₦airaland Forum

tensor777:
Again you totally miss the point. The "salvation" of Nigeria if you want to call it that will only happen if the people themselves are ready to change. That goes far far beyond keeping government officials in check.
What are you even saying. You expect government officials to develop Nigeria or make you rich?  
Face your business and stop pointing fingers at government officials.

Excellent point you made there!! I keep telling people that it is not the Government that makes countries great! It is the people for crying out loud!! People are expecting waayyy to much from Government forgetting that the Government didn't bring them into existence!!
Government has it's responsibilities and has surely performed poorly in most cases. However, the people have as much responsibility towards developing society and in Nigeria we the people have performed poorly as well.

We expect Government to create jobs but always forget to ask how!! Truth is, the Government's responsibility is to create an enabling environment while the entrepreneurs create the jobs!! In Nigeria, there are much more opportunities than there are entrepreneurs to take them.

I am not trying to absolve Government of its failures, but we the people have to quit this negativity syndrome and start asking ourselves what we can do to contribute to our collective development. Until then, our moral justification for criticizing Government looses its verve!

Kobojunkie:
Not a stretch at all. You fail to factor in the NIGERIAN MINDSET in  your analysis of Christians there. In Nigeria, people like Adeboye, bakare etc are semi-gods already. Even the politicians(thieves and none) go to kneel before these men to pray, and so it makes sense to assume these people, and many other Nigerians who already give their all at the alter of the churches run by these men, to vote whomever their pastor supports.

Chris Okotie, does not have as large a following as Adeboye, Bakare etc can boast of so that explains why the man is still unable to gather up enough votes for a win. However, Bakare, I believe has admirers even in the Adeboye camp, and since he a respected pastor in many circles, it is not a stretch to believe he could get a lot of Christian votes for the ticket. I definitely can see a lot of our "zombie" christians voting for the ticket simply because there is a PASTOR onboard.

Bakare doesn't have a large following at all. His popularity comes mainly from his political utterances. And I don't think Adeboye's followers or the rest of the pentecostal community have a positive perception of Bakare. Bakare has been known to attack all the major crowd pulling pentecostals from Adeboye to Oyedepo to Kumuyi. These followers of these leaders surely would no be voting Bakare!

That is one big mistake Buhari has made. He knows that his biggest hindrance to ascending Aso Rock is the perception of him as a religious bigot, so he goes ahead top choose a Pastor. Sadly, he was not well informed that the Pastor he has choosen is loathed by the largest segment of the Christain community.

Kobojunkie:
By asking Bakare to be his running mate, this man is likely guaranteeing he will get at least 50% of the Christian vote from the south.

What a fallacy!! Where do you get your postulations from Simply going by the responses from nairalanders on this thread, it is obvious the Christian folk seem very uncomfortable with Bakare pick as VP. Why are your assumptions always off the track??

Very radical combo!!

Two religious extremists in an extremely religious country!!Would have been a technical knockout, but for the timing. . .2011 is a year of Goodluck to all Nigerians!!

[size=14pt]OFFICIAL: Buhari Picks Bakare As Running Mate, Calls For End To Serial Violence[/size]


The presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC),Gen Muhamadu Buhari has picked fiery preacher; Pastor Gbolahan Babatunde Bakare as his running mate for the 2011 presidential election as the deadline for nomination of candidates expires today.

The frontline runner for the highest political office in the land hinged his choice on the need to put the best feet forward in what promises to be a decisive political challenge for the soul of Nigeria.

"We have seen the uncommon enthusiasm of our people to register to vote in spite of the many challenges of the exercise, that speaks to their desire to do what Tunisians and Egyptians are doing on the streets through the ballot box in April.
There is a compelling need to give them a ticket that will make all their sacrifices worth the while and that is what we have done” he said.

General Buhari also condemns the wave of serial violence in Borno,Plateau and other parts of the country which have left casualties in it's trail and with the Federal Government appearing totally helpless.

"It is sad that these dastardly acts are taking place without any coordinated response from the government to guarantee the safety of lives and property.

