₦airaland Forum

This is at best Monday morning quarterbacks [s]

FreeStuffsNG:
Hmmm. This article below is a reminder again. Do not outsource your role as a father.


EKWEREMADU: Between Fatherhood and Ambition


I recall having this conversation with my wife during the week when the case of Sen. Ike Ekweremadu came up and I was completely in an incandescent shock that this man actually has a sick daughter yet has been all over the place attending political meetings for his political ambition instead of taking time out from the highly demanding world of politics to sort out his daughter's pressing health needs.


He was all over the place during the PDP  primaries, he lost the PDP gubernatorial primaries for Enugu state then started planning to decamp to APGA, then APC , reportedly taken to APC national Chairman by HE Uzodinma, Imo state Governor, when APC stalwarts in Enugu APC, led by their state APC Chairman, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah, outrightly rejected him. 

He eventually lost and , unlike previous election cycles, Senator Ekweremadu is not returning to the Nigerian Senate.He lost on all the political fronts.


Sen. Ike Ekweremadu was all over the place so much that it appeared like he did not follow through on the health and lifestyle choices of his children.


He did not follow through on what I believe is more important than his political ambition; the life of his daughter and a family at the low ebb of the apprehension of losing a child  to kidney failure.


Ike Ekeremadu was so consumed by his political ambition that he had no time and seriousness to do due diligence and background check on the character they got him as a donor for his daughter , I doubt if with his PhD, he even had the time to follow through and read up to ask the right questions from the professionals,  understand the risks and benefits of why it could be better for one member of his family of six to donate to the daughter instead of a stranger and seek help to find out if there are some of the tests which can be done on the stranger here in Nigeria before bundling a total stranger overseas. 


He was so consumed by politics that when the 22-year old donor went rogue and was allegedly scheming behind him to deny his age and report Ike and family to UK police, it probably escaped his detection and intervention soon enough so he can be the first to report to UK police and then return the donor to Nigeria for him to immediately restart the process of getting alternative donor(s) for his ailing daughter whose life was more important to him.


He forgot that he was first a father and husband before becoming a Senator,Deputy Senate President and SSG. 

He forgot that he will finish as a father and husband.


I compared Senator Ekweremadu to Joe Biden and I believe that he could have followed the Biden example. Then in 2015 , US Vice President Biden had a dying son and had the opportunity to contest in his party's primaries to emerge against Trump for the US Presidency but Biden stepped down from that race in order to support his dying son.


At a point, Biden was to sell his family house before Barack Obama intervened and offered to pay for the treatment. Biden's boy made his Dad promise him that no matter what happens, Biden must not give up his life long ambition to be US President, Biden's boy, Beau Biden later died. Biden grieved without the guilt of abandoning his son for his political ambition.


 In 2021, years after his son had passed on , Biden contested and won. There are many Nigerian politicians (and professionals) who will do like Biden but not like Ike.   


Family is so important that we even need the approval of a sick dying one before we place anything above their life


That is the lesson Ike missed and was almost about to lose from both ends as his wife who takes care of the daughter remains in prison until July 7 and now August 4.      


Last two Sundays ago was Father's Day , I really truly hope that fathers used that day to reflect and understand the real responsibility of fatherhood. It is the hardest job for a man but it gives the greatest reward if you do your best at it.


As a father , I have realized that it is not possible to outsource that role of a father and not pay heavy fines.  


May God heal that Ike Ekweremadu's daughter and may God help the Ike Ekweremadu family in this their difficult time. I know it is a difficult place for them. 

May God help all fathers to realise that "your child is your responsibility". 


That you pay all the bills and have a devoted and responsible wife/mother of your child won't still make up for your negligence. 


Your child is your responsibility and not even your ambition can replace what you will miss if you neglect your role in the life of your child. 


This a lesson to all fathers: Do not behave like Senator Ike Ekweremadu who was literally chasing rats around the house when his house was on fire.


May God help us all to succeed and may our children not develop kidney failure. May our labour of love and sacrifice be rewarded in our life time and when we are long gone, Amen.
Sunkanmi Vaughan is a Lagos-based Pharmacist and Author.

Meanwhile,here's free book on business ideas & money sources directory for you,it's 100% free! to download, read and use https://www.nairaland.com/6666800/looking-business-ideas-money-fund. Cheers.

