kidap:
Former Senate President, Sen Ameh Ebute Writes Saraki To Resign.

Ameh Ebute was the President of Nigerian Senate during the end of the third republic

The letter reads below.

Let me begin by extending my greetings to you and other members of the National Assembly. It is exactly eight years since God crossed our path and must be bold to say that knowing you as a friend has been an interesting journey all the way.

As a senior citizen of Nigeria, I feel I owe the younger generation of Nigerians the moral obligation to offer advice and counsel when public institutions are mismanaged. It is more compelling, especially, whenever I see the ship of state derailing or democratic tenets blatantly abused, as in our experience now with your leadership of the National Assembly. This is why I have decided to write this open epistle to you.

We all know that democratic governance rest on the pillars of the legislature, whose main responsibility is to enact legislations that would deepen democratic practices and good governance in any country of the world. A corrupt legislature is a bane to the country; while an upright, focused and virtuous legislature is an asset to Nigeria. The entire wheels of democratic governance are propelled and energized by the legislature.

Therefore, those who should populate the hallowed chambers ought to be men and women of proven integrity and trustworthy. The demands of morality and integrity on the Parliament, which is the conscience of democratic governance is very strict.

It is no longer in doubt to all discerning minds that your lofty position as the Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigerian places a serious a moral burden on you, which your actions and utterances in the last three years have exposed you as very deficient.

Nigerians have watched with utter amazement how you have redefined leadership of the legislature in the negative sense. This to me as your friend is very shameful and immoral to say the least but still not too late.

The Senate under your watch has imported despicable autocracy and despotism into parliamentary engagements. And the resultant effects include, the dictatorial muzzling of opposition voices of colleagues during plenary and abusing their inalienable right of freedom to hold and express opinions on the floor of the hallowed chambers.

Your leadership of the Senate has shown an absolute proclivity to vindictiveness and witch-hunting of colleagues who share views opposed to your disposition. Such members are goaded to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee peopled by your acolytes, who have accepted the loathsome job of serving as your hatchet men. They unduly or unlawfully punish dissenting voices for the audacity of holding an opinion contrary to your thinking.

The suspension of Senators Ali Adume and Omo-Agege are some of the few examples of your aberrational leadership of the Senate and the National Assembly. You have turned the Red Chambers into a combat theatre, protecting the abominable, but despising truth. This is the extent of your moral deficit, which has disqualified you from belonging or even leading an assemblage of honourable men and women.

Mr. Senate President Sir, you have consistently failed to pass the integrity and morality tests to continue to preside over Nigeria’s parliament. Nigerians recall with much sadness, your scandalous alleged purchase of the N298 million bulletproof Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), with fake documents and the evasion of Customs duties, which was impounded by Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

There is also the issue of your alleged false declaration of assets, a case still hanging at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), but you are frustrating judgment with frivolous court injunctions. This again testified to the obvious that you still own the Nigerian people an apology.

And your recent alleged shadows in the Offa bank robberies which claimed the lives of over 30 Nigerians, including security agents have cumulatively placed a moral burden on your leadership and disqualify you from holding the noble identity of a Nigerian parliamentarian, much more holding such exalted positions of Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly.

Sir, in my humble opinion, you are barren of every essential ingredient and honour to continue to preside over any parliament anywhere in the world. The abysmal performance of the Senate under your watch, the padding of national budget or the simmering regime of corruption your leadership has allowed to creep into the Senate strips you of any qualification to be a member of Nigeria’s National Assembly.

Nigerians have tolerated your leadership deficit enough and time has come for you to have a rethink and do the needful.
We are tired of your scandalous outings at every point. It is either, you are fingered in armed robbery today, or some illicit monies are traced to your account abroad, which are matters the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not approve of any public office holder.

My friend Senator, I have no hesitation to say, you have regrettably become an opposite of honour or integrity, both at home and abroad and a shame to Nigeria, a country President Muhammadu Buhari is spending sleepless nights to reposition and rejuvenate on the path of progress and public morality. We cannot allow you to reverse these gains.

