₦airaland Forum

Kobojunkie: What you are doing is LYING like many of those before you have tried.

a) The President went on National TV to tell the Nation that he has not declared his asset. He even told the Nation that he was against it even in 2007, and that it is against his principles

b) Couple of house later, some of his minions here on Nairaland started spreading stories that he has infact declared his asset back in 2011. The claim was that he declared it in 2011, right before he was sworn in and the CCB blamed the National Assembly for the information not being released.

c) Now here you are with your own VERSION saying that it was not in 2011 that he in fact declared this asset that he says he did not declare. You claim that it was in 2010 that he declared his assets, and you are now Twisting what the law clearly says there to tell us that his current term really began back in 2010.

All 3 versions of this story cannot be true, and I am sure you know that.

You can't possibly be this dumb.

He was against publicly declaring his assets in 2007 as VP under Yar'Adua but eventually had to go along with Yar'Adua and do so anyway.

He is still against it now. That is what he was saying.

They asked him about declaring his assets and he knew what was actually being asked - publishing information on his assets - and he said he was against it.

All this stuff you're saying now is nonsense that has nothing to do with anything I've written because he did in fact declare his assets to the CCB in May of 2010. How could he have declared his assets to the CCB only in 2011 instead of 2010 as well when he was president since 2010?

And he declared them again in May of 2011:

'EMMANUEL ONANI AND ROTIMI FADEYI 11/06/2011 02:03:00\

Even with the recently passed Freedom of Information Act, the Code of Conduct Bureau is still refusing to release details in the Asset Declaration Form of President Goodluck Jonathan. Following Saturday Mirror’s enquiry, the CCB yesterday, only disclosed that President Jonathan declared his assets one week before his inauguration on May 29 in line with the law establishing the bureau.

The law requires public office holders to declare their assets and liabilities before assuming office and at the end of their tenure. A highly placed source in the CCB, who craved anonymity said, “A week before the President was sworn-in, two of his aides came here twice to make enquiries on the procedure required to declare his assets. He took enough time to fill the forms and returned same before swearing-in.”'

Source: http://nationalmirroronline.net/news/13981.htm

Cut the crap and accept you were wrong. I gave you dates, and I told you what the constitution actually says and you don't have a leg to stand on so just move on. You had problems of interpretation but that happens to all of us from time to time, even those of us who are "eminent" Ghanaian professors.

[edited, added a contemporary newspaper report showing that GEJ declared his assets in 2011, not just 2010]

chindi: Kobojunkie, I must commend u on ur posts, its quite impressive. You are a voice 2 many voiceless Nigerians out there.
As 4 those ardent supporters of the Gej's admin, u shudn't waste ur effort replying them. I wonder how much they are being paid or things they benefit frm d present admin in exchange 4 their souls. No peace 4 d wicked o, dis present admin is a thorn in d flesh of many Nigerians. May God help us all nd deliver us frm non-challant leaderz!

I'm not a GEJ supporter

In this particular instance I came back to this thread only to rip apart Kobo's silly comment on my post.

Kobo fiend

What I am stating, is that like the "eminent" Ghanaian professor, you seem not to understand that the person interviewing GEJ was asking him about declaring his assets publicly (not to the CCB) which is not relevant to the constitution at the current time - since the constitution doesn't care about whether one does or does not declare one's assets publicly.

You two are having problems of interpretation which GEJ did not have at the time, which is why you are conflating different things.

Kobo addict,

GEJ declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau on May 26, 2010. What you are referring to is GEJ's opposition to publishing his assets while VP under Yar'Adua (which he eventually did anyway).


That's all. Fin.


Goodbye.

[edited, 26th, not 27th]

Kobojunkie: CORRECTION, he has been sworn-in as President TWICE, and that means He has failed on both requirements. His 2010 swearing in ended in 2009 when he was sworn-in again. Note the stipulation is that it be done BEFORE every swearing in and after each term.

So people OPEN YOUR EYES to what your constitution says.

Kobo kobo kobo, I'm disappointed. You usually seem good at picking little holes wherever you can and building mountains out of small details but in this case you're just wrong.

This is what the constitution actually says:

"140. (1) A person elected to the office of President shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he has declared his assets and liabilities as prescribed in this Constitution and he has taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution.

(2) The oaths aforesaid shall be administered by the Chief Justice of Nigeria or the person for the time being appointed to exercise the functions of that office. "



Now how does one "declare his assets and liabilities as prescribed in this Constitution"?


In this manner:


"Declaration of assets

11.

- (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, every public officer shall within three months after the coming into force of this Code of Conduct or immediately after taking office and thereafter -

(a) at the end of every four years; and

(b) at the end of his term of office, submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau a written declaration of all his properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his unmarried children under the age of eighteen years."