[/s]

Okay . David Hundeyin scores Big in my eyes again as a top Investigative Journalist

Well your point was that he was unwilling to release it because it may possibly shed light on his nationality.I do agree with you that these candidates owe Nigerians and Voters a duty to be transparent with every information about them with the law.I am swear that this issue has been trashed out in court and so there should be no ambiguity about it. It’s public. Knowledge

kafeii123:
Well...you worded it like you were responding to a Peter Obi campaign executive who is peddling lies...whereas that was far from the case.

I remember his primary and secondary education not being issues prior to now...but now that it's sort of generating a furore...he can simply re-release such details with proof.

It's the same BAT should've done.... except they're both getting a kick out of this...they both should have sorted this out since

I have not insulted you! I actually meant no offense beyond pointing out that you in this case you have chosen to be willful misinformed when all the information is available to you at your fingertips. You don’t have to hear it from me. Do your research my brother. Don’t take offense too quickly it’s not a sign of maturity.

kafeii123:
You could educate my glaring ignorance rather than insultively posing a question..

I know about Nigeria ...but northern Nigeria is not an area I ever lived in or know so well so...are you intending to educate me or you were seeking an opportunity to show a lack of home training?

Have you just decided to be Willfully Ignorant or you don’t know about the history of Nigeria?

kafeii123:
except it was a mixup....the man's earlier schooling may be in neighboring cameroun where his father is rumoured to have immigrated from. listing them may bring up the matter of his real place of birthband indigeneship... hopefully this issues will be sorted out early enough...we're too close to elections to still be dragging this type of things

Atiku has this information all over the internet.Has this ever been an issue for conversation regarding the man in his previous contests? We know Late Gani had reservations about Tinubus Academic Qulifications as far back as 2000. Atiku went to Jada Primary School and eared a Grade 3 in WAEC in 1965.This information has yet to be disputed.on the issue of qualifying to work as a customs officer, your opinion not facts.

Faiththatworks:
Let me start by making it very very clear,I will vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Now that my bias is out of the way, back to the matter, Oya Atiku supporters we are waiting for your defence of your Master,where's his primary, secondary school certificate oooooo.
I'm sure Atiku secondary certificate is full of F9,that's why he can't present it.
For those who don't understand,let me break it down to you, Nigeria Custom in 1965 was for only the laziest,most unintelligent people in the country.
Only people with very very low IQ joined them because Nigeria was thriving back then,even the private sector were recruiting Directly from secondary schools and the very few Universities available in the country due to shortage of labor,so u understand why someone like Atiku had to join the Nigerian Custom.
Back to the matter,I still don't understand why any sane Nigerian will.look at the credentials of Asiwaju Tinubu,a man who worked in only Forbes Top 500 companies in the world,and ask me to chose between him and a retired custom officer and a local banker who spent all his working life in a small local bank called Fidelity bank,haba make una fear God.
Asiwaju on your Mandate we stand GIDIGBA,no shaking.
I must say this before I leave,I challenge Reno Omokri to stop all these childish tantrums and tell us one company he ever worked for before relocating to work as Jonathan sycophant,he's always quick to throw stones at Tinubu,but I dare him to drop his CV, let us his know his academic worth.
God bless Nigeria

Have you visited NIMC office before? The most frequent issue there is correction of age So it's a normal Practice in Nigeria.

But Tinubu is the reason why Lagos is what it is today.

Privatepart00:
Praising a Governor for using public funds to do what he’s elected for?

So wore the political Jobber

Your eye don clear as e be… You should count yourself as truly lucky that you were not sent into bankruptcy.

Thomas Partey reveals he has changed his name to Yakubu after marrying his Muslim wife and changing religion - but midfielder will still be referred to as Partey when playing for Arsenal and continue wearing Thomas on his jersey

Thomas Partey has changed his name to Yakubu after converting to Islam following his recent marriage to Moroccan Sara Bella.

However, despite the name change, the midfielder will still be referred to Partey when playing for Arsenal.

In addition, the 28-year-old will keep Thomas as the name on the back of his shirt when in action.

'I have a girl I love, I know my side chicks will leave me but it's no problem,' he joked in an Instagram video posted by Ghanaian journalist Nana Aba Anamoah, as quoted by Pulse.