Though, the mistake was made right from your home state of Kwara, where the people of Kwara Central senatorial district failed to see your odd characters, underserving of leadership patronage and proceeded to entrust you with their mandate. Even this is now questionable having listened to some criminals confess openly how they manipulated your elections to give you victories against the people’s wish .

These negative virtues are innately part of you, and there are no restrictions. You even irresponsibly besmirched and desecrated, the Elder Olusola Saraki, your own father by shamefully humbling a man that brought you into this world and even politics by extension.

Therefore, at the behest of all men of good conscience and lovers of Nigeria, I am advising you to do the needful. Please, withdraw your membership of the National Assembly by resigning your position. And the time to act appropriately is now. It is the collective desire of all Nigerians to see their country progress. We cannot continue to stomach or tolerate a leadership liability like you anymore.

Thank you for the patience of reading this open letter and may you be guided accordingly.

You may permit me to share this with our friends in the diplomatic circle as witnesses to my call for you to do the needful. This is to put everyone on notice should masses decide to emulate your style of doing things by removing you from office in the days ahead.


Source: http://www.ngg.ng/2018/08/30/an-open-letter-former-senate-president-sen-ameh-ebute-writes-saraki-to-resign/

Ballmer:


Same amount you are paid to die in place of those that their slogan is to share your commonwealth among themselve.

TonyeBarcanista:

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has unfolded his second term ambition. In this piece, Imam Imar contends that the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not be a threat to the governor’s aspiration.

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State made his public declaration for a second term as governor last week before a tumultuous crowd in Uyo, the state capital. The declaration before the impressive crowd and the ensuing developments may have redefined the narrative as to what the people of the state knew about the affairs of the state in the last eleven years.

The disclosures and developments have inevitably reset the permutations and put the ordinary people of the state in better position to assess the political players in the fray.

Takeaway Number One: Ikot Ekpene Sheraton Hotel was a lie

Governor Godswill Akpabio had commissioned the 14 floor “Four Point by Sheraton Hotel” built in his hometown, Ikot Ekpene in May, 2015 just before he left office.

But as we now know, what was merely commissioned was a building without facilities and even worse, without a contract agreement with the brand owners of the name, Sheraton!

Governor Emmanuel said: “It is just now that we have incorporated a company to negotiate with Starwood for that name Four-Point by Sheraton. If anybody has ever done that, let him show me the agreement he signed.

“It is now that we are doing external works in that premises in order to turn it into a hotel. Can a building be a hotel?”

“But the truth must be told that it is just now that I have paid $7.2 million to Starwood so that we can retain the name that was surreptitiously put on the building called Four-Point by Sheraton Hotel.”

Takeaway Number Two: Udom will not allow Akwa Ibom See War

Governor Emmanuel for more than three years had almost consistently turned the other cheek to the provocations from his predecessor. Akpbabio had regularly defied protocol and in several ways sought to put down his successor. The public declaration, however, showed a different Emmanuel who was apparently provoked by the suggestion of Akpabio that the battle to take over the state in 2019 would be like the German push to take over Warsaw, Poland during the Second World War.

A sufficiently provoked Emmanuel rose to the occasion as Chief Security Officer of the state to assure the people of the state that they would not see war.

“I heard one human being boast that the Akwa Ibom politics in 2019 will be like the invasion of Poland by Hitler. Whoever is buying guns, trying to kill our children, meanwhile they have gone to hide their own children abroad, we say Holy Ghost….”

“Politeness is not weakness, so you need to go and warn them”.

People sometime like to be reassured that they have a leader who can rise to the occasion to fight for them. Udom has assured those who were in any doubt that he would not allow his people to see war.

Takeaway Number Three: Truth emerges on Uyo – Ikot Ekpene Road

Akpabio had enough time to work and commission the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Road but never did.

Akpabio had given the impression that his issues with his successor had to do with Governor Emmanuel’s failure to complete the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Road. But was it really so?

The road contract was given out in December 2011 and the former governor had enough time to construct and finish the road, but he never did.

“Let nobody deceive you, it is this administration that has taken that road (Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Road) up to 23 kilometres,” Governor Emmanuel disclosed last Friday.

