and correct.

It is noteworthy that the usual suspects are some of the loudest critics of Jonathan here on NL. If I point out the obvious, they will start ranting about some divide and rule b.ullsh.it.

As I've always stated that the people of the ND and the almanjiris of the North are the most marginalized Nigerians. Any presidential action that is designed to address these people's plight should not be politicized but praised. Jonathan has the executive powers to do what he did.  Truth be told, the money is from sales of oil from the ND area anyway.

Jonathan should continue to do what is right. Let those who are not progressives go and jump in River Benue. Haven't the people of the ND been violated enough? Haba people.  Jonathan has not even been in office for 1 month, give him a chance.  

The government and the oil companies have done nothing to address the ecological disaster in the ND, yet you people are criticizing Jonathan for taking the necessary step to avoid another disaster. Shame on the likes of Onlytruth and his brothers who continue to allow their bigotery to becloud their judgement. Rakumin dajij.

Onlytruth:
ndu_chucks, but come to think of it, how come the north is so fanatical about keeping power in Nigeria? Frankly it amazes me at the tenacity with which the north clings to power as if for air! Na wa o! It is possible that Yar adua is dead or comatose, what is the sense in flying him to Aso rock? Why not him staying in Saudi Arabia to fully recover if he is not dead? Why come back in this idiotic state? Is power more important than his life Chineke ekwena ife ojoo. Wrings fingers and shakes head in amazement and disbelief!

There you go blaming the North again. I suppose obasanjo is a Northerner, did he not try for third term? Its not about North or South, its about power. Power is like a very strong alchoholic beverage or a gorgeous babe, it gets one drunk. Turai and members of the kitchen cabinet do not represent a majority of Northerners, so stop using recent events as an excuse to bash Northerners.

Foolish and gullible Nigerians including high level politicians rush to shrines, witch doctors, and various soothsayers with the expectation that supernatural intervention would be rendered to their particular needs. In fact, an effective threat to gullible Nigerians, particularly the Southerners, is that one would deal with him/her with "medicine". I recall the national assembly going haywire because a snake was found in a latrine recently. The olodos believed that the snake was sent by witches and wazards. 

The fact that no one is so far able to convince Turai to see Yar'Adua is another proof positive that voodoo and the like don't work. If they do, I'm sure some one would  have used remote control authority to render Turai ill and have her transported to a hospital enabling at least one Nigerian to set eyes on Yardy.

Even Yar'Adua's mother has not been allowed to see him.

Gullible ones, consider the above before submitting your n.aked bodies to witch doctors and shrine operatives.   

SapeleGuy:
Ndu-chuks - As bad as you have tried to paint the niger delta folks, we all know that none of them will denigrate themselves and their people by choosing to rule from ambulance. It is instructive to note that a few days ago you were in support of impeachment but you don change your mind because you see picture of ambulance.

SapeleGuy, try to be respectful and honest in your posts. I love niger delta people and do not insult them or paint them negatively as you are implying. However, I will call terrorists terrorists, rogues rogues, and thieving thieves thieves, even if they are niger deltans. Deal with it!

You can mock Yar'Adua all you want, I will not participate in that, I will only wish him a quick recovery. The man is in Nigeria and we should wish him well. There is no point in impeaching him at this time, besides your own representative does not have the guts to initiate an impeachment proceeding.

vigasimple:
They brought Yar A'clueless home in a hurry to intimidate Jonathan and stop FEC meeting to declare him incapacitated at the Wed meeting of the 23rd
February 2010. They partly succeeded but are now exposed of the true facts because the man came in Air ambulance and still lives in one.

To buttress my point, No one, I say not a single soul has seen him. He is dead or incapacitated, and if nothing happens between this weekend and wednesday next week and FEC meeting holds, the Goodluck and FEC must do something immediately to decalare Yar A'liar incapacitated or JOnathan and FEC is finished.

Yar'Adua is in Nigeria, he is obviously ill and otherwise indisposed. Goodluck Jonathan has full executive powers and Yar'Adua's aides will report to the Acting President.

I can bet my last naira that there will be no impeachment proceedings, nor any FEC declaration that Yar'Adua is incapacitated. The deals have already been made between Jonathan, the Parliament, the power brokers, our foreign friends (USA, EU and others) to ensure that the boat is not unnecessarily rocked.