A responsible leadership must not agonize over the virtual breakdown of security in parts of the country, it must organize the security system to deal with the situation first and create the atmosphere for social justice to flourish to end the conditions that make citizens to let loose against each other".

While condoling with the Borno State Government and people as well as all those who have lost loved ones in these pockets of violence, General Buhari sues for peace among all Nigerians and called on the government to sit up and bring an end to this palpable state of insecurity.

On the unfounded allegation by Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido that his supporters are responsible for a hate text message circulating after the PDP primaries,Geneneral Buhari said it is regrettable that some people can't appreciate that certain offices require a high degree of responsibility in utterances.

"What evidence has he got to say that the text came from any of my supporters? Has he gone to the service providers and they told him the text originated from a phone traceable to anyone who is my supporter? I condemn any attempt to spread hate among Nigerians but I suspect this may be a mischief from our opponents who cannot face issues but dwell only on weeping up emotions.And it may appear that the governor may be aware of those behind this hatchet job"

General Buhari added that he has never been involved in the zoning debate because the Federal Republic of Nigeria with all the people within no matter how they talk to God is his constituency."Those who don't want the progress of our people have spent fortunes over the years to raise silly propaganda about me.I have been around for some years and vie challenged them to bring out one person I ever discriminated against based on faith but they are yet to take up the challenge. They should continue to tell lies about me just as I will continue to tell the truths about them" He insisted that the weapons that worked for them in the past will not produce this time around.

"We will force them to discuss issues. They must explain why poverty has increased from 45 per cent in 1999 to 76 percent in 2011 in spite of unprecedented revenue under the PDP Government. Nigerians want to know how we got to a situation where 98 per cent of our children now fail NECO examinations whereas we had 54 per cent pass in WAEC examinations in 1999.The Global Financial Integrity recently reported that an average of $15b left the shores of Nigeria in illicit transfers in the eight years it surveyed under PDP rule"

‘ Yinka Odumakin
Spokesperson to General Buhari

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/official-buhari-picks-bakare-running-matecalls-end-serial-violence

^^^Better use of our thinking faculties would be useful, Mr!!
My point is simple! Despite the fact that there is no official declaration of a state of emergency, in practice there is already a state of emergency minus the dismantling of democratic structures!!

Nice! I like innovative business people that engage in off the track businesses!!

@Mary j. . . .nice one!!
Don't mind them jare!! In the comfort of their obodo oyibo they are urging people to take a cue from Tunisia and Egypt!! Let them all start by selling off their belongings and moving back home! Afterwards, those back home would surely join the revolution!!

A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviors, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale for suspending rights and freedoms, even if guaranteed under the constitution. Such declarations usually come during a time of natural or man made disaster, during periods of civil unrest, or following a declaration of war or situation of international or internal armed conflict. Justitium is its equivalent in Roman law.

In some countries, the state of emergency and its effects on human rights and freedoms and governmental procedure are regulated by the constitution and/or a law that limits the powers that may be invoked. Rights and freedoms may be suspended during an emergency, for instance, freedom of movement, but not non-derogable rights.[1] In many countries it is illegal to modify the emergency law or the constitution during the emergency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_emergency

^^^That there, is the definition of a state of emergency!!

Truth is, without making a formal declaration, I think the city is already in a state of emergency and Government has done what would be done in a state of emergency! There is a curfew,  soldiers are deployed, freedoms are limited and a whole lot other measures have been taken! The only thing that hasn't been done is the suspension of executive, legislative and judicial powers!!

Now, given the peculiarity of the crisis, do you think it is wise to suspend the democratic instruments of government?? If you do so, it would only serve to aggravate the crisis as the Berom, who would be the ones to loose out in such an arrangement would take their angst to the very next level of violence! Declaring a state of emergency is counter productive.

What should be done, in my humble opinion is to get to the root of the hatred and solve the fundamentals!! If that would require relocating some people, then so be it! If it requires taking out politicians responsible for the crises, then so be it. If it requires a total re-allocation of land and resources, then so be it!!
Afterwards, reconciliation, where possible would be compulsory!!

The bottomline is getting the the root causes of the crises and begin solving it from that point!!!