Takeaway Number Four: Governor Emmanuel has credentials to flaunt.

The governor had for so long acted like a banker not wanting to betray the assets of his customer in his custody. However, last Friday, the governor opened up on his democracy assets albeit without compromising his respectability.

He said that his administration “has done over 1,700 kilometres of roads in the state in less than three years, renovated over 349 schools, brought down the cost of garri, (a staple food in the state), at least by 50 percent, and revived the healthcare system”.

The governor’s assertions on his performance were soundly echoed by the enthusiastic crowd who have been beneficiaries of the governor’s superior performance in governance.

One performance that really astounded many was the marked improvement made by the Udom administration in the area of education over what it inherited from the Akpabio administration. From a 56% pass rate in five subjects, the Udom administration reflective of its huge investments in the education sector has been able to boost success rate to as much as 80%. As the governor spoke last Friday, a school from the state was representing Nigeria in a competition in Sweden.

The equipment of some General Hospitals in the state, including those in Ikono and Entinan which have been digitalised were also marks of the success of the administration.

The governor also spoke about successes in other areas, including sports observing that he had in three years brought two trophies through Akwa United to the state a giant leap compared to the nothing brought in in the eight years before then.

Takeaway Number Five: Akpabio’s loss of his political disciples

Godswill Akpabio had personified the political culture of the state and projected himself in a way that few could countermand his political nuances.

Last Friday, many of the people Akpabio brought to political limelight showed that they had seen the light for themselves. Many of them made a public renunciation of his defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC by their public appearance at the declaration of the man that Akpabio had publicly vowed to reject. Even more, many of them including the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Offiong Luke publicly disavowed him putting to question his acclaimed political weight.

Virtually all the state’s political elders in the PDP were on hand to endorse Governor Emmanuel. The huge turnout at the stadium was also another feat that showed a public affection for the governor.

By their public association with Governor Emmanuel and renunciation of Akpabio, the people showed that no man is God in Akwa Ibom.

“No man is God. Senator Akpabio’s migration to the ruling APC, at the centre, would not stop my re-election. I would work with the people to continue with our superior performance,” the governor said
http://thenationonlineng.net/akwa-ibom-2019-nobody-can-stop-emmanuels-second-term/

nairavsdollars:
Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Prof. Itse Sagay ( SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption ( PACAC) has advised the Federal Government to issue a strong statement to the United States on the alleged statement by US President, Donald Trump describing President Muhammadu Buhari, who was his visitor at the White House in April, as lifeless.

Sagay, who spoke in telephone chat with Daily Independent from the United States on Wednesday, said the Nigerian government should prove to the world that it will not accept disrespect from anyone especially to its president.


According to Sagay, while he is not surprised about the personality of Trump who is noted for making unguarded statements, it baffles him that he could use such an uncomplimentary remark about President Buhari whom he praised and commended for the giant strides his government had recorded since coming to office during the visit to the White House.

Describing Trump as a man who is totally out of control, he said “it is absolutely incredible for one Head of State to make uncomplimentary remarks about another”.

“It is absolutely incredible for one Head of State to say anything derogatory about another but if you look at Trump’s record, he has been totally unguarded in his utterances. He has made derogatory statement without regards for the consequences or the correctness of the statement. So, one will not be too surprised.

I am only surprised that he could say it about our President who visited him and he ( Trump) made very positive statements about his government and also showed so much goodwill to him as a person.

“So, i won’t be surprised because he is a man who is out of control and says things which gravity he doesn’t appreciate.

“I think he should be ignored. When a small child or a senseless person says something, nobody takes him serious”

“But if our government believes that it is true that he actually said so, they should issue a strong statement in response to show that Nigeria will not brook any disrespect from anybody especially to our President” he said
https://independent.ng/lifeless-comment-issue-strong-statement-against-us-sagay-tells-fg/amp/

Trizzi:
It appears members of Mainiyo community in Sokoto state are not in support of the defection of the state governor, Aminu Tambuwal, from APC to PDP. They came out in their numbers to sweep him away after his visit to their community yesterday August 29th. See more photos below.

