₦airaland Forum

A former military administrator of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar (retd.), on Monday asked the Federal Government to investigate the role played by President Olusegun Obasanjo in the privatisation programme. Umar said the investigation should be concluded in Obasanjo’s lifetime.

Umar who ruled Kaduna State between 1985 and 1988, in a statement in Kaduna, wondered why all the major initiatives embarked upon by the Obasanjo administration from 1999 to 2007 “have been such spectacular failures.”

He said, “Indeed not a few Nigerians are keen to know why all the major initiatives embarked upon during the eight years Chief Obasanjo ruled the country – privatisation, power sector reforms, alienation of Federal Government Properties, 2003 general elections, 2007 general elections, etc. – have been such spectacular failures.

“The Federal Government owes it to posterity to order for an investigation into these disasters immediately and not to wait a day longer. To wait until Chief Obasanjo might have died (as all of us will, some day) would expose it to charges of wickedness. When that happens, it would have no coherent defence.”

An ad hoc committee of the Senate is currently investigating the Federal Government’s privatisation programme from 1999 till date. Members of the committee at the weekend said they might invite Obasanjo to come and defend himself against allegations of interference in the programme levied against him by former heads of the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

A former Director-General of the BPE, Dr. Julius Bala, had alleged that the former president interfered in the sale of the Delta Steel Company by rejecting the bid won by BUA International, and promoting the bid of the Global Infrastructure Company.

One of the major discoveries of the investigation was that the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria, which was constructed with $3.2b, was sold in 2005 to Rusal for a paltry $250m. However, Bala, explained that the Presidency acted on the advice of the National Security Adviser.

The panel was also told that the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel to Global Steel was completely handled and negotiated by the Ministry of Steel Development, under the direction of the former President. A top official, who confirmed the development, then told the committee that it was a violation of the Privatisation Act. Also, Obasanjo’s name came up during the session on the sale of NICON Insurance to Global Fleet.

Another former DG of the BPE, Nasir El-Rufai, also said that government interference was a major problem for the privatisation exercise. He alleged that Obasanjo “practically blocked the sale of Nigeria Airways.” He also mentioned that the former President and former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar, made efforts to influence the privatisation process.
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ekt_bear:
Though it would have been pretty funny/sad if they'd have just let Yar'Adua die

I wonder if the Ghanaian would have mixed that into their song about why Nigeria isn't doing well

ndu_chucks:
Neither this thread is nor my post is about polio, in case you are too illiterate to read.  The focus is on your irresponsible governors who are illegally spending state funds. They have the ability to raise more than enough money to take care of Ikemba, but they'll rather steal from the people. I maintain that their acts are disgraceful and shameful.

If you want to open a thread about polio or any other topic, be my guest and I'll be glad to debate you. You are one of the enablers who contribute to the corruption of these thieving governors by turning a blind eye to blatant abuse. olodo.

kosoro:
Using state funds in this way is inappropriate. If they really revered him and wanted to help him, they should set up a, say, "Save Ojukwu fund", for donations from their private pockets. This is just inappropriate and it only sets a bad precedence.

ndu_chucks:
Ojukwu deserved to be helped through his illness by Ndigbo. However, I believe that Ojukwu himself would condemn the illegal uses of states fund on his behalf. The governors'  forum should raise funds by other means to fund  Ojukwu's medical expenses. It is disgraceful to spend money which could have been used to support health facilities which treat premature babies, to fund any government official's medical expense, let alone that of a private citizen.

These governors should be jointly sourcing for funds to build a first class regional medical center in the East in Ojukwu's name instead of this illegal use  of state funds. I[b]f these narrow minded governors had built these medical facilities, Ojukwu would not have gone in exile for a second time.[/b] The man deserves to spend his remaining days with the Igbo people who love him. Shame on all of una.  

Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, has said the South-west States would continue to enjoy Federal Government presence, despite the shortcoming of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections.
She also allayed fears that the zone would be marginalised.

The Minister, who stated this while speaking with newsmen shortly after she visited the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade , in his palace noted that: “Whatever is due to Osun State and South West in general shall be given by President Goodluck Jonathan''.