Can you please, in all your wisdom, help me understand what it means to call a "state of emergency" and how calling it eventually translates to safety of lives and property for the people of Jos??

Does calling a state of emergency bring to the perpetrators of the violence a sense of decorum or is it a magic phrase that automatically brings paralysis to those that go around maiming fellow humans? I really don't understand this call for a state of emergency in a situation that is in itself much worse than an emergency!!
Why don't you just call for a state of catastrophy, which is a better description for what is going on in Jos??

And one very big question; Why is it always the Hausa/Fulani calling for a state of emergency??

When is the voter's registration exercise expiring? Did they still extend the deadline??

He said the influence of ACN would allow the alliance to sweep the South-west while those of both the ANPP and CPC will clear the entire votes in the North-east and North-west zones, thereby giving them an edge over the PDP.

Muhammed added that they envisage a situation where the party would lead in most of the North-central states and win some of the states of the South-south and South-east zones.

The article was making sense until I read the part bolded in red, then I knew that these alliance planners are just dreamers!!
On what basis do you win some South South and South East states when the three parties involved don't even have offices in any of these states?
Or do they think Edo people will vote Buhari because Oshiomole is in ACN?? Thats a tall dream.
I don't understand why the opposition waits till 2 months before elections before they start dreaming up strategies to counter the PDP. It is not workable!!
PDP is a very popular party amongst the grassroots voters. These grassroot voters don't read newspapers to see all the negatives written about the PDP.

PDP will win the freest and fairest election in Nigeria! They will win because the opposition parties are not serious and know nothing about politics except to run to the pages of newspapers and cry rigging!! If they like make them no go begin prepare for 2015, let them be wasting their time talking about 2011!! Dreams!!

If anything, I am pretty sure Jakumo is a Medical professional who deals extensively with Cadaver!!

1) Nigeria has by far the fastest growing number of internet users in the world! We grew by an outstanding 21,891% in the last ten years!
In-fact, with 43.9 million users, Nigeria has the 10th highest number of internet users worldwide!!  Our penetration rate is also extremely high for a developing country with 28.9%, knocking off biggies like India with just 6.9%, Indonesia just 12.9%, Mexico with 27.9%.
http://www.internetworldstats.com/top20.htm


2) Nigeria has the 4th fastest growing number of Facebook users worldwide! Last week alone we added 64,000 new users!! Over the past 3 months Nigeria has consistently featured in the top 5 worldwide!!
http://www.checkfacebook.com/
http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/?interval=last-week#chart-intervals


3)Nigerians are the by far the most educated people in the United States. 37%(Some reports suggest 60%) of Nigerians have a Bachelors degree compared with 19% of the white population.  17% have Master's degrees compared with 7% of the general population!!  Same thing applies to many other countries in the world. Nigerians are about the most educated people in so many countries!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5791096.html


4)The country with the highest number of Nigerians living Abroad: Sudan!! I am pretty sure many never saw that coming!! There are between 6-8 million Nigerians living in Sudan!
http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=788


5) Nigeria is the Third fastest growing economy in the world after India and China!! That is what the IMF said!!
http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/11934-more-bank-directors-ll-be-jailed-sanusi-nigeria-is-worlds-3rd-fastest-growing-economy--imf


Most of these statistics shown above prove many things about Nigeria. For instance, that we have a very massive and burgeoning middle class population. Secondly, that despite the fact that we have had very bad leaders, we might want to cut them some slack a little bit, cos with the mess that Nigeria is , we are still better than a whole lot of countries out there!
And most importantly, Nigeria is the best place to be right now as the opportunities that exist in this country are much more than what you would get in most countries of the world!

^^^^
@Face, Thank you for your very insightful post!!

This Atiku man is a soooo shameless man!!

Three advices for Ribadu:
1)Don't associate with failure! Atiku is a failure!! He failed woefully in the primaries and was rejected by his own constituents in his very own backyard.
If you associate with him, you will begin to look like a failure and a desperate one at that!!