Source: https://www.mediahelm.com.ng/2018/08/following-his-defection-from-apc-to-pdp.html

Trizzi:


Source: https://www.mediahelm.com.ng/2018/08/churches-preaching-prosperity-may-soon.html

dre11:







https://independent.ng/oshiomhole-forecloses-automatic-tickets-for-kogi-bauchi-kaduna-govs/amp/

TruthinAction:
There are times in life you have to prepare for the odds. Yes, so many Nigerians do not want him back for obvious reasons. What if he comes back? How will you react? Will the herdsmen be empowered to continue to kill? What will be the faith of those opposing him? Will Christians be safe in his second tenure. I am asking an honest question because many a time, your vote does not count.

Kingsmeal:



https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/www.thecable.ng/just-nigeria-home-highest-number-poor-people-world-says-theresa-may/amp

olokeded:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) lacks the moral right to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari to a debate on good governance.

The party made this known in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena, on Monday in Abuja, describing the challenge by the PDP as laughable and incredible.

The PDP had recently challenged Buhari to a debate on good governance ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The APC said that as a party synonymous with impunity, institutionalised corruption, non-remittance of 20 billion dollars oil revenue, among others, the PDP was not in a position to debate on good governance.

“A party whose administration placed the economy on life-support through its voodoo economics and fiscal recklessness, the PDP cannot be in a position to debate on good governance.

“We view this request by the PDP as another laughable example of its selective amnesia on the 16 years of locust it wrecked on Nigeria during its defunct rule.

“Perhaps the PDP needs to be reminded of the reason why Nigerians voted it out unanimously in 2015 to give way to a progressive administration,” it said.

According to the party, it is re-building the country in all facets, from the foundation since it came into power in 2015.

It added that the PDP in its desperation to position itself as the 2019 general election approached, could not hoodwink Nigerians on who they truly were.

http://www.metronaija.ng/pdp-cannot-challenge-buhari-to-debate-on-good-governance-apc/

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

Oluwabash:


https://www.google.com.ng/amp/www.nan.ng/news/media-group-calls-trump-to-order/amp/

happney65:
BY BANJO DAMILOLAAUG 27, 2018

"Investigation by the audit firm revealed that N50 million loan was written off the books of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and to some Federal Government staff, without proper disclosure in the financial statement. Similarly, some collecting agencies in NNPC and DPR did not remit any revenue into the Federation revenue account for some months, neither was any explanation given why those months recorded no revenue

Section 85 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) mandates the audit of all public accounts, which include the federation accounts and accounts of all government parastatals. Subsection 2 of the same section empowers the Auditor-General — or any person authorized by him — to have access to all account records of the government.

In accordance with these provisions, Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC), in agreement with the Federal Government, conducts forensic audit and gives its expert opinions on the Accounts of the Federation of Nigeria, yearly.

SaharaReporters scrutinized the 2016 audit report, the most recently available to the public, and highlighted few of the auditor’s discoveries.

N4 trillion unremitted revenue

A whooping sum of N4 trillion was, as of the time of preparing the report, unremitted to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“The total revenue unremitted as at 1st January 2016 from amounts payable into the Federation Account by NNPC was ₦3,878,955,039,855.73 [Three trillion, eight hundred and seventy-eight billion, nine hundred and fifty-five million, thirty-nine thousand and eight hundred and fifty-five naira].

“The sum of N1,198,138,355,860.30 was due in revenue to the Federation Account out of the total generated in 2016, however, NNPC paid the sum of N1,000,545,058,966.2 resulting in an amount withheld of N197,593,296,894.02. This brought the total amount withheld by NNPC from the Federation Account as at 31 December 2016 to N4,076,548,336,749.75.”

This act of under-remitting to the central account has been a year-on-year occurrence, according to the auditor.

Opaque record-keeping by NNPC

NNPC also failed to clearly state exactly the quantity of crude oil lifted or delivered to Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), and Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical company (KRPC).

From the examination of the Demestic Crude Oil Lifting sales profile, a total crude oil lifting of 8,399,027 bbls with a total sales value of $376,655,589.03 (N102, 659,577,632.16) was stated to have been lifted jointly by these two companies.