Beaf:
Sorry, but do you think for one minute that outsiders are not better than our soldiers who have so far, completely wiped out 50 of our communities in a couple of decades? Gbaramatu cost 2,500 lives and countless women and girls rap'ed, same as Odi, why are foreigners who respect the Geneva Convention (even if na lip service) not a better prospect? It will be like North and South Korea, the US will have a powerful ally in the South.
20,000 marines are a better prospect than the Nigerian army anyday.

We can only hope that the FG gives this matter the desired consideration, nobody wants strife.

Some years ago when he was the Chief of Army Staff General Victor Malu opposed the presence of American military in Nigeria. This earned him the fury of the then Commander-in-Chief, and Malu was consequently retired. Shortly thereafter, the Americans renewed their moves to set up their African Command (AFRICOM) in Nigeria, but the Council of State rejected this.

Would you support the placement of Africom's headquarters or a millitary base in, say Port-Harcourt?

Beaf:
The man that suggested it was too simplistic, but he would go and check the meaning of "vast gold resources" is yet to return. It is likely he has taken a detour to empower OPC to fight for their rights too.
What is simplistic, is expecting armed men to lay down their arms for a monthly stipend, the nation is better served employing them in the area of their expertise.
Like it or not, the so called amnesty is a sham (it has helped rid us off criminals who have become fake militants overnight); the true MEND fighters need to bolster our armies capabilities.

PS: Jonathan is Nigeria's leader, not an ND leader.

As long as ND remains part of Nigeria, Jonathan is your leader as well.  Stop the double talk.

Your suggestion that MEND be assimilated into the Nigerian army is a good sign, it shows that you people are probably ready to transition to the political phase of your struggle.

RichyBlacK:
What "advantage"?

This phantom correlation (maybe even causal link) between the well-being and general development of an ethnic group or geographical region/zone/territory and the background of the person occupying the presidency is second only to the belief in juju in being the most socially-enabled fraud in Nigeria.

The evidence even points to the contrary!

When will Nigerians get over this toddler-designed myth?

You have a point here and I generally agree with your statement above.

In the case of ND however, we can state that Jonathan has a unique perspective because he is from the ND region. That explains the reason why one of his first actions as acting President was to direct the Federal Government to spend 19billion Naira for the protection and reclamation of the shores and land in the lower Niger areas of the Niger Delta region. Jonathan is uniquely positioned to bring about the changes required to stabilize that region - and Yes, it matters that he is a son of ND.

Beaf:
@ndu_chucks

Forget about ND leaders, we don't listen to the likes of criminals like Ibori you mentioned. The list supplied in the OP is not a list of politicians and jobbers.

Admitedly, secession is the very last course of action (nevertheless, the will is there should push come to shove), there are better ways in the meantime.

You are right in considering foreign interests in keeping Nigeria one; there are no Nigerian factors (aside from a large market, sentiment and disruption) that serve to keep us together. It is for that reason that the US plans for any instability have set aside 20,000 marines to secure oil resources, after which the rest of the country (especially the North) will prostrate to the new master, because they have no other source of income.
The Chinese cannot yet project military force beyond their borders, so forget about them for the next ten years at least (even then, they will still not be able to match US resources).

You've pointed out the reasons why secession by south south will be counter productive as it will invite outsiders to secure the oil resources. This is the reason why I am saying that your leaders are politically naive, the threat of secession is not your interest and serves no useful purpose. It is time to lay down your weapons, completely disavow terrorism, oil bunkering, and other criminal activities, and turn your movement into a political force. You people have the best opportunity in 50 years for being heard.

ALL Nigerians sympathise with you people, we understand how unfairly you've been treated. Jonathan only last week, released N5billion for immediate clean up of the shorelines - this is a great sign. You people should call your millitants to order at this point, its time for a political solution.

[quote author=na_so link=topic=404629.msg5589508#msg5589508 date=1267182530]What happens to opc and other regional militia, you make it sound too simplistic.[/quote]Simplistic indeed. What Beaf should be suggesting is how to turn their "barawos freedom fighters" into a political force. If they cannot do that, they are wasting their precious time. Its time to lay down the arms, disavow terrorism of all kinds! Jonathan is in charge - take advantage of that.

Deleted, double post.

RichyBlacK:
Very good question.

Jonathan is already being massively disrespected by the cabal of sit-tight kleptofools.

Jonathan may be too weak to be Acting President. For some reason, I suspect that his inaction is due to some deals he's made with certain people.

FACE:
Ndu_Chuks, yaya dei ? N na gesua.

FACE, Sannu, lahiya lau. Kana lahiya? Wa to sai wata rana.   

