₦airaland Forum

sjeezy8:
ok justice and fair play abi?

its not justice or fairplay when those in the north dont meet the demands of their southern counter parts in terms of true federalism and such.

When you talk of robbing peter to pay paul- I dont know what you mean because the money should have beeeeen going to the ND for land reclamation. Theres no needs for the SE and SS to divide themselves over something that was only brought up as a concern because it also benefits the north.

se+ss= good
se+north= terrible

Northern nigeria is tooo much- I can see it now

It is idiots like you and your brother Obasanjo that is trying to divide the south east and south south.
Having said that, I restate that Jonathan should RUN AWAY from Obasanjo FAST!
The body language of northerners (reading military movements and others) show a region preparing for anything. I pity anyone standing near Obansanjo because that guy is in their sights.

ndu_chucks:
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.

Yes, and the NORTH is Paul with a gun.

ndu_chucks:
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.

Wonders shall never end. So, now that your fellow northerners are humiliating Jonathan, where is your almajiri to protect him? I never knew that the robber and his victim is one and the same.

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.

Like I said already, anyone thinking that the south east is already kowtowing to the north over this can really be qualified as an idiot.  I am only concerned for Jonathan because the criminal northerners who are ruling as we speak have allies in the south south and south east. You don't want to give them any reasons to shut Jonathan down.

Beaf:
Jonathan hasn't gaffed. The shorelines need to be bolstered first, only then can dredging can begin. We are educated people lets not fall for cheap propaganda.
Some are saying both can be done simultaneously. How?
How much sense does it make to start dredging (which will immediately begin washing away shorelines and destroying coastal ecologies) only to begin strengthening shorelines and ecologies after they have been washed away? It just doesn't make sense.

The decision to suspend the River Niger dredging was reportedly taken by Jonathan scarcely 48 hours before ailing President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was flown back to Nigeria in the early hours of Wednesday. The sudden threat to the fragile power equation in Aso Rock, occasioned by the return of Yar’Adua, offered an opportunity for the North to begin mobilization behind the ailing president. Their aim, an insider source revealed, is to move against Jonathan using the River Niger dredging as the catalyst. T[b]he development jolted Jonathan and forced him to begin to woo and reassure the powerful northern bloc and its South-East allies afresh.[/b]

One of our sources intimated that the River Niger faux pas by the acting president seriously angered leaders from the North. For instance, at the emergency meeting of the Northern Senators Forum on Wednesday night to review developments in the country, the matter was said to be on the front burner. The pro-Yar’Adua lawmakers were said to have latched on the development to launch attack on the pro-Jonathan senators, including members of the National Interest Group (NIG) for allegedly putting northern interest on the line. The meeting was said to have been explosive with some NIG members of the forum being the butt of attacks.

I would think he gaffed. Ok, I agree that the shoring of the coast should come first, but what I don't understand is why he diverted the fund already earmarked for the dredging? It could easily be (at least until proven otherwise -he is still trying to stabilize and consolidate his presidency) misunderstood, and it was -at least by the north. The south east hasn't said anything, but we can't rule out that they may not like the diversion (somehow it felt weird to me). Nigeria has more than enough money elsewhere that can be used for the shoring now.
My bottomline argument is that I don't see how this helps Jonathan at this stage. I would leave his advisers to do their jobs.

The Sun is a Nigerian Newspaper. I don't think others are more credible. 

ndu_chucks:
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.

So, let me follow your logic, you mean that the comatose Yar adua commanded the brigade of guards to deploy? Or that the nearly dead president is controlling all the ministers who still take orders from him instead of the acting president? 
If Yar adua is a southerner, do you think this drama would have lasted more than one day? Ol boy sometimes you should at least try to remember that the rest of Nigerians are human beings instead of cows.

ndigbo:
'My poeple, my poeple, my poeple have asked me to say NO to third term' [/b]those were the words that stoped OBJ's third bid. Thanks to Baba Senator Ken Nnamani.

Actually it was Senator [b]Adolphus Wabara that said that, but Nnamani presided over the senate at that session.

Everybody calm down 

South east is still behind Jonathan. His staunchest supporters in the FEC are Dora Akunyili and Ojo Maduekwe (both from south east). So any thought of a quick south east back off from Jonathan is pure idiocy.
He made a gaffe but has since corrected his mistakes. Enough said.

sjeezy8:
Ken

I have to agree with this odeboy jeezy
Ken Nnamani

sjeezy8:
What are you saying without morris Iwu a christian southerner wouldnt even smell the presidency in a free and fair election.

I agree somewhat - I see it as the only thing the North can use to sway SE its way.

clown you stated before:

you jus contradicted yourself saying "you dont think anyone in the SE will fall for it" but before you said
Jonathan is acting on behalf of Objs "Divide and rule" tactic between the SE and SS.
There will be easterners like you who will look at it that way.

I don't think you understand, but I never contradicted myself. The north is dangling this issue knowing how sensitive it is. Mind you, I can have my fears but keep them to myself. That doesn't mean others will do the same (which is why the north is dangling it!). I'm only lamenting the fact that Jonathan created that room. He could have mapped out other funds for this. My concern is for Jonathan not to fall into an evil stratagem. OBJ never liked the south east -I would even say the whole EAST. It takes a very smart dude to follow OBJs schemes.

I insist it is not sound politically to do that now. The time for it is in the future. If you must do it now, then do it with other funds, not the one already earmarked. "You have to capture the eagle first before asking whether a woman can eat it" (Igbo proverb).
As we speak, there is a split presidency. Yar adua is still clinging to power. Even in a state of coma, officials at the presidency are more loyal to him than the acting president. There is news that even some ministers are avoiding Jonathan for fear of appearing too close to him. The military are more loyal to Yar adua than him.
This is the wrongest time to touch politically sensitive issues. Heck, I would make a better adviser to Jonathan!
There are MANY other things to be doing right now to consolidate his presidency, instead of setting off alarm bells.

Ibime:
Only a mugu would attribute the decision to halt River Niger dredging to Obasanjo and some fabled anti-Northern or anti-Eastern agenda.

If anyone had cared to ask, this dredging issue is a hot button topic amongst all Niger-Deltan peoples. MEND had warned Yar'Adua against the project due to ecological reasons, and now this pressure will also be brought to bear on Jonathan.

Only an ethnic bigot would even bring this up as an issue because Jonathan has only done what is recommended in the Environmental Impact report. He has not halted the project, but suspended it pending the shoring up of lower Niger shorelines as recommended in the Environmental report. . . this has always been the contention from the riverine-dwelling folk of the lower Niger Delta.

Whilst we want development for all upland areas, it should not be done to our detriment and possible loss of villages and livelihood.

Therefore if you like, you can call it a Niger-Delta agenda. . .  .but there is no need to infer political sabotage by OBJ to explain away its cancellation.

This is just another ploy by the Northern cabal to pit Southerners against each other. Beware!

I don't think anybody in the south east is falling for it, but you don't want to give anybody any reasons not to support Jonathan. He needs support from allies he can trust, not people of dubious past.

The issue is that he diverted the money budgeted for the dredging to do the shoring. Can you tell me that Nigeria cannot afford another 19b naira to do both? In Nigeria, anything suspended is usually dumped ultimately. So, this diversion could raise genuine fears which cannot be waived aside like that.

I still see OBJ's hand in it, but then we don't have to see it same way.

He should avoid anything that could be misunderstood by his allies. He needs trusted allies who can stand with him now more than ever. He should get smart people around him fast! He should toss OBJ fast!

henry101:
Where did u read that the SE is falling for the BShit from the North?
I think the SE now realise that dey need to open their eyes and ear whenver the north is talking.