However, the auditor held that the failure to properly separate these deliveries and charge directly to each company makes it difficult to reconcile and account for each lifting.

Misappropriation of Ecological Fund

The report revealed that funds made available for solving ecological problems in the country were used for other unstated activities not related to purposes for which the fund was set aside.

For instance, over N28 billion, out of the N48,601,928,311.08 meant for development of natural resources, was diverted to other projects. Similarly, the Federal Government “borrowed” from these funds without stating how it intended to pay back.

“We note that the various withdrawals from Funds by the Federal Government are stated to be borrowings. We further observed that the arrangements for the repayment of these funds or borrowings are unclear. For example, the 2017 Budget did not include any appropriations for the repayment of these borrowings.”

N413 million unreturned imprest

At least, 59 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government refused to return a total sum of N413, 449,306.08 back to source.

This is in contravention of the Financial Regulation (2009), which stipulates that “all standing impress must be retired on or before the 31st December of the financial year in which they were issued, while special impress shall be retired immediately the reason for which they were granted cease to exist”.

The auditor also added that no explanation whatsoever was provided for the unretired funds.

Nigeria lost N941 billion in uncollected revenues

The financial document revealed that there was a reduction in revenue collected across government agencies except from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). The total sum of N941, 039, 251, 064 was reported uncollected by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the NNPC.

The report said: “The NNPC revenue fell from N2,442,895,781,050.53 to N1,725,318,486,455.07 a difference of N717,577,294,595.46 representing about 29% decrease, FIRS revenue fell from N2,403,882,419,922.32 in 2015 to N2,320,485,354,727.58 a difference N83,397,065,164.74 representing a marginal 3.4% decrease while that of DPR fell from N608,083,591,121.01 to N468,018,699,815.74 a difference of N140,064,891,305.27 representing 23% decrease.”

N50 billion Disappeared

Investigation by the audit firm revealed that N50 million loan was written off the books of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and to some Federal Government staff, without proper disclosure in the financial statement.

Similarly, some collecting agencies in NNPC and DPR did not remit any revenue into the Federation revenue account for some months, neither was any explanation given why those months recorded no revenue.

Senate Staff Cashed in N747 million

Advance payment of over N747 million given to staff of the Nigerian Senate for procurement in 2016 had not been retired as of June 2017.

Also, some staffers of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing received cash advances to the tune of N26, 369, 523 which was not retired at the end of the financial year. Rather than recover this fund, new cash advances were granted the same officers yet to retire the first cash advance received.

Same practice was reported at the Bureau of Public Service Reform. Fifty-six members of staff received advance cash of various sums, totaling N35, 209, 835 that went unremitted at the end of the financial year.

Withdrawal from the federation account without approval

N409 billion was withdrawn from the federation account to set off external debts owed by states and FCT, without the authorization from the Auditor-General. This contravened Section 168 (1) 0f the constitution that holds that “Where any payment falls to be made under this Part of this Chapter, the amount payable shall be certified by the Auditor-General for the Federation”.

The Accountant-General of the federation was, however, requested to provide explanation for non-compliance with Section 168(1) of the Constitution and ensure that henceforth, no such off-set are made from the Federation Account without the certification of the Auditor-General for the Federation in compliance with the Constitution"

http://saharareporters.com/2018/08/27/n50bn-disappeared-n4trn-unremitted-nnpc-inside-damning-2016-audit-fgs-books

Lalasticlala

zakim:
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters on Monday rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) proposed budget of N189 billion, urging the electoral body to revert to the initial N143 billion earlier submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The lawmakers stated this after a closed-door meeting of the Joint Committee chaired by Senator Suleiman Nazif (APC, Bauchi).

Nazif, who read out the resolution of the Joint Committee to newsmen in Abuja, said, "As you are aware, our last meeting was held on August 17.

"We decided to resume today August 27, to consider the harmonised budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

"The Joint Committee has sat and we have deliberated a position to adopt the N143 billion earlier presented to us by President Muhammadu Buhari.