2) Atiku is a symbol of international corruption! You, Ribadu, on the other hand has corruption as your only strong point!
If you associate with him, he will dilute your reputation and suddenly you would begin to look corrupt!! If you are perceived as corrupt, you have no more strength with the populace!

3)Atiku is now a symbol of the failed northern alliance. If you ally with him,he will make you look like a northern candidate instead of a national candidate. Your strongest support base is in the south west! If you become a northern candidate, you loose you the support of all young Nigerians who have supported you on the basis of you detribalization!!


On a second thought, I'm a Jonathan supporter!!! I think I would love Atiku and Ribadu to form an alliance! Would be cool to see Atiku's capacity for failure, corruption and ethnic bigotry rub off heavily on Ribadu!!

Orikinla:
An intelligent leader would have proposed N350 billion for capital projects in the education sector.

And N35 billion for the National Assembly.

He has only continued to approve the Jumbo salaries of the members of the National Assembly who have been misappropriating their constituency project funds.

You guys need to get an education!! Please Mr Orikinla, there is something called devolution of powers! The National Assembly is completely independent of the Executive Arm of Government! They determine their own budget. It is no the Executive arms responsibility to approve budgets for the National Assembly! They get their subventions directly from the CBN without any approval from the Executive!

So please Mr, never blame the executive arm for the excesses of the legislature!! Get educated man!!

Kobojunkie:
CORRECTION --- OUR schools are NOT OVERCROWED. The Ministry of Education has not been able to provide reports showing this to be the case, even as it argues that adding more schools is solution to the problem experienced in the system today. In addition the ministry has not explored capacity building options

If anything, majority of our schools have been operating UNDER CAPACITY for so long now, mainly because[b] most of the schools are UNDER STAFFED and UNEQUIPPED to handle the load they were initially built to handle. [/b]

How else on planet earth would you define overcrowding if not the perfect definition you have given above!! You are so obviously contradicting yourself!

We have schools with 1000 students managing a lecture theater built for 100 students!! If that is not overcrowding, what else is! We have room hostels built for 4 students housing 20 students! IMO that is an overcrowded situation!
Asides we have 2 million students taking JAMB yearly with universities admitting just 160,000. That is enough reason to build new universities. What I expect you to demand is that the new universities be built to international standards! That is a perfect starting point! Not coming here to critic what is an obvious good solution!! Doesn't it amaze you that in 60 years only 27 FG universities were built? If GEJ decides to build 9 new ones(thats 25%), in just 8 months of office, that is a massive massive step in the right direction!!

Eko Ile:
Where is the sense and wisdom in creating new varsities when the existing ones are glorified elementary schools with non existing teaching tools, empty libraries, worthless academic standards and poorly paid lecturers?


Is it by force to open mouth and talk rubbish? Please stop the nonsense and quit insulting our intelligence.

The sense and wisdom is simple! First it doesn't take a day to correct the decay that was accumulated from over 40years of neglect. So process of upgrading older varsities, I expect, would be gradual. One of the keys factors responsible for the decay in the facilities is over crowding! If you build new universities, you will reduce the pressures on the existing ones.
My point is simple. Jonathan has been here for 8 months and he has already taken massive steps in education. We should subject ourselves to critical thinking. It doesn't take one day to correct the neglect of so many decades!!

The real MEND has issued a disclaimer! All those guys that have been promising us violence (Atiku, Ciroma, Babangida) should be held responsible in the event there is any attack!!

[size=14pt]MEND Issues A Disclaimer[/size]
Posted: January 19, 2011 - 03:01
By Jomo Gbomo
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (M.E.N.D) denies in its totality the recent warning of an attack on the downstream oil sector being circulated in the media on 18 January, 2011.

We will be investigating the situation and will take appropriate actions to prevent this from reoccurring in the future.




We will like to reiterate that only when an attack has occurred will we send a statement of attacks and claims.

Jomo Gbomo

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/mend-issues-disclaimer

ROSSIKE:
I don't know if anyone here has visited International Drive in Orlando, Florida.

Allen Avenue has all it takes to be our International Drive, if only we can see its worth and create a befitting infrastructure for it.