Tell that fo'olish boy sjeezy8! I don't think he even read the whole thing.

In any case, why should that be the first thing Jonathan did as acting president? There are many other things to do: sacking Morris Iwu and initiating electoral reforms, stabilizing power supply. You know why he hasn't done those? Because Obasanjo is advising him. Anyday Jonathan adopts Uwais report and fires Iwu is the day we will start to take him serious.
It was a wrong move by him. He sent the wrong message. He needs smart advisers from the south east and south south -that is HIS BASE. From there he should get other good intentioned smart Nigerians to work for the benefit of all.

When Jonathan was emerging acting president, I was concerned that he may take advise from the wrong people.
When he did this, I smelled Obasanjo's divide and rule.  I knew it won't be long before he is called to order. Who has been advising him? I know there is enough money to do both projects, why did he decide to pull funds from the dredging program?
I would get good advisers from the south east and south south for Jonathan. For you to lead Nigeria, you must have the backing of at least one of the major tribes. You can't succeed if you alienate your closest neighbor in your first lines of action.

Update: Alleged Diversion Of N19 Billion From River Niger Dredging Is False


Following some missteps, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan appears to be blowing the goodwill that heralded his ascension to the apex of power. The latest of the alleged wrong steps was his purported order for the suspension of the dredging of the River Niger. Saturday Sun gathered that such directive has generated much bad blood that Jonathan had to make a volte-face on Wednesday night by ‘clarifying’ his action.

The decision to suspend the River Niger dredging was reportedly taken by Jonathan scarcely 48 hours before ailing President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was flown back to Nigeria in the early hours of Wednesday. The sudden threat to the fragile power equation in Aso Rock, occasioned by the return of Yar’Adua, offered an opportunity for the North to begin mobilization behind the ailing president. Their aim, an insider source revealed, is to move against Jonathan using the River Niger dredging as the catalyst. The development jolted Jonathan and forced him to begin to woo and reassure the powerful northern bloc and its South-East allies afresh.

The northern power bloc was constrained to reach out to the South-East and to initiate moves aimed at checkmating Jonathan’s further ascendancy of the power ladder following reports that he had suspended the dredging of the River Niger, a project so dear to the landlocked northern Nigeria. Some prominent leaders from the old northern region, who helped to galvanise the federal lawmakers from that section of the country were furious that the acting president, who they just helped to elevate, could turn round so soon to spite the North. T[b]he leaders strongly suspected alleged undue influence on Jonathan by former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the seeming anti-North and South-East decision.[/b]

One of our sources intimated that the River Niger faux pas by the acting president seriously angered leaders from the North. For instance, at the emergency meeting of the Northern Senators Forum on Wednesday night to review developments in the country, the matter was said to be on the front burner. The pro-Yar’Adua lawmakers were said to have latched on the development to launch attack on the pro-Jonathan senators, including members of the National Interest Group (NIG) for allegedly putting northern interest on the line. The meeting was said to have been explosive with some NIG members of the forum being the butt of attacks.
It was learnt that but for the quick move of Senate President, David Mark to save the day, the forum would have resolved to shut its door on the acting president, which would sound the death knell on his presidential power quest.

Mark doused the flame and opened an escape route for Jonathan by assuring the senators and others present that the Bayelsa-born acting president had already accepted the advice not to suspend the dredging of the Niger, a project which many prominent northerners and Igbo have been clamouring for several years running.
It is noteworthy that President Yar’Adua flagged off the River Niger dredging project last year, amid thunderous applause, especially from the northern and the south eastern flanks. His decisive move to launch the project, which has been on the drawing board for over 30 years, proved a great relief for the North. Under Obasanjo presidency, the dredging project and the second Niger bridge initiative virtually became presidency’s tools of grand political deceit and rigmarole, rather than a concrete agenda.
Sensing trouble ahead, the acting president moved swiftly to calm frayed nerves by reassuring that the dredging was on course. He denied suspending the dredging through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro on Wednesday.
Niboro said that only lower Niger dredging, from the Onya bifurcation to the Niger Delta communities, along the Nembe /Port-Harcourt course, was suspended and not the major Niger River dredging.