'I grew up with Muslims so at the end of the day it's the same thing. I'm already married and my Muslim name is Yakubu.'

Raised as a Christian in east Ghana, Partey told his national media in March that he had become a Muslim due to Bella.

In mid-March a picture of him in London with a Sheikh circulated on social media as the pair held the Quran - the scripture of Islam.

And devoting himself further to Islam, Partey has now taken on the name Yakubu after tying the knot to Bella.

Partey featured just 26 times for Arsenal in all competitions last season as injury and suspension curtailed any further part.

A hamstring injury during a 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on April 4 saw his campaign end short as the Gunners missed out on finishing in the top four to bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Detials Shortly

You call it first. Kudos

They have called it almost to perfection. Impressive from our media

Two great leaders of our party.The party is supreme Ahmed Lawan is Mr President's Choice.

Show them Photo so they will know waussup. Doubtful Thomas

Latakia:
I'm live at the venue, na Jagaban cap and logo every delegates dey wear.

Do not deceive your self, Apc Governors control delegates but sadly don’t control the Northern electorate.The Northern electorate will vote for their own and Atiku will win. Go to you bookmakers and places handsome chunk of money on that.

The conversation sadly is about the wrong things. None of the candidates you have mentioned will stand a chance against Turakin Adamawa HE Atiku Abubakar.

When Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo won 1999 elections that ended a decade and half of military rule, he created an unusual political record. He scored the least votes among his Yoruba kin in the country's southwest, even failing to win in his ward at his hometown, Abeokuta.
But he swept the rest of the country, winning most votes in the northern Hausa-Fulani Muslim heartland, in the southeast dominated by Igbos as well as the central region and the southern Niger Delta populated mainly by ethnic minorities.

Obasanjo had made overtures to his kinsmen in a bid to build a political base for himself, to the disappointment of his backers. But the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the dominant party in the southwest, said it would only support Obasanjo's re-election if he accepted its political programme.
The key element of this programme was the demand for a "sovereign national conference" to work out a new political structure for Nigeria that would give more power to the regions and leave a weak centre. It was a demand shared by all other regions except the north. But it went against Obasanjo's political grain. Since his days as military ruler in the 1970s he had sought to build a Nigeria with a strong central government and weak regions.

"Some people in the South West have gone as far as to argue that Obasanjo is not a Yoruba man. He is an Igbo man from the South-East. His father is from Anambra while his mother is a Yoruba woman. And that was why during his tenure, he completely ignored the South West. For example, throughout his eight years, he did nothing on the Lagos- Ibadan expressway. "But he did a lot for his people in the South-East. He picked five Ministers from there and even appointed the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from Anambra where his father comes from.

People will say different reasons why the South West should support a South eastern candidate, and the South east will say the same thing which is fair argument in all honesty.

The truth is that equity has eluded mankind ,Most especially Africa, same reasons the North does not want to restructure Nigeria they instead want to continue to benefit from our divisions to continue to produce leaders that they totally control their political lives.This is the reason why a candidate like Goodluck Johnathan was even a consideration with his disastrously poor 5yrs in office, they prefer that to credible candidates.

I totally disagree with the Notion that a Muslim Muslim ticket offers some sort of better solution. I see that BAT is your candidate and you are entitled to your choice, but to force a Muslim-Muslim ticket on Nigerians is a Mistake that Vice President Atiku Abubakar can’t wait to capitalize on.Don’t be delusional.

PrinceofAnambra:
They want to pick a running mate for Tinubu. A Muslim/Muslim ticket undoubtedly sets a very bad precedence but so also does a Fulani Buhari 8yrs president followed by another Fulani Atiku 8 yrs Presidency, which is far worst.

I have chosen my poison carefully. I would rather a Muslim/Muslim ticket where federal power returns to the South so that we can speak to those killer fulani herdsmen and other terrorists in the language they understand and stop their carnage across the South, than to have another Fulani Miyetti Allah sponsor and Sheik Gumi friend named Atiku continue the disaster from where Buhari stopped. Atiku that has said he is against anti-grazing laws, that it is unconstitutional, he will definitely be worst than Buhari.

Atiku can pretend all he wants and deceive his foolish supporters in the South but some of us can see through his ethno-religious coloration and tribalistic shenanigans.

Funny! Another beer-palour journalism and reportage. Their views carry no significance to the overall outcome

The Ace journalist, Babajide Kolade Otitoju, has revealed that the APC's presidential primary election may not hold after all, accusing the President of knowing this before traveling to Madrid, Spain.

He revealed this while fielding questions on Television Continental, TVC's, program, Journalist Hangout, on Wednesday.

He stated that no President would travel out of the country at a critical time like this if he actually wanted the primary election to hold.

Following the conclusion of the APC's presidential screening of it's aspirants yesterday and the subsequent meeting of President Muhammadu Buhari and some party leaders, allegation of imposition of a successor or consensus candidate came to the fore.

Mr Otitoju maintains that talking about consensus candidate does not make any sense at this eleventh hour. Describing it as undemocratic, he said it is wrong for few people to decide for the entire party.

Mr Otitoju made reference to the People's Democratic Party, PDP, which conducted it's primary election over the weekend without any rancour. Wondering why the ruling party was afraid of conducting a presidential primary, he admonished APC to match what the PDP had done by choosing its candidate that will be acceptable to all.

He warned the President not to force an unpopular aspirant on the party as this would give Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP flag bearer, a resounding victory at the polls.

He insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari does not have the power to choose for APC, stating that only party delegates have such constitutional power.

At the moment, President Muhammadu Buhari is in Madrid, the capital of Spain, amidst uncertainty of the ruling party's Presidential primary election.

Ministers who accompanied him on the trip are Geoffrey Onyeama (Foreign Affairs), Abubakar Malami (Justice), Adeniyi Adebayo (Industry, Trade, and Investment), Lai Mohammed (Information and Culture), Rauf Aregbesola (Interior), Sunday Dare (Youth and Sports Development), and Olorunnimbe Mamora (Health – State).

;DWIKE! wake up! Wake Up! Collect your Moni! Gbera Gbera, Gbera oh! Come get this Mulla.. you don finally remove your Raybans

Fantastic

This is scandalous

tnerro1:
I like this man even thou he snatched my crush

Its a game of 3d chess

seunny4lif:
I swear
Even USA now said Russia is ready to drag the war for long time.
The more the war drag on, the more money for Russia oil and gas price keep rise.

Germany fuel stations are now selling fuel for €2 and we are told it will increase.
If oil price in Germany goes to high then big problem for EU manufacturing companies as Asia markets will win competitions.

Apt

oluobi:
I wrote on a thread, here on nairaland, that Putin is more intelligent than all the Western leaders. This Azovstal operation is one of many confirmations of that.

They (the US and allies) expected Russian troops to storm the complex, but Putin, knowing what the cost would be to his troops, advised against it.

Many Russian troops would have been killed, and it would have been good PR for Ukraine/US.

The waiting game has finally paid off.


It's obvious Russia is no longer in a hurry to end this operation.
They have come to the realisation, that it's a war against the USA, indirectly of course. Zelensky is just a pawn, and the Ukrainians are very unfortunate, to have elected him as their leader.


The longer this war dragged on, the more uncomfortable it would be for the EU. It's obvious they are interested in diplomacy, but for now, they can't say no to the US. I don't know for how long, they can continue to follow the US, foolishly in this war. The current German Chancellor is not showing any form of leadership in the EU, I doubt if Angela Merkel(former Chancellor), would have allowed the US drag them into this un necessary war in Europe.


Putin is a strategist, I am sure he knows that time is on his side.

Exactly

seunny4lif:
After Azovstal surrender, the focus is on Severodonetsk agglomeration where between 12 and 15K Ukrainian troops find themselves encircled. Luhansk Region’s governor Serhiy Haidai says the Russians are now firing at the lifeline road to Soledar/Bakhmut.

Transparency International in Nigeria has raised the alarm over the diversion of public funds for the purchase of party forms through support groups for politicians.

The trend of groups purchasing forms for aspirants began in 2018 when the Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors Network purchased the N45m presidential form of the All Progressives Congress for the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who was then aspiring to pick the party’s presidential ticket.

Several groups also bought the N20m form for the seven aspirants vying for the national chairmanship of the APC in March. The aspirants are Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Senator George Akume, Senator Sani Musa; former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari; Mallam Salihu Mustapha and 37-year-old Muhammed Etsu.

Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, which is TI’s chapter in Nigeria, told Sunday PUNCH that this new form of “shadow financing” was nothing short of money laundering.

Responding to a question, Rafsanjani said the way forms were being bought was the same way votes would be bought before and during elections.

“What we are seeing is the preamble to vote-buying. It is shadow financing and the whole process is being stage-managed. These are illicit financial flows. Public funds are being funneled through these so-called groups to buy forms for aspirants,” he stated.

Rafsanjani stated that in some instances, godfathers procure forms for aspirants in order to get rewarded with public funds after elections.

The anti-corruption crusader said it was wrong of any group to buy forms for anyone who was not willing to contest, adding that nobody should be cajoled or compelled to govern Nigeria.

Supporters splash over N1.5bn on forms

Meanwhile, Sunday PUNCH learnt that at least N1.5bn had been splashed on the purchase of forms by unregistered support groups.

While the APC pegged its governorship forms at N50m and presidential forms at N100m, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party is selling its presidential form for N40m, while governorship forms are put at N21m.

In the PDP, the presidential aspirants, who obtained forms through support groups include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; former governor Peter Obi; ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki; Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed.

Others who received forms from groups are Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Udom Emmanuel; and a former Senate President Pius Anyim.

In the APC, the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, received the N100m forms from a group, while a support group also purchased the forms for Imo-West lawmaker, Senator Rochas Okorocha.

Though a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, reportedly purchased the presidential forms on his own, they were retrieved by a delegation led by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and a member of the House of Representatives, Abiodun Faleke.

Another group known as Businessmen for Osinbajo, had, two weeks ago, said that it was ready to purchase the nomination and expression of interest forms for Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, while some supporters of a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), have also expressed readiness to buy the N100m forms for him.

At the state level, a group purchased the N50m APC governorship forms for Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State also received the forms from his supporters. Sagir Bafarawa, a Sokoto State governorship aspirant in the PDP received the N21m forms from a coalition of 25 groups.

In Zamfara State, supporters purchased the N21m PDP governorship form for Abubakar Sagir, while in Plateau State, Governor Simon Lalong was given the N20m APC senatorial form by supporters. In Borno States some constituents in the Biu/Bayo/Shani Federal Constituency procured the N10m APC form for Muktar Betara to re-contest his House of Representatives seat.

The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, got his form from a coalition of groups, including the Gamzaki Traders Association, Gaskiya Youths Forum, PDP Coalition Support Group, ATM Adamawa Agenda, Nigeria Union of Teachers, labour unions, Fintiri Continuity, and Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, among others.

In Delta State, the Isoko/Urhobo Unity Forum, in conjunction with the Youth Arise Together and Committee of Friends purchased and presented the governorship nomination and expression of interest forms to the Managing Director/CEO, WELLMAN Group of Companies, Chris Iyovwaye.

A Zamfara-based group purchased the PDP nomination and expression of interest forms for a governorship aspirant, Abubakar Gusau.

The Ekeremor Local Government Area PDP leaders and stakeholders raised N10m to purchase senatorial nomination forms for a former Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State was presented with the expression of interest and nomination forms by elders from the Masev, Ihyarev and Nongov Development Association, who paid and collected the forms for him to contest the Benue North-West Senatorial seat.

We can’t monitor aspirants’ funding – INEC

Section 87(1) of the newly signed Electoral Act says the Independent National Electoral Commission shall have powers to place limitations on the amount of money or other assets, which an individual can contribute to a political party or candidate, and also has powers to demand such information on the amount donated and the source of the funds.

The Act also states that no individual or other entity shall donate to a candidate more than N50m.

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission did not have the responsibility of monitoring how funds were being spent.

Oyekanmi stated that it was not INEC’s job to check the sources of an aspirant’s funding, adding that the commission would only step in after a candidate had emerged.

Oyekanmi noted that registered political parties were expected to submit to the commission a detailed annual statement of assets and liabilities and an analysis of their sources of funds and other assets, together with their expenditure, including hard and soft copies of the list of their members.

“Political parties are also not allowed to possess any funds outside Nigeria as this constitutes an offence under Section 225(3)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“A political party that commits this offence shall, on conviction, forfeit the funds or assets purchased with such funds to INEC, and may in addition, be liable to a fine of N5m,” he said.

The spokesman for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, did not respond to an inquiry on Friday.