₦airaland Forum

Dr Kitaun:
What has R Babalola and Finance yap got to do with this thread?

The case in the SC is what we should wait for, not pre-empting the outcome or killing ourselves over WHETHER THE SC HAS POWERS TO LEGISLATE ON ELECTORAL MATTERS!

Topic: Who will call David Mark Senate to Order

You will find that Emordi's matter (a mere symptom of a larger malaise) did not come up until the last paragraph of my introductory statement. Its a sick senate and one man is at its root cause.

What is playing out rt now, you cannot see in Ghana, in Kenya or other African democracies-you can ignore the west. For those who are ill informed, a corrupt and discredited Iwu's Inec declared Emordi winner of said senatorial election. Igbeke went to election tribunal with evidence to prove he won the election.

The tribunal found he had a credible case and declared him winner. Emordi appealed to the highest court in the land to adjudicate on election matters which is the appeal court, again she was kicked out with her appeal. The same thing happened with Agagu (Gov Ondo state) and Oserhiemen (Edo state) etc etc and they vacated their seats.

If it was within David Mark power, these pple would have remained in their seat.

Emordi said no, she went back to the same appeal court for interpretation of its own judgement- a patent abuse of court process no doubt with the connivance of David Mark. In unequivocal terms she is told the pple do not want you! Inspite of that DM refuses to swear in the declared winner 3years after this charade started. Now its the supreme court that is not a recognized arbiter in election matters under the 1999 operative constitution.

How can one man hold the will of an entire nation rep by the constitution to ransom.

We have never seen a senate so notorious, so irresponsible and also so profligate. This is a warning that has just been issued (today) by the new minister of state for Finance-

Nigeria's expansionary spending plans this year are "unsustainable" and will drain the OPEC member's windfall oil savings if not controlled, junior finance minister Remi Babalola said on Friday.

President Goodluck Jonathan last month signed into law a 4.6 trillion naira budget, increasing planned expenditure by around 50 percent from last year. But it also risks saddling sub-Saharan Africa's second-biggest economy with a budget deficit of more than 5 percent.

Babalola said government revenues, mainly from monthly oil sales, were not enough to fund planned spending of 1.5 trillion naira in the first quarter of this year.

Africa's biggest energy producer will likely need to use its windfall oil savings to pay for the three-month shortfall estimated at around 737 billion naira, he said.

Nigeria had $4.4 billion in oil savings at the end of April, up $300 million from March.

"We may thus be constrained to consider amending the revenue profile of the 2010 budget or re-negotiate with all relevant stakeholders the monthly distributable amount pending improvements in the budgeted revenue profile," Babalola said.

Deficit-funding options

The minister said President Jonathan had yet to approve the draw-down from the excess crude account, which Babalola says is already "below a comfortable cushion".

"If we embark on any form of fiscal profligacy today it will certainly hinder our ability to address the various fiscal challenges we are likely to face in the near future," he said.

Nigeria saves any oil revenue above a benchmark price into the account, a pillar of IMF-backed reforms launched in 2003 that aimed to help insulate the economy from volatility in global oil prices.

Jonathan has approved the disbursal of $3 billion from the account to the country's 36 states and government agencies since February.

Nigeria's windfall oil savings are less than a quarter of where they stood in 2007.

Nigeria is also pursuing other options to fund its growing fiscal deficit, including plans to issue a $500 million debut global bond and the use of IMF loans worth $915 million.

REUTERS

We have seen repeatedly in the last three years how the executive will send budget proposal for say N5, when it comes out of the senate its N50. These illitrates just dont get it

Kobojunkie:
We need to be more concerned about the impact of these acts on our society and nation as a whole. Least on how the west sees us.

Its a fact that hardly any country develops in this westernized world without some kind of acquiescence and support from the west. So how they see us if we truly want to develop is important. All you need for confirmation is to look at the so-called rogue states like North Korea compared to South Korea

Why would they want to render assistance to us when they know that the money will end up in the hands of pple like David Mark?

Osama10:
Useless and Lawless Senators.

If this country breaks on account of their lawlessness there will be no senate and they will be running for their lives.

saintchux:
What David Mark is doing is to buy more time for Joy Emordi. Joy left initially when the Appeal court nullified her election. But when she could not replace Dora Akunyili as a minister, then they went to interpretation of a ruling that I as a lay man understood very well.

I just pity this country, the more they do all this rubbish, the more western world look at us as fools and selfish.

Everybody understands that well except a certain NL doctor

otawa:
too late to cry.

what do you expect from Mr David Mark who said telephone is not for the masses.

This is one of the people that ruin NATEL and landline in Nigeria.

Nigerians will alway get the rulers they deserve when they dont speak-up.

David Mark is also one of the richest Nigerians by far even though he has lived off govt all his life

Sometimes I wonder if our indolence as a pple is b/c of our oil and the taxes we dont pay. If we didnt have oil and we have to depend on taxes alone to run govt, I believe things would have been different.

Kobojunkie:
I don't doubt that David Mark is probably stepping beyond his bounds here. I mean a lot of our so-called leaders do the same. What I am trying to understand is why - Why he would do so in this case.

Good question.

David Mark senate is a sham of a senate. No debate of issues goes on there. It is about obtaining and sharing money. What you get depends on your degree of loyalty to the leader. If you are seen as not being loyal, you are on your own. You will be hung out to dry. If on the other hand you are seen to show loyalty DM will go out of his way even risk imprisonment to prop you up.He is helping to consolidate his position among his peers at the same time. Which is why no amount of thievery or financial scandal in the senate can unseat him.

Kikinki:
if there is any observant anambrarian here,u all know that the senate is avoiding a bull in china shop!alphonsus obi igbeke,ubanesse 1 of anambra is a crook of the highest order.u can ask around.he is of the same feather as chris uba,emeka offor in destroying anambra state.

I know nothing abt this person's background but you dont fight ciminality with crime. Suffice it to say that almost all Nigerian politicians have skeleton in their cupboard

Dr Kitaun:
Pennywise

answer the question: isnt the SUPREME COURT higher than COURT OF APPEAL?

Why havent u dispelled the fact that Emordi has taken her case to the highest court in d land ?

Why do I get the feeling that you get a kick out of playing dumb. I believe you are definitely smarter than you present your self to be.

For the upteemth time it is an illegal means to keep on enjoying the perks of office even though she has been legitimately removed by a body authorized to do so. It is called abuse of court process. B/f the supreme court meets on the matter, Emordi would have served out her time.

You name them-Governors senators etc have been removed by the electoral appeal court. Where did the supreme court overturn a decision of an electoral appeal court under the operative (1999 constitution).

What Emordi and DM are doing constitute danger to democracy. It is A CHEAP tactic to evade court ruling and a contempt for the rule of law.

Dr Kitaun:
B4 u continue your rants, ask urself: would D Mark be right to swear Igbekere in ?
Common sense !

If I was dealing with someone with a bit of commonsense I would say like I did before that the electoral appeal court is the apex court for the determination of all electoral disputes. And there is a reason for that- And that is to prevent cases from dragging on forever. I dont suppose you understand the necessity for a quick adjudication in these matters.

The appeal court has spoken not once but twice yet a rascally senate president says no.

A few weeks ago DM gave his daughter out in a very lavish wedding. Joy Emordi was the one who physically presented the bride to the inlaws on behalf of DM. This was when Emordi disappeared from the senate for a few weeks after the first appeal court ruling. While this is going on she picks up N45m kpaje (constituency allowance) even though the rtful winner had appeared at the senate, and was denied entry by DM.

This is about gaining the trust of loyal senators. DM is saying he can break the law if you are loyal to him.

Kobojunkie:
@Poster, any idea where I can find the Senate Standing Rules? Why is David Mark setting himself over the court's decision in this case?

No standing rule of senate supercedes an electoral appeal court ruling. Igweke has certificate of return-the same document that allowed Emordi and DM into the senate chambers. The only person standing in the way of Igweke and the the Nigerian constitution is DM.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/5397-again-senate-refuses-to-swear-in-igbeke

Written by Ayodele Adesanmi
DESPITE Wednesday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu, the Senate refused to swear in Mr Alphonsus Igbeke of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), who was declared the winner of the April 2007 election for Anambra North Senatorial District, as it still recognised Senator Joy Emordi as the legal member.

The chairman of the five-man panel, which constituted the appellate court, Justice Sulaiman Galadima, had ordered the Senate President, Senator David Mark, and the Clerk of the Senate to swear in Igbeke as the senator representing Anambra North in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

The court also ordered that Igbeke should be allowed to sit in the Senate without any delay but for the second time, he was, on Thursday, disallowed from entering the Senate chamber even with the certificate of return duly issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Igbeke, told reporters that when he reported to the Senate Clerk for swearing-in, “he (Clerk) referred me to the Senate President which I believe is not the normal procedure.”

Senator Emordi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was sacked by the Appeal Court judgment on March 25, went to the same court contesting the nullification of her election, praying the court to set aside the judgment and look at the two judgments for the purposes of review “and interpretation to give effect to the meaning and intent.”

But Justice Galadima ruled that, “ there was no constitutional issue arising from the two judgments to warrant a reference to the Supreme Court to seek its opinion.”

Briefing Senate reporters on the matter, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Ayogu Eze, said Igbeke could not be sworn in because Emordi had appealed the appeal court’s judgment at the Supreme Court.

According to him, “Just for the avoidance of doubt, we have been given a notice that a case has been filed at the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Appeal Court .”

The Senate spokesman said in conformity with Order 53(5) of the Senate Standing Rules, Emodi would remain in the Senate because “When a matter is in court, Senate cannot take any action that could be prejudicial in the case before the court.”

The Senate circulated a notice of appeal filed by Emodi before the Supreme Court, dated May 13, wherein it stated that, “The Court of Appeal Enugu Division erred in law when it held that the appellant did not make out a constitutional case worthy of reference to the Supreme Court.”

You read things like this, you have no choice but to wonder-what kind of a country really is Nigeria? Right from the moment of swearing-in till the present day David Mark senate has been that of endless scandal. The fact that no one ever asks any question seem to have emboldened this Benue State retired soldier and politician.