The acting president was reported to have approved the transfer of N19 billion from the special intervention funds from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of the Niger Delta to take care of shoreline protection and land reclamation.
The special assistant said the total cost of the project is N19 billion, out of which a sum of N5.5 billion has been released and transferred to Niger Delta ministry, adding that the cost of the major Niger River dredging project, which takes off from the Warri bifurcation up to Baro, was N36 billion.
He stated that his earlier comment on the matter during the press briefing on Tuesday on the outcome of the meeting of the Presidential Coordinating Committee on the Niger Delta Amnesty was distorted. He said that after consultations with governors of the Niger Delta region, the Steering Council of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme resolved that the most urgent requirement of the communities along the shores of the lower Niger are shore protection and land reclamation.

As things stand now, Jonathan faces the urgent challenge of convincing the northern bloc that he can be trusted with power without betraying the region.
Our sources hinted that some influential senators, members of the House of Representatives and appointees from that section, who are loyal to him are currently working round the clock to sway the skeptical elements in the North to give him their nod as it is now clear that President Yar’Adua has become incapacitated.
Said a top northern senator to Saturday Sun on Thursday in Abuja: “As things stand now, we don’t really have a choice than to accept Jonathan as president, at least to complete the remaining one year and three months of the joint Yar’Adua/Jonathan tenure. The only alternate to that is for the military to come in and retain power in the North but that will sacrifice the entire democratic structure and shake the country to its foundations.
“What is required is that rather than dance to the tunes of the like of Obasanjo and Nasir El Rufai, Jonathan should quickly constitute a broad-based team of advisers and aides that will guide him in pursuing programmes that will meet the needs of majority of Nigerians.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/feb/27/national-27-02-2010-02.htm

ndu_chucks:
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.

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!

FL Gators:
What does Jaw Jaw mean?

It means to come and eat! No be naija

Beaf:

Why hasn't he addressed the nation, sinse he could "sign" the budget?
Why hasn't he called BBC again to say he has arrived?
Why isn't he playing squash?
Why isn't he watching soccer?
Why isn't he standing up, eating and walking?
Why is he so quiet?

I believe yar Adua meant well, but was never healthy enough to rule the country and his govt was hijacked very early on by the winsh Turai and her flock of vultures. However, it is critical that the nation knows the true state of Yar Adua's health, if he is dead or alive whilst we continue to pray for him.

Bro Beaf help me ask o!

Fhemmmy:
Withdrawn . . . . However, have u ever applied and you were rejected?

I reserve my comment on that!

Fhemmmy:
I think most of the Ibos preferred to be traders while the yorubas see military as a suicide mission.

With all due respect you need to withdraw that statement. I don't know about Yoruba but I know about Igbo. We have always wanted to join the army, at least since after the war. I will say it again, if the Igbo quota in the military is 1 million, it will be filled by the Igbo. You can chose to believe otherwise. Trading has only been a fall back choice for us because Nigeria offers no other choices.

I will add one more point: if the military recruitment is based on proportion, I can confidently say that Igbo quota will be filled by Igbo even if it is 1 million. Growing up most of my friends wanted to join the army only to find out that the stupid system makes it almost impossible.

OYB_MEND:
Northern domination is by design and not by choice

people from south apply but not all are allowed to sail through. there are double standards in the recruitment process

Thank you for throwing more light on this. A lot of Nigerians don't have a clue about the country's real issues. As if only northerners like the army?

Katsumoto:
Not even himself; he is a total buffoon. Who was the idiot who invited him?