"It is the wish of this Committee that INEC present the N143 billion as requested by Mr. President.

"This Committee therefore adjourns and will reconvene tomorrow by 1 pm to consider the N143bn INEC budget."

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-inec-budget-n-assembly-rejects-n189bn-insists-on-n143bn-267747.html

BuhariM:
They are his slaves.... So let them worship him


Threat to Buhari koh!!!

See the bitter truth is, Kwankwaso+Atiku+Saraki+Makarfi+Sowore+ anyone contesting all joined together can't win Buhari.

Let's learn to adjust and support this administration till 2023

frommee0:
@NAIRATREND.COM.NG

Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, said Nigeria needs men of vision with proven track records to wake from stupor.


He spoke yesterday at the 2018 Making Nigeria Great conference organised by the Summit Bible Church at Abuja.

Obi, who looked at the trajectory of the nation’s development from 1980-date, bemoaned Nigeria’s backwardness.


He compared Nigeria to a car with knocked engine, insisting the engine must be fixed first even before the question of who drives it arises.

“To make Nigeria great is a welcome development which Nigerians are called to work towards. However, we must at all times recognise where we are and what should be done.

“In our own case, we have lost it completely as a country. The idea of greatness is good but we must start from doing basic things.


“We cannot aim to build skyscraper when we cannot maintain simple toilets. I believe as St. Theresa of the Child Jesus said, that greatness consists in doing small things in an extraordinary way,” Obi said.

Other speakers at the event were Mr. Osita Chidoka and Leke Alder.

They submitted Nigeria needs a man of vision to move on.

GIST VIA - https://nairatrend.com.ng/nigeria-cant-aim-for-skyscrapers-when-we-cant-maintain-simple-toilets-peter-obi/

MrJanuzaj:
SOUTH EAST: IS IT NOT TOO LATE?

I have read the recent transmissions by Senator Bukola Saraki directed at my Igbo tribe. I have deliberately kept mum on this as I had earlier resolved to speak less on Igbos as regards the 2019 Elections and 2023 Presidency having said quite a bit.

However seeing as some of my brethren have swallowed the cheap bait, I will chip this in just to keep the reality before us, at least for posterity sake. Truth is bitter but it's still the best medicine.

My people say; 'He who does not remember where the rain started beating him, will not remember where it stopped'.

REWIND TO 2014.
A new National Party was being conceived. Political Parties, political players and Regions were being wooed to the new alliance.

'We' Igbos (read South East) vehemently refused to touch it even with a long pole. We packaged, sold to ourselves and bought the baseless propaganda that it was an Islamic alliance that would birth an "Islamic" and "Hausa" Party. Simply because those our brethren heavily invested in the PDP at the time were afraid of losing their vested selfish interests.
Till today I'm still trying to fathom the basis for that wicked and twisted deceit especially as many of those Igbo elites who sold that dummy have since ported to the same APC.

We failed to even identify with that new Alliance. Hence the Party, APC was birthed without any remarkable input from us or presence. The few amongst us who aligned were called all kinds of names and abused to high heavens by us even when they were proven right afterall.

Thus the few Igbos who were part of it were at best fringe players as they didn't have the required clout to make serious demands and do the necessary political wheeling and dealing required in Politics to strike the hard bargains since politics is all about interests and numbers. They were even suspect, so much so that it was only their personal political sagacity that gave them whatever they got.

That Party went on to win the Presidential Election which in truth, most of us never believed it could or would, because of our half baked permutations and poor understanding of Nigerian politics. But it did.

Curiously we turned up at the fore front of telling this same Party how it should share it's 'spoils of war'. We became hypocritical moral champions with an over bloated sense of entitlement. Who does that, in all political reality and practicality? But we did, even while vehemently and vociferously still refusing to shift our position, style and rhethoric.

We dug in. Supported every bad thing and person against the Party, the elected President and the Administration while denying any and every good done to and for our Region.

Fast forward to where we are today. Almost four years after the 2015 misadventure, we have stayed put at 2015, refusing to move forward, refusing to shift grounds, refusing to play pragmatic politics, telling ourselves the same lies we cooked and bought in 2015 and some more.