Rossike, I feel you! Always have the same sentiment when I'm on Allen. International Drive surely is a perfect example! A Pedestrain walkway would do the trick!! We need these walkways not just on Allen but Also on streets like Awolowo Road, Ikoyi and some other streets in VI.

PeeDaVinci:
@PapaBowne
kpa kpa kpa kpa kpa kpa kpa kpa kpa kpa MILOO

Clapping for the very wise Jona who deem it fit to allocate 40 billion for research in universities, and 350 billion for representathieves/legislathieves!!!!! Classic sense of priority

Ok. Haven't you heard that the Executive and the NASS are two different arms of Government?? Since when did the executive arm start allocating budgets to the NASS! Pls Mr, Educate yourself!! 350 Billion NASS budget comes direct from the CBN and not the Executive arm!

Are you serious This is the first time Education is receiving the highest budget allocation in Nigeria and you are complaining!! We have a President that has just established 9 new Universities(There were just 27 FG Universities b4 now established in the last 60 years) and you are complaining. We have a President that approved N40 Billion for Research in Universities and you are complaining? All these in less than 1 year!!

We have had Presidents that have ignored the education sector, but Jonathan is surely not one of them!!!

frosbel:
1.Ribadu is fresh and untainted by the corruption endemic in the GEJ and Yaradua Regimes, obviously of which Atiku is a by product.

2. Ribadu is educated, highly intelligent [/b]and [b]analytical

3. Ribadu is an exceptional northerner , not like the typical stereotype Almajari politicians we have come to know

4. Ribadu put his life on the line to bring some of the most perverse politicians to justice and had to escape for his life in the process.

5. If you want change, development and a government of transformation ,  Please vote Ribadfu 2011.

But if you want more of the same , then vote for the rest.

This topic will be beefed up in the coming days and weeks with more precise information.

God help Nigeria !!!

[b]1)[/b]I don't understand how Atiku is a by product of Yar Adua/ GEJ regimes! Doesn't make sense! Can you please enlighten me? Thanks!

[b]2)[/b]I agree, Ribadu is educated, but highly Intelligent and Analytical, a toatal no no. I completely disagree. He is brilliant, but hasn't shown any form of intelligence in any of his actions, speeches, interviews or write ups. As per Analysis, another complete no no! Ribadu is very rhetorical. He repeats continually without explaining his points. I have more than enough evidence to butress. I have seen his interviews, he is very passionate, but never analytical.
If you are looking for intelligence and analytical thinking, check El Rufai, Donald Duke, Fashola and a host of other Nigerians that occupy the political space. Just not Ribadu.

[b]3)[/b]We are not seeking exceptional Northerners nor Southerners, we are seeking exceptional Nigerians with a healthy dose of broadmindedness!

[b]4)[/b]Ribadu sent only one high profile politician to jail. And that is Alams, Jonathan's former boss. With 20/20 hindsight, we all now know why Alams was dealt with. Ribadu just did OBJs bidding on that one. The other person he sent to jail was Tafa Balogun. Asides these, I don't know of any other. Farida Waziri can boast as well of sending Bode George, Cecilia Ibru and a couple other to jail. Would that now qualify her as a good presidential material? I must add though that I believe Ribadu did a great job at EFCC, but it was not in his arresting of individuals but in the effort he put at fighting corruption.

[b]5)[/b]Thats typical rhetoric- Change, Development and a Government of Transformation. These are just words. We need clearly spelt out blueprints on how the  change and development will take place and how his government will be a transformational one. I have seen his blueprint and I didn't exactly see how it was different from what Jonathan or the  is promising.

I like Ribadu though. But sincerely, I really don't think he has the temperament to manage the complexities that run through the veins of this country.
The main reason I would vote Jonathan over Ribadu is because Jonathan has about the best roadmap to salvage the power sector. The other reason is the fact that he is best placed to salvage the disease that has become of the Niger Delta. Yet another reason is his commitment to revamping our educational sector. In less than one year, he has approved the establishment of Nine new Universities (There were only 27 FG Universities b4 now) and also for the first time in our history, we have the highest education budget occupying the largest percentage of the budget. So these three things- Power, Education and The Niger Delta!!