Good one Katsumoto! I never knew you had it in you to call your idiotic brother to order. Five Gbosas to you!

ode remo:
@becomerich , i think you know this song , {ma jolo moun we yin re , apanpa}, the moral of that song is if apanpa does not look back often  long will he realise he his on his own.
i think you are taking this rep. of Benin toooo far. just stop it now.

. Good analogy! Problem is that "becomrich" might actually be a mere computer virus.  Nobody go follow virus na!

mikeansy:
I honestly think she should stop these adventures!!!!!

If Jonathan is unwilling to act then these adventures will end up as empty adventures

I love this woman, she is my sister, I can see our gutts in her. [b]But if Jonathan is unwilling to reshuffle the intelligence network of Nigeria then she should kindly keep quiet and resign [/b]when the magomago gets too much.

I am reluctantly backing the bolded statements. I don't want anyone making her the scape goat. She is too dear to us to be wasted by Nigerian politics.

Fhemmmy:
Only a man with conscience can feel heat

This heat will consume any man -conscience or no conscience. I think fear is more like it. The forces who deployed the brigade of guards without the knowledge of the acting president will not spare any opposition.  

Hiding under the bed inside the bunker under his Otta farm. Heat dey too much!

OYB_MEND:
I personally believe somebody is already servicing her

The full blooded Col Yusuf Tilde is my number one suspect.

Fulani women like it nice and rough from the back [/b]and trust a Tiv boy any day any time. Only God knows what may have been happening in King Faisal Hospital in the last 3 months.

OYB_MEND:
If Yar'adua is no longer President or buried the ADC will be redeployed back to the army.

Na you go go service her for Katsina?

Turai has a policy of [b]keeping Col Yusuf Tilde always within 50 yards

Ol'boy you get insider information and real vivid imagination! lmao.

Dede1:
Pal, you seem to have forgotten the moment of the time and prevailing political wind blowing across Nigeria at that particular time. The 2nd Division which was created out of 2nd Brigade with less than brigade strength and LGO that gave rise to 3MCDO were not even a brigade size military formation at the time and would have been scattered towards north where their leader (Gowon) would have been sitting in Kaduna. The moment the 101 entered Lagos, Ijebu people and otherYoruba would have joined forces with 101. Remember that three senior army officers of Yoruba stock had earlier gone to Gowon requesting that all the non-Yoruba forces should be moved out of Lagos and other Yoruba land. One of the officers later quit Nigerian army instead of fighting Biafrans.

The Biafra lost one of the major weapons of war at Ore and the weapon in reference is element of surprise. 101 collapsed primarily due to actions of the GOC who refused to continue the match to Lagos and bent on imprisoning his field commanders who dared to question his intentions of stopping at Ore for no military reasons.

You remember that many fence-sitters were just waiting to see which direction the political winds seem to be blowing. When 101 came across, people were on the road sides jubilating but when 101 was on the run the same mass of humans came out to welcome Nigerian size.

Bro Dede1, don't mind katsumoto, I don't think he can see your point easily. That war was lost at Ore, simple. All the players that took sides did so after the Ore debacle.

mylove4him:
It is good for her because she is treating everyone as if the country is in her palms. she is not a good wife she would have told her husband to resign his position before this stage.Health is wealth, when her husband eventually dies she will feel the cold all alone. She thinks that all those FEC members or whatever sycophants are encouraging her would be there for her in future? Power comes with many friends and leave you with no friend.Let her sit up and stop being arrogant even to the Acting President.

For where? She go simply remarry!
This should serve as a warning to men who cling to power to satisfy the whims of their wives. Protect your health first. That woman will be under another man in a twinkle of an eye if you die!

nnajiofo:
He is foolish man what do he want to achive with that statement .fool

Asari has full rights to identify his true nationality and allegiance. The bigger fo'ols are those who lie to themselves. So, unless Asari is lying to himself (which I doubt), he is not a fo'ol.

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

. Na me be almajiri?

ndu_chucks:
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.

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.