Now barely 5 months to another election, we have started again saying "APC cannot give Presidency to Igbos in 2023". "Buhari cannot hand over to an Igbo man because Buhari hates Igbos". "APC is deceiving you", bla bla bla.

Of course. We will believe Saraki, who has only but a fanthom dream of becoming President and whose only known record is selfishness but we can't believe Buhari who's already President and who has a record of voluntarily picking two great Igbo sons as running mates in the past? Chukwu aju.

It is interesting and vital to note here that the PDP which many of us still proudly support and adore was in power for 16 solid years and in those years there were 4 Presidential Inaugurations and on none of those was an Igbo man found worthy by the PDP of even Vice Presidency and we are still bold to say it is the APC that has not even finished one tenure that doesn't want to give power to Igbos. Odi nma.

NOW; Seriously, let's be sincere. As things stand today politically, why would the APC even hand power to us Igbos in 2023?
On what grounds?
On what records?
On what politics?
Is power given to anyone?
Is it an appeasement or a gift?

The APC is a political party. The main focus of a political Party is to hold power and keep it to enable it deliver on its agenda. So if the APC reads that the SE does not want the Presidency or does not have the capacity to help them win and keep power, they will stick with the regions that can and work with individuals who are interested.

Make no mistake, I have always said, I do not blame us Igbos for the decision majority of us took in 2015. It's our right. But continuing to pretend that it was other regions, Buhari or the APC that made us do what we did then or remain where we are today is purely self deceit and I refuse to play that ostrich game.

As far back as 2014, I and many others made that argument that Igbo Presidency was very feasible in 2023, ONLY under under the APC, ONLY IF we did a couple of things right politically. I personally continued to speak loudly on that even after the 2015 elections until when I realized that we were not ready to play the politics that was required and now I dare say it may be too late. Or is it not? Time will tell.

For now, we can continue to tell ourselves that we cannot hold the Presidency of Nigeria. I heard and read many of our brethren go from PDP to Biafra/seccesion (read IPOB) to Referendum to "Igbos do not need Presidency but Restructuring" etc forgetting that all that didn't lie squarely with us alone. We think other regions are not reading our body language?

I really don't care what Saraki writes or says because they've all come to realize that it's very easy to play us like a flute. So like Saraki, like Fani Kayode, like Fayose, like Atiku, even Jonah Jang of all people, they keep playing us.

I've learnt not to bother myself anymore to avoid unnecessary abuse from nonentities . As some of us have said, it's good governance we want, even if only one village will be producing the Presidents. So be it.

Ka Chineke mezie okwu.

(c) Dr Uche Diala

fiizznation:
This silly man. You think six years will be enough for any meaningful development to take place in a country like Nigeria? A silly senator that wasted all his political career in the NA without achieving anything shouldn't be taken serious by sane minds. Hopefully, you and saraki will be retired permanently in 2019. Stealing your constituency money and buying all the luxurious houses in U.S shouldn't be something you should be proud of, Mr deputy Senate president.


Anyway Buhari till 2023 and after Buhari, fashola will takeover from him insha'Allah. And after fashola, hopefully insha'Allah it will be MY TURN

Corrinthians:
Fixed.

Wonder why only incorrigible religious and ethnic bigots love that man and look up to him as their hero. Boko Haram is a terrorist group led by the worst kind of religious bigots and this man once said THEY ARE HIS SIBLINGS, SO HE CAN NOT POSSIBLY KILL THEM, reason why they thrived under him, reaching at far as Abuja and Lagos.

Maybe it is this immeasurable love he has for such characters that makes them look up to him as their first love and their hero.

I just cant stop relishing the choice Nigerians made in 2015. Had this ineffectual president prevailed, maybe Nigeria would have been an annex of Somalia today.

nairavsdollars:
Two elder statesmen, Chief Olabode George and Alhaji Balarabe Musa, on Wednesday came down heavily on Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), over his persistent threat that Senate President Bukola Saraki will be removed from office at all cost.

During his last meeting with APC National Assembly caucus, Oshiomhole had said Saraki will be removed legally as minority cannot preside over majority.