No good news ever comes out of the Nigerian senate. They legislate only for their own comfort to the detriment of Nigerians. Their four year tenure ends next year, yet they cannot pick on a single item of useful legislation they have made to improve the life of the ordinary Nigerian. The freedom of information bill- a comprehensive piece of legislation that could have helped with the fight against corruption was thwarted by David Mark and his gang. They award themselves stupendous allowances the most absurd of which is "constituency allowance" - a whopping 45million naira quarterly that is unaudited untaxed free money. Which third world country ever develops like this This profligacy is unsustainable can only precede economic chaos.

Now David Mark senate has chosen to embark on another path aside from corruption and economic ruination-Wilful disobedience of court order and contempt for the rule of law. The very law that establishes the senate and allows David Mark to be its president. I am not a lawyer but the above gives more than a few grounds for DM to be committed to prison without further delay. This is a disgrace to all Nigerians. By the way the electoral appeal court in Nigeria is the final arbiter on all electoral disputes not the supreme court.

@Topic
Jonathan's capitulation to Governor's forum to appoint one of their own as VP can only mean one thing- a growing influence of this political block that has gone beyond party leadership and maybe even the presidency.

This is patently unhealthy because Nigerian Govs are the undisputed patrons of corruption. They eat and breath corruption. Govs forum is an illegal entity that should be proscribed. They seek to protect their interest at the expense of the state.

Namadi Sambo that has now been chosen by them will take the place of Aondoakaa in thwarting the fight against corruption. But the difference here is that rather than one former Gov, all present serving Govs will be protected through dubious legislation and direct interference.

Things just got worse for Nigeria. The free for all can continue. Jonathan should have been more decisive. No doubt his mind was with Nuhu Ribadu. But no Gov wanted Ribadu.

The handlers of this guy must be quite dumb. What the heck was he doing in Dubai? South America is where criminals go when they are wanted in Europe or US b/c of this extradition issue. That was exactly how his GF (Okonkwo) was picked up like chicken in Paris when she flouted bail in London.

The met police must be working overtime rt now. Fortunately for them they have a listening ear in the new govt. Besides Jonathan wont let him come back to naija so as not to 'heat-up the polity' like our politicians like to say.

Make interpol use aondoakaa put jara.

The guy is looking at a minimum 4yrs in British Jail. If Americans get hold of him, then all his hair go gray finish before we see am. The question again, why Dubai? I tot the guy has insight. Or was he tricked by the British the way Mossad tricked the palestinian terrorist into Dubai and had him murdered?

When I couldnt gain access I felt seun was at it gain. Banning me was not enough for my comments. He had to make sure I was blind to his website. In a way I was thankful for helping me kick a very bad habit. Unfortunately now NL is back.

At the very least 1 feuding former NL couple will be happier than most that almost 30 pages of raw grime on them has been consigned to the dust bin. (I hope none of them had sth to do with this)

foyeks2001:
not Busola but Bukola

Whatever. That family still owes me money from SGB days and I intend to sue very soon. Keep an eye on the papers.

Eminem is a dog. Mariah Carey simply 2 much.

mikeansy:
The people of Kwara, Kogi, benue, Plateau are also Northerners all be it on this occassion North Central Geopolitical Zone. They have a right to the Presidency of Nigeria like everyone else.

Bukola may not be picked surely because of his frosty relationship with Jonathan. Lets stop promoting this idea of some being true Northerners while others are not.

He maybe a northerner but he is still a Busola. There is no way Jonathan will give his critics in the north ammos to attack him. And 'Busola' is a very potent ammo. How many notherners know Nigeria geography by the way

Jarus:
I don't think Ribadu can do much as a VP. VP seems like a spare tyre position. If not presidency itself, I prefer to see him in EFCC again.

Ribadu can engr critical bills from the presidency in the fight against corruption. Right now the House of Assembly are holding Nigerians hostage in actively preventing these critical legislation against corruption, money laundering, bribery you name it they are all involved.

Somebody just called me now that Governor Bukola Saraki is warming up

Saraki and Ibori are buddies. Ibori and Jonathan non-buddies. So nothing for Saraki. He may proceed to have a good sleep after warming up.

Besides Saraki is not a core (true) northerner

Walert:
Nuhu should not be considered at this time. Politics is not only honesty and transparency but selfless service to the nation which encompasses all good attributes.

In what way has Ribadu been selfish?

Nuhu Ribadu. He has adequate mental bandwith, right mental attitude, he is a northerner, he is younger than Jonathan (I think), an insider with correct perspective in the war against corruption (Nigeria's dominant achilles heel), he has previously held a high public office and he is familiar with Nigerian bureaucracy with its imperfections.

Negative-He is a non PDP.

This is a sound and objective report on some of the many transgressions of prominent Nigerian public office holders and their collaborators.

It is a pity that 3years on, those indicted-Obasanjo, Atiku Abubakar, Hamisu Abubakar, Jallo and their collaborators Fashawe even Afe Babalola move around like its nothing. No attempt has been made to recover stolen money or have them sent to jail.

How can this country move forward?

This is modern Jihadism. This is politics (100%) without doubt