Beaf:
ndu don't worry na
Jonathan is the leader of Nigeria. The core North does not recognise that because they control the army. . . Wrong move; the movement of the army in Abuja was politically stup!d, thats what you should be addressing. That "mighty army" too can be checkmated with the application of intelligence.

Seriously, don't worry about South South capabilities and leadership; your picture is so muddled.

I asked you who your South South leaders are and you still cannot name one name! Who will lead your seccession? Asari, Tom Ateke, or Ibori? I'm all ears.

edoyad:
@Nduchuks could please name the army leaders that you plan to use in resisting a secession ?
Back when Ojukwu seceded many of the great generals and men that resisted igbo secession were of middle belt and yoruba extraction. Most of the hausa generals today rose to where they are as a result of quota system and not because they had distinguished themselves per se.
TY Danjuma, Obasanjo and Gowon who fought Ojukwu are not hausa's, their children are certainly do not hold the same views as their parents. So tell us the leaders that you'll use to prevent a recession your self ? You Air marshal Petinrin(yoruba airforce chief), Admiral Ibrahim Yusuf(southern kaduna naval chief) and Air marshal Paul Dike(igbo defence chief) will sit by and let christians get slaughtered again in the name of keeping one Nigeria ?

edoyad, please note that the last secession resistance by our great army took place almost 40 years ago. You of all knowledgeable people in the "middle belt" should know that the world has changed significantly since then.
Even nations with great armies and nuclear bombs such as the USA, do not go to war alone - that would be dumb.

Nigeria has become more important to the world and particularly to countries like China, USA, and several other nations, than most of you people will ever understand.  Many of these countries have more to lose if a war breaks out in Nigeria than some of you minority and fringe elements who are Nigerians. Chew on this fact for a while and then make a wild guess of how we shall subdue you in a matter of days.

P.S. At least 3 US warships, 4 Chinese Frigates, are less than 5 hours of sailing to the friendly coast of  great Nigeria; At least 15 sophisticated amphibian vessels are in the Gulf of Guinea as we chat.  I wonder what that means. 

If you think we will resist secession by the south south people with cutlass and home made shakabulas, think again - we have immediate access to drones, and highly sophisticated amphibian vessels; we have no qualms about paying our friends to operate them for us.

Beaf and his friends better stay put. A word is enough for the wise.

Onlytruth:
The current drama in Nigeria is healing me beyond your wildest imaginations. I don't need other types of healing. I want the truth to prevail. That is the only healing I need. If the truth prevails everyone wins, even you my dear almajiri.

LOL; Na me you dey call almajiri? okwute palestinain piafuka gi blockus.

Beaf:
You are dying for answers, ehn? Don't worry, they will come in due time.

This is why I call some of you people political infants. You don't even have the wherewithal to acknowledge that Goodluck Jonathan is one of your leaders, yet you will send your children to go out and rally in high numbers, for Ibori, Alams (the dan daudu escapee), and other thieving leaders of yours.

Do you consider Jonathan one of your leaders? This is not a trick question, you should be able to deal with it quickly.

Onlytruth:
Which requires more guts: having a real online identity or blaming a leader who saved my life? I would easily have a real online identity. Don't you think?

There is enough blame to go arround, the first step at healing is to acknowledge one's mistakes and talk about events honestly. You will receive no healing as long as you keep lying to yourself.

Onlytruth:
Respond to these: Why is a dead man ruling Nigeria from the grave? Why are your people the least educated in Nigeria and yet claim a "born to rule" mantra? Why are you using an Igbo username while you are Hausa?
Answer those questions or sharaap!

I knew you didn't have the guts, its a pathological thing, but I'm not suprised. olodo

Beaf:
Like I said, don't worry. Time for too much talk is rapidly passing.

You are not known to run away from answering questions. Why become a weakling now? Please tell us who your leaders are - this is a very simple question. The Igbos had the great Ojukwu and other great leaders, who do you have, please name names.

Onlytruth:
Are you the man's mouthpiece now? If you cannot decipher from my posts that I acknowledge strategic mistakes made by Ojukwu in not properly identifying the enemy, then, you must go back to primary school, Mister "quadruple identity" suffering from acute diplopia.

Stop dribbling like maradona, olodo. The question was not about identifying the enemy. I repeat the question you were asked:

u can`t blame Awo without blaming Ojukwu, the guy could have saved many if only he had surrendered before the food ran out. How can u fight without food and weapons. He took people on a suicide mission, and then he fled.

Respond to that!