And the meaning of this?

Assets are declared

a) within 3 months of taking office or "immediately" after (not before) taking office

and

b) 4 years after taking office

and

c) after leaving office

GEJ declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau in May 2010 after becoming president in February of 2010 and has not left office since then. Maybe you'll have a case four years from when he took office or when GEJ leaves office, but until then, you're just blowing hot air on this particular issue like the Ghanaian professor was.

I know this is not too difficult to understand, Kobo.

Please try and open your own eyes next time.

rhymz: Oga google is your friend, go make your research before typing ignorance in stupifying confidence.
After Umaru quench, Jonathan and his Deputy Sambo were reported to have submitted their asset declaration form on may 27, 2010 to CCB as the constitution demanded.
If the leadership of CCB refuses to make the content of the forms public, how is that Mr President's fault?
Mind you, the CCB has already pointed out some difficult legal technicalities of the law to defend its stance on the refusal to make it public. For starters, the Bureau according to the constitution is not bound by stipulations of the FOI acts.
Also, the FOI act is even weak an instrument for use to force the bureau to release the contents of the forms cos the act contains up to 10 paragraphs and many clauses that exempt access to certain kind of information that it is almost useless to its importance.
So before you write your argument be sure to do a little background check on what is it you are blabbing about, instead of blabbing in confidence of a dunce.

A whole professor from Ghana couldn't use Google either apparently so it's a waste of time expecting such from nairalanders.

Bush was in the US when 911 happened. Not going on a foreign trip. He was reading to schoolchildren. I don't know why people are just conjuring up all sorts of bullsh1t that has no correspondence with reality.

chucky234: Can't stop laughing with this your crappy post,GEJ declared asset to Code of Conduct Bureau and how does translate to democracy.
GEJ is to declare asset to Nigerian (the people) because that's what is required of a president in a democtatic dispensation since democracy is government for the people by the people.
The asset declared by Ya'radua was published for all to see and not kept secret by non existing Code of Conduct Burea,things are not working and we
should be courageos enough to put sentinment aside and call our leaders to order.

This is hilarious.

Wikileaks already exposed Yar'Adua's administration as definitely corrupt and you're here trying to praise his publication of his assets. This man did not take corruption seriously any more than GEJ and you think his publication of his assets is some great feat. Did everyone else in Yar'Adua's administration declare their assets? Or do you think it's only the president that can steal? Total crap from people with crap brains. Every official in Nigeria should publish their assets at all levels of government in an independent newspaper of record or some other independent publication that can be looked at when they later leave office to determine what changed in their finances and if it's reasonable, but the dogs and baboons calling for GEJ's head over this but not for those of every other official in government seem to have somehow forgotten the legion of potential thieves lurking in all corners. It's even funny that the king of thieves, OBJ, has never been viciously attacked by Nigerians for never publishing his assets back when he was governing or at any time ever.

And unless you have difficulty comprehending simple English I said that GEJ should cave in on this issue and publish his assets just to shut up the masses who somehow seem to believe that his publication of his assets will change anything.

I'm done with this topic. I've said what I needed to say. I expect that others will descend on my posts in this thread searching for what to pick at but when it comes down to it, it's not worth dragging things out.

texazzpete: Hmm
Between an internationally respected Professor of repute and you, I think we know who most people would pick as the dumbass, to be honest.

Picking just ONE point to post this epistle is not worthy of the intelligence most people here used to associate with you. Have you been compromised too, that you readily abdicate common sense?

You make assumptions that are not guaranteed to be factual. Even more bizarre is your insistence that GEJ has declared his assets - even when the man himself admits he has not done so and will not do so. Strange.

Texazzpete,

I know you're fond of delivering insults to other posters when making your points , so I'll just overlook that as a character flaw and hope you improve in the future rather than lashing back in a similar manner.

It's funny that you claimed I "posted an epistle". Common sense would indicate that most of my post was a quotation of a news article. I included it in it's entirety to provide context, not just to make a long post.

All I'll say to you is that your last few sentences in this post give you away as somebody who - like the clueless professor of political criticism who made his name doing nothing but criticizing - sometimes can't be bothered to verify your "facts". GEJ declared his assets as president of Nigeria in 2010. End of.

hercules07: I am not infatuated with Ribadu, infact, I voted Buhari not him though I have sympathies for ACN, the president is meant to inspire confidence and to give hope, if driving into Maiduguri was the only choice, then he should have done it, I expect my President to lead from the front and to show BH that he is not deterred by their craziness, heck, world leaders visit war zones, why can GEJ not do the same in Maiduguri. The Prof. should not have called him of unsound mind, but, all other criticisms are justified, no sensible world leader will give that kind of media chat and expect to be taken seriously.

Let's assume that GEJ arrived in Borno after driving 525 miles for 10 hours (actually it would take longer, with breaks and stops being necessary) with a large security detail.

What then? What would he do? His merely going there would boost your confidence that Boko Haram is being dealt with?

I'm sorry but all of this sounds like nonsense to me. The funny thing here is that you don't really have a valid point because GEJ was operating under the same sentimental thinking you are in wanting to go there to show he was serious and he actually planned on going there but he wanted to take the safest and most sensible route in and out. Since the degree to which he should look out for his own personal safety is determined by himself and his security chiefs and not others I don't see how his not going there simply because he couldn't do it in the way believed to be optimal for his security is a valid reason to attack him. It just doesn't make sense any way I look at it.

hercules07: Have you become a GEJ apologist? You are saying your President can not drive into a city? He can not fly in by Helicopter? Do you not find it crazy that airports are being closed for repairs, a whole airport o, not even runways. You said GEJ was the best that could be elected as at the time of elections, what of the other candidates? GEJ was the dullest, lets leave Buhari out of it, what of Ribadu? I have followed your posts on Nairaland and though I often do not agree with your sentiments, you have always given sound reasons for your opinion, but, on this one, I am dissappointed.

What exactly is this infatuation with Nuhu Ribadu that some people have? Because he was OBJ's attack dog?

You know very well that I rarely intervene in the legion of back and forths between Beaf and his camp and oyb, dayokanu, Gbawe and their camp on GEJ, but I just can't stand such dumb criticism and that is why I jumped in here. Otherwise, I am one of those who has been sufficiently disappointed with some of GEJ's choices that I rarely bother to discuss him any more - even on the politics section.

Please tell me, why would GEJ drive into Maiduguri? What would be the purpose of going there? And if he were to go there, why would he take the least safe route to get there (driving from Abuja to Maiduguri) and drive 525 miles (a 10 hour trip) from Abuja to Maiduguri?

I don't know the specifics of why Maiduguri airport was closed but it is a fact that it was closed for repairs and no airports should be used until deemed safe by authorities with more expertise on airports that you and I. Or are you suggesting there was some conspiracy to make the airport unusable exactly around the time Boko Haram was going wild in the state?

bayooooooo: If indeed he has declared, all criticisms amount to zero as he is not required under any law to make such declaration public. (But corruption in Nigeria requires extraordinary measures and as such a president making a public declaration of assets sends a positive moral message on corruption).

I agree and I said the same thing in my first post in the thread before this one that you quoted.

Apart from apparent insults as relate to sanity of mind of GEJ, substantially, Professor George Ayittey criticism is in order. GEJ responses to a lot of questions were far below expectations.

Trust me, between the two of them, Ayittey may be the one needing a mental checkup. He had no valid criticism other than the Unilag issue. Everything else was more or less garbage from somebody too lazy to dig extensively for as many facts as possible before criticizing wildly from the comfort of an armchair.

I'm sorry but this Professor is just a dullard dressed up in fancy clothing.

He actually suggested that GEJ should drive into Borno state (to do WHAT?!) because terror attacks were going on there, rather than conferring with state officials and security advisers and officials at a safer place. I don't see the value whatsoever of going in there, but apparently GEJ actually thinks his presence there will show he is serious (or whatever other misguided and sentimental reason would motivate going in there) about tackling Boko Haram so he was actually considering going there.

The professor then asked why the Maiduguri airport was not functioning at the time.

Let's backtrack to September of 2011. This is one story about the Maiduguri airport from that time:

"The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has assured that the Maiduguri airport, which was shut down for renovation some months back, is ready for use during this year's hajj operation.

The NCAA disclosed this yesterday when the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, visited the airport to assess the progress of work.

NCAA director in the state, Alhaji Haruna Lawal who conducted the governor round the facilities, said the airport was actually ready for use, and that the management was only waiting for approval from the NCAA authorities and aviation officials who were expected to inspect the renovation before the airport was officially re-opened

He, however, noted the airport would need a 25 KVA generator to power the radar facilities and assured the governor that the painting of the runway would take only few days to complete.

Operations at the airport were suspended late June following cracks on the runway.

He disclosed that the maiden airlift of intending pilgrims for the 2011 Hajj exercise was scheduled for the first week of October.

Kashim, in his response, announced the donation of a 27 KVA generator and N1 million for diesel. He also directed the state fire service to release an operational vehicle manned by its personnel to the airport to boost safety readiness.

The governor also asked the ministry of works to release five tractors for the clearing of the airport even as he directed the commissioner in the ministry to commence the clearing of the hajj camp in Maiduguri in preparation for the October airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia."

http://allafrica.com/stories/201109140160.html

Note the parts in bold. The airport "not functioning" (as GEJ put it) is a clear indication that it's being closed for repairs at the time he was referring to, NOT an admission or claim that the airport is completely broken down and unable to be used. I don't know if it was in 2011 when GEJ was considering going to Borno or in the last few months, but obviously that airport has issues and needs to be fixed and inspected before anybody uses it. How hard is it to try and actually think about what is being said instead of rushing foolishly to criticize in an effort to look smart? Is GEJ supposed to use a CLOSED airport that's being repaired?

Ghanaians are fine, foreign criticism is fine, criticism in general is useful, but i don't like pretentious dumbasses.

Bayoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,

Please recheck your facts.

GEJ became president in February of 2010.

It was published in newspapers (that often run stories critical of him) by September of 2010 that he complied with the constitution and had declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau. This means that sometime between February and September of 2010 he had declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau in accordance with the constitution which requires assets declaration upon assumption of office.

The best anyone could claim is that maybe he was late in not declaring them within 3 months but I'm not sure this could actually be proven as the people who would have the details of when exactly it was declared would have to be tracked down directly and questioned.

This prof is basically a loudmouth with no real focus in life other than political criticism and commentary. The first clue was his casual dismissal of the beginning of significant agricultural reforms under Dr. Adesina (GEJ's agriculture minister) and his assertion that GEJ should have traveled with a motorcade directly into Borno to do god knows what exactly rather than conferring with the officials of the state government of Borno at another place merely because GEJ is the president and the place is being bombed by terrorists.

So was that thieving buffoon OBJ and his legion of stooges and fellow thieves somehow competent? Yet they named a road after him in Ghana.

Or Yar'Adua, who was slow moving, and corrupt, and unwilling to relinquish power, leaving the country basically without a working government?

Where was this professor then?

There was certainly no better candidate with an actual chance of winning when GEJ actually stood for election.

And please nobody should even dare to mention Buhari, the nepotistic delusional best buddy of Abacha who thinks Abacha never stole and who incited his foot soldiers to slaughter innocent people after being out-rigged.

I'm not a fan of GEJ but geez, the torrent of crap aimed at him doesn't make much sense.

The only point this professor could make is the UNILAG renaming. The rest was conjecture and mudslinging.

On the declaration of assets, GEJ declared his assets 5 times by 2007 and also declared them in 2010 after becoming president..

What GEJ said was that printing what he declared on the pages of newspapers affects nothing - which is true. I wonder how a Ph.D holder and an intellectual like Ayittey can claim that GEJ is not following the constitution when Nigeria's laws do not currently require any official's assets declarations to be made public. This professor seems to have been confused by the word "declare". GEJ declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2010 when he became president - he just refuses to cave in to the demand to declare it in newspapers. Why? He thinks it will have no effect on anything (it won't) and obviously sees the issue as petty compared to bigger issues like the Boko boys up north.

I think GEJ should be the bigger man and cave in to the demands of the masses here and just print it in a damn newspaper already and even push for an amendment to the constitution making all office holders in all areas of government have to publish their assets openly in independent, non-governmental publications. Goodluck would win some goodwill by doing that, but I doubt he has the stones for it.

Well different areas had different belief systems - some were actually a bit tame as far as sacrifices and other ugly practices.

I think you'd first need to list the different belief systems among different groups, their main components and characteristics, their pros and cons, their adaptability and possible relevance to the modern day, what wisdom there was in them, what very faulty ideas they contained, and what ideas would be hard to accept as even a little plausible in modern times. Since there are a lot of different African religions and many seem quite involved, you might want to focus on a small number (at first anyway).

Also foreign religions are different. If someone had colonized us and spread some form of Buddhism among us instead of the two main religions prevalent in Africa today, it would probably be hard to argue that - for many groups of Africans - some sort of improvement wouldn't have occurred in some way.

As for the Abrahamic religions, apart from some of the decent wisdom and moral advice contained in them, they're basically myth mixed with history and philosophy to me and they impose a distorted worldview on both those who are at the core of those religions and those who are on the periphery (such as converts and descendants of recent converts). Also, why blindly follow Semitic/Middle Eastern philosophy/myth instead of developing one's own or continuing where one's ancestors left off?

But of course if people are told that they're condemned to hell if they don't follow those religions, then there's not much one can do to prevent the spread of these religions and their replacement of the old belief systems. I'm not sure whether there were any African religions that threatened hellfire if certain deities weren't followed and obeyed. Nobody wants their friends, family and (good) neighbors to go to hell so once one person is a believer of an Abrahamic religion (although I think there is no hell in Judaism, but there is paradise which only the 'righteous' can experience), many others will soon be believers. I don't think people will revert back to the old belief systems - even if they were updated to fit modern times - in significant numbers unless a drastic break with the outside world somehow occurs.