Toaskarity:
@freepeople ^^^^^ oh my brother, you deserve a keg of palm wine   thank you so much for that


@topic:this is a good idea but i would like the ordinary civilians who dies in the war(esp of hunger) also give honour to. i remember in my jss2 when i first read 'fugitive in biafra' i couldnt believe after those yrs poverty yet now igbos are this prosperous, even living far better than some who pass through nothing! we are really blessed and thank God for that! chukwu gozie ndi be anyi.

The South-east Governors’ Forum has declared support for the forthcoming Zonal Economic Summit which is expected to create a better business environment, equip, empower and enable the people to participate actively in the nation’s economic arena.

Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State, who received the Central Planning Committee of the Summit, led by its Chairman, Chief Chris Obiefuna in Awka, commended the Summit Group from taking such initiative.

He said: “The benefits of the Summit may not be obvious to the ordinary person but entrepreneurs and stakeholders in the South-east will have a new business horizon that will herald a better future for political economy of the zone.

He assured the cooperation and support of the five state governors of the zone to ensure that the economic summit was a success, considering its strategic importance to the business community in the zone. Governor Obi appealed to entrepreneurs and the entire business community in the zone to support the efforts and attend the summit, which would hold at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu betweent Thursday and Friday, September 1 and 2.

Earlier, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Chief Chris Obiefuna, noted that the summit was conceived to act as a catalyst for translating into reality the various ideas and ideals that had been conceptualized in earlier conferences and summits for the economic development of the zone.

He said the summit would also leverage on the institutional frame works and initiatives already developed by other economic sub-groups and interventionists organizations in the zone as well as called for concrete affirmation actions.
Obiefuna pointed out that the summit would also provide strategic platform for top state government officials in the zone to learn more about the various economic packages already developed for the economic transformation of the South-east political zone.
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The body, Southwest Regional Development Commission, will cover Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo States. The commission’s jurisdiction will also extend to Edo State because, being controlled by the ACN it falls under the old western region. It, however, excluded Delta state because it is currently being controlled by the PDP.

ekt_bear:
Well, the hope is that every region (or zone, I guess) will also come up with their own development commission. That way, everyone gets to rub ideas and figure out how to make their zone prosperous.

The South-east Governors’ Forum has declared support for the forthcoming Zonal Economic Summit which is expected to create a better business environment, equip, empower and enable the people to participate actively in the nation’s economic arena.

Director General (DG) of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Mr. Emeka Okereke, said the participants were drawn from a cross-section of top government officials, industrialists and entrepreneurs, bank directors, key stakeholders in the South East economy, Ndigbo in the Diaspora and friends of the South East people.

Ileke-IdI:

You think Ondo is like SE? Ondo never asked for anything in return.

playmode:
HAHAhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, I hope this not true because if it is,this guy is really silly.He has not even achieved any of repute in his state he is already campaigning to be president.I agree with the posters above.This okoro man dey kolo for real!

freepeople:
You are right. I haven't been to the war museum at Umuahia. I've noted it down in my diary as one of the place to visit before the year runs out.
I only made a suggestion, though it's ill-judged.
I commend the people behind this laudable project.

Indications have emerged that the North would support the proposed bill on a single tenure, if President Goodluck Jonathan was excluded from 2015 presidential race.

Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH showed that various groups in the North had been holding consultations over Jonathan’s proposed amendment.

Feelers from such consultations showed that the groups had tentatively agreed to support the bill, if it would not lead to an extension of Jonathan’s tenure.

It was gathered that the North would specifically request the inclusion of transitional clauses in the bill.

The president had in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Rueben Abati, said he would send a bill to the National Assembly, seeking the replacement of the current two-term tenure with a single tenure.

The PUNCH had reported that the Northern Political Leaders Forum was still awaiting the bill before taking any stand on it.

The NPLF leaders, including their Chairman, Mallam Adamu Ciroma and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said they would not jump into conclusion over the proposed bill.

The PUNCH had also reported that northern senators met over the proposed bill before they went on recess.

At the meeting, the senators were said to have expressed fear that there might be a hidden agenda in the bill.

According to them, it may be a ploy by the present administration to short-change the North.

But on Friday, fresh facts emerged that northern groups, including the NPLF and the National Assembly members had given a condition for supporting the bill.

A member of the NPLF, who spoke to one of our correspondents, said, “We are awaiting the bill. When it is ready, we will study it to ensure that there is no hidden agenda.

“We will also be on the lookout for loopholes that the president can exploit to extend his tenure. You will recall that he has said that he would not contest in 2015. We do not want him to violate his promise under the guise of an amendment.”