Not so impressive given the magnitude of problems the sector faces. The best solution is an almost complete handover to the private sector the same way the telecoms sector was done. First because the Government lacks the kind of funding and expertise required to improve on the sector and second because Government bureaucracy and Geo-political considerations would slow down any government actions.

Jonathan has offered what I think is the best solution to our power problems. The main reason I will support Jonathan over any of the other candidates is his blueprint for the power sector. He has set the ball rolling by setting aside 137 billion for settlement of emoluments and benefits for PHCN officials that would be laid off! Thats a huge huge step in the right direction. By the time the private sector investments start pouring in, Nigeria would see a ten fold increase in power supply same way we jumped from 400,000 telephone lines in 2001 to over 70 million lines in 2010.

denitro:
STORY. STORY.
We in the South can vote in Jonathan without their help

Not just you in the south, we also in the middle belt consisting of Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Nassarawa and Southern Kaduna, we shall vote en masse for GEJ!

Interesting thing is that the poster Playmode and his supporter, blacksta are doing thier thing outside the country but they want Nigerians back home to sacrifice their lives.
Mr Poster, you can begin by coming home first and start making plans for the revolution. It is easy to talk when you are outside the country. Come home and start first before you can have moral justification to ask for a revolution!!

On the prices of real estate you mentioned, what you have there is a cool business opportunity. Why not start by coming home to Nigeria and building cool homes like the ones in your picture and sell at the 60 Million its sold in Johannesburg. At least you would definitely have loads of clints given the prices properties with less value are sold in Lagos.

My point: Stop talking from outside! Come home and fix your country!!!

If you wake up every morning with A breath of Fresh Air, you will have [b]Goodluck [/b]throughout the day!

If you want[i] Fresh Air[/i] that comes with [i]Goodluck [/i]please go out and register!!

Ibime:
The polips in some niggas nostrils have been so abused from smoking crack fumes, they often confuse stale air for fresh air.

Polyps. Sorry!

A letter from an illiterate girlfriend!

@Gbawe
I want you to do me a favour and read your posts again! When you are done reading, ask yourself these questions; How come I'm such a hopeless irredeemable ethnic jingoist??
Your posts are a bit repulsive and is doing your education no good, especially given the fact that you seem to have arrogated to yourself the ability to divine the nation's true interests. Why, if not for ethnic bigotry is it easy for you to become sympathetic to the sensibilities of violent clansmen up north, and yet refuse to consider the potential misgivings that would emanate from the Niger Delta if Jonathan, who has every right whatsoever, is disallowed on the ground of pacifying these clansmen.
You need to do a rethink. Your fixated hatred for Jonathan is turning you into an apologist for a system that has held the country bound to its knees for decades. Seriously, re-read your posts!

debosky:
All politics in Nigeria has a strong element of money involved.

That said, you cannot compare that to the use of state instruments of power to eliminate or force out candidates as we saw while OBJ was president. In this current case, no candidates were disqualified - those who pulled out did so a while ago under their own volition and were not pressured into doing so. Once the delegates were in place, no manipulation of votes took place.

The clear difference in what was carried out yesterday and what took place previously should be recognised and applauded.

Ultimately, we don't know whether this will improve the standard of governance, and many think it won't - that is the grouse of many on this thread.

Spot on!! We must applaud good when we see it. The primaries were very impressive and I hope it signifies a break from the past!

Mobinga:
Thank You. 11 Years of Gross Misrule covered by 12 hours of an impressive election.

I'd rather look to the future than dwell on 12 years of misrule. In that 12 years of misrule, PDP has produced some very excellent actors. Donald Duke performed under PDP. El Rufai did same. Okonjo, Dora and the likes did same. I hear Amaechi is doing good. He is also from PDP.
What I saw from the primaries yesterday is a positive sign. I will watch ACN's primaries today (thats if they have the courage to do it live) and assess their preparedness for the future. From my observations in the past ACN is the biggest rubberstamp party in Nigeria. CPC's primaries were a charade.

If I see good, I must talk and yesterday's primaries were excellent beyond my imagination.