“I want to reassure the Nigerian people that we are committed to leading by example and that means absolute submission and obedience to the letters and spirit of the Nigerian constitution and everything we will do, we will ensure that it is done according to law, including the impeachment of Sen. Bukola Saraki. There is no hiding place for him. I insist, his time is up.

“The only way that, probably, he could have retained that seat is to decide to return but we will not be ready to welcome him. He must remain where he is and we will continue to ensure that he surrenders the presidency of the Senate to the majority party in the Senate – in line with the provisions of our constitution.

”
However, speaking with Daily Independent on Wednesday, George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to call Oshiomhole to order as his utterances and threats on the issue of Saraki’s position is capable of setting the country on fire.

He also added that there is no basis for Saraki to resign as Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto State governor, did not resign his position as speaker of the House of Representatives when he dumped the PDP for APC in 2014.

He said, “Why should he resign? I don’t think he should resign. When Aminu Tambuwal left our party for APC in 2014, did he resign as the speaker of the House of Representatives? He did not. So, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. How are we even sure who is the majority in the House?

“My advice is we should take things calmly. Like our brothers in the North will say ‘kadan kada’, Igbos will say nwayo, nwayo; and Yoruba will say ‘E fara bale oo’. That is what the situation in Nigeria today calls for. If we rush into this storm, we may not survive it.

“All these neophytes who are making noise here and there seem to have been too young to learn from history of this country. That was how the crisis in the Western region started. Like child’s play, that crisis led to the civil war. No nation goes through civil war twice and survive.

Let the will of the people be respected. That is why those who founded democracy stated unequivocally that in every four years, you go and renew your mandate. If they are satisfied with you, they will vote for you. If they are not satisfied with your performance, they dump you”.

Speaking further, George said Oshiomhole as national chairman of the ruling party should direct his energy on assisting the government to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians rather than engaging in flippant issues such as Saraki’s removal.

While calling on the APC helmsman to respect the wishes of the senators who elected Saraki, he said Oshiomhole must have been too young to learn from the Western region crisis of 1965 which later snowballed into the Nigerian civil war.

He said if war erupts in Nigeria today, the likes of Oshiomhole will be the first to flee while the masses in the country will be left to bear the brunt of the war.

“Let us be very careful. All these threats and talks are things that can conflagrate the country especially from the chairman of the APC. He must have been too young to learn what happened in the Western House. He should learn to respect the wishes of the senators who elected Saraki.

“When Saraki and others move from our party to their party, was there any crisis? He has a right to do what he wants to do. There is nothing tying him down. Why should he resign?

“Is Saraki’s resignation the major challenge confronting our nation today? We are talking about basic standards of living of Nigerians such as schools, good housing, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and good economic indices to attract investors. These are basic issues we should discuss not trying to be in power by force. It doesn’t make sense.

“Like the Yoruba will say ‘he abandoned leprosy and he is busy looking for cure for eczema’. People are hungry in the country. This is Sallah. How many people are able to buy ram?

“These are ideological issues he should address as chairman of the ruling party but he keeps shouting Saraki must resign. Is that an issue? Is that what will bring food to the table of Nigerians? What is wrong with this boy? He is behaving as if he is a dictator.

“Even those of us who went to the military have learnt the rudimentary things of what is called democracy and I want the president to take a cursory look at all these people and call them to order because they won’t be there if they create crisis. They will be the first to run away.

“They should tell him in clear terms that this is not a labour union. He is not in Edo State. What is the total number of registered voters in Edo State? Let him come to Lagos where we have 10 million registered voters only in Lagos State. He is trivialising issues as if he is a king in one local village. This is Nigeria.”

In his reaction, Musa who is the National Chairman, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and former governor of Kaduna State, said aside the senators who elected Saraki, any other person demanding his resignation is merely wasting his time.

“What is the opinion of the senators who elected him in the first place? Are they also calling for his resignation? Because it is only they who can remove him. It is not the responsibility of APC to remove him or ask him to resign.
https://independent.ng/bode-george-balarabe-musa-warn-against-illegal-impeachment-at-senate/amp/