He added, “The support of the North will depend on what its transitional clauses say. If the clauses exclude Jonathan from contesting in 2015, we will support it. If he is going to contest, we will ensure that the bill is thrown out by the National Assembly.”

The Arewa Consultative Forum also told SUNDAY PUNCH that it believed Jonathan would not contest in 2015.
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LogicPower:
I may be wrong, but I think the idea that the Hausa-Fulanis would vote for a Yoruba man as president in 2015 simply because one of them is the VP seems a bit far-fetched. For one, the rejection of Buhari (and even Ribadu) by the SW in the last election might have left so much sour taste in the core North that majority of them would gleefully see the nomination of a Yoruba man (by any party) as presenting a good opportunity for them to 'pay back'.

After all, the sophisticated Yorubas must have taught the Hausas (and others) that for some strategic considerations, you can reject a ticket (or even two) that has one of your kinsmen as a VP (CPC and ACN tickets) and vote for one that does not have your kinsmen at all (PDP ticket).

Another apparent obstacle for Fashola, or any Yoruba candidate for that matter, regardless of how qualified he might be, is the fact that many people across the other regions might feel that it is too soon for another Yoruba man to be president - after those eight loooong years of OBJ.

Reggie2:
I agree that posting this topic here will not do any good because, some nit wits who know little or nothing about the Biafran war and, who care less about Ohaneze's mass burial, will spit on it. Ndigbo who understand the significance of this initiative will not like illiterates though entitled to their own opinion, to whip up unnecessary anger. Having said this, I commend those who remembered to bury and honour the dead. Whether the rest of the country likes to hear it or not, gallant Biafran soldiers who fought to defend the igbo population did not die in vain!!!  The Israelites did it after the holocaust, the Americans and all other nations honour unknown soldiers. Ndigbo have a right to bury and honour their heroes.

stormm:
Governor Okorocha also disclosed to the traditional rulers that his administration has begun investigation to unravel those behind a hidden account tagged Traditional Institution Account operated since 12 years where a whooping sum of 567 million belonging to the state was stashed away.

According to the governor, the fund [b]had been used to procure 100 security vans and gadgets for the operations of Imo Rescue Security Outfit.[/b]

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/why-ilomuanya-was-removed-okorocha/

Commissioner says;
Why the gaps?

Reference:
Yes, but the main issue that besets this country is structural. You cannot have any sort of development without structural adjustments that enshrines equality for all sections of the country. As long as government remains the biggest boy in the class, politics remains important and as such political office holders especially at the very top. That is not ideal but its true. So as I have always said there are two parts of the country, the government and the people. The people have to create their own destiny. The government has to ensure we are alive to see it.

For your choice leader to be effective in delivering the utopia we all desire he needs the full co-operation of all Nigerians involved whether they be issues of good governance, anti corruption, creating institutions and economic enterprise we all have to pull together but if you have certain sections of the country feeling alienated on account of not having tasted real power it will be like putting on an airconditioner and opening the windows, little effect. Let me be practical here.

If we say we want total and absolute anti-corruption then you must exclude the Niger-Delta. Why, because they have seen resources being dragged from under their feet and corruptly manipulated by peoples of other geo-zones both for personal and sectional development at their expense. They feel its their time now. So how can you argue that. after chopping their resources suddenly you want to preach prudence to them. No way.

2. Do we realistically expect for instance an Igbo man to lay down life and limb in any venture or theatre for this country Nigeria when the issues that led to the civil war have not been addressed and forty years later people are still being killed in certain sections of the country. This is why the Igbo man excels in his business and his business alone. Nigeria should not expect anything from them. You cannot reap from the Ndigbo what you have not sown in justice both legal and social. There are so many examples in the middle-belt, west and other places. That is why the forces that seek to split this country are far stronger than those that seek its unity. Even if our GDP rises to that of Switzerland there will still be discontentment. Money does not cover everything you know.

I could remember the 2000 Olympics and what happened to that lady Aborigine gold medal winner and all the furore that incident caused both in Australia and her amongst her natives. There you are winning things for a country that marginalizes your people. It doesn't work.

I tell you a lot of things will naturally fall in place when and if there is equality in Nigeria, proper social justice where no appointment is a given and no section is viewed as the political mule that pulls the plough. So glad things are changing and serious political equations are being calculated. A decade ