₦airaland Forum

Anyway back to the topic. . .

In as much as I fault the sweeping nature of the research conclusion, there are some elements of truth to it.
Like I've said before, the researchers needed to look closer. You might get the most stooopid African in Nigeria but you will also get the most intelligent one there too. It only takes a few intelligent citizens to transform a nation.

I don't blame the researchers, because frankly nobody lands at the Murtala Muhammed airport in Lagos at night, and gets into town on a typical night with 80% of the city in darkness, and not reach the same conclusion.

I know I did. 

On one of such occasions, I simply told myself that none of the past Nigerian leaders were mentally stable. If ever I was the president of that country, I would be too ashamed to host any foreign head of state. Yet, these guys carry on as if they are in New York.

Is that not mild insanity?

[size=16pt]Zoning not rigid, northern govs insist[/size]

The Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, on Thursday, restated the position of the forum on zoning, saying the arrangement was not rigid.

The governor, who spoke to our correspondent through his Director-General on Public and Media Affairs, Alhaji Baba Abdulkadir, said that the forum had stated that people of the region would determine the governors’ position in zoning.

According to him, the NGF in Kaduna last week decided that the forum would facilitate consultations with traditional rulers and other stakeholders before arriving at any decision.

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, had in an interview with journalists on Wednesday, said the party had dumped zoning.

Explaining the position of the NGF, Aliyu said that it was only holy books like the Quran and the Bible that could not be subjected to dialogue, consultations and negotiation because their contents are from God. The case of zoning he continued, “Was a creation of man for our convenience to address a particular circumstance. It is therefore necessary to further discuss and subject it to dialogue.”

He said that zoning was a strategy put in place by politicians to win elections and stabilise the polity, adding that with “the ongoing nation-wide consultation and dialogue on the issue, the people’s opinion will determine the direction the northern governors will go at the end of the day.”

Aliyu disclosed that the decisions reached from the consultations would be presented by the northern governors at the next meeting of the forum slated for this month and that this will influence the position of the NGF on the matter.

Also commenting on zoning on Thursday, the National Vice-Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, supported the position of Nwodo.

In an interview with one of our correspondents, Oladipo said, ”The story of THE PUNCH on the issue (zoning) today is very correct. Our National Chairman said the PDP dumped zoning in 2002. This is an incontrovertible fact.”

He, however, said that would meet again and take a collective decision on the arrangement before 2011 elections. Oladipo also said that President Goodluck Jonathan was free to contest the election.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100709155675

[size=16pt]Zoning not rigid, northern govs insist[/size]

The Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, on Thursday, restated the position of the forum on zoning, saying the arrangement was not rigid.

The governor, who spoke to our correspondent through his Director-General on Public and Media Affairs, Alhaji Baba Abdulkadir, said that the forum had stated that people of the region would determine the governors’ position in zoning.

According to him, the NGF in Kaduna last week decided that the forum would facilitate consultations with traditional rulers and other stakeholders before arriving at any decision.

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, had in an interview with journalists on Wednesday, said the party had dumped zoning.

Explaining the position of the NGF, Aliyu said that it was only holy books like the Quran and the Bible that could not be subjected to dialogue, consultations and negotiation because their contents are from God. The case of zoning he continued, “Was a creation of man for our convenience to address a particular circumstance. It is therefore necessary to further discuss and subject it to dialogue.”

He said that zoning was a strategy put in place by politicians to win elections and stabilise the polity, adding that with “the ongoing nation-wide consultation and dialogue on the issue, the people’s opinion will determine the direction the northern governors will go at the end of the day.”

Aliyu disclosed that the decisions reached from the consultations would be presented by the northern governors at the next meeting of the forum slated for this month and that this will influence the position of the NGF on the matter.

Also commenting on zoning on Thursday, the National Vice-Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, supported the position of Nwodo.

In an interview with one of our correspondents, Oladipo said, ”The story of THE PUNCH on the issue (zoning) today is very correct. Our National Chairman said the PDP dumped zoning in 2002. This is an incontrovertible fact.”

He, however, said that would meet again and take a collective decision on the arrangement before 2011 elections. Oladipo also said that President Goodluck Jonathan was free to contest the election.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100709155675

Izuogu should just take a chilled beer and relax.

Nwodo is only properly clarifying what PDP have done since 1999. It does not translate to Igbos supporting removal of zoning. What we said (through our governors) is that we won't contest for president or vice next year.
Everything else is still being worked out (my guess).

[size=16pt]You’re a sellout, Izuogu tells Nwodo[/size]

From MODESTUS CHUKWULAKA, Abuja
Friday, July 09, 2010

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu, yesterday described the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, as a sellout, following the latter’s stance on the vexed issue of zoning.

Nwodo had told reporters in Abuja on Wednesday that zoning, as far as the PDP, was concerned was a past tense, and had been jettisoned long before now. But Izuogu said the people of the South-East from where the national chairman hails had found his stance rather shocking.

Speaking to journalists in reaction to Nwodo’s comment in Abuja yesterday, Izuogu, a former national chairmanship candidate of the party, said the new party chairman was “on his own” and could not have spoken for anybody else.
He berated Nwodo for bringing his own personal sentiment to bear on official interpretation of a fundamental party issue, saying that the national chairman did not care to consult anybody before making his categorical statement.

He was particularly riled that Nwodo did not consult the South-East before his controversial comment on zoning, noting that he, as founding national secretary of the party and now national chairman, had been a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement put in place to address the issue of marginalization against some sections of the country by others.

“Nwodo’s statement came to everyone as a shock, especially in the South East. How can he say zoning is dead when he himself is a product of zoning? The appointment given to him is based on the fact that he is from the South East where the position is zoned to,” Izuogu said.

The eminent scientist-turned politician and former governorship candidate in Imo State, said the South East was in total support of the zoning arrangement in the party and was insisting that it should go round as a way of ensuring that every section of the country is given a sense of belonging.

‘Many of us in the South East are disappointed with him over that statement. How can he make such a pronouncement without consulting anyone? Unless he was misquoted by the media, we will remain shocked by his statement. The South East is supporting zoning and it should go round,” Izuogu further pointed out.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/july/09/national-02-09-2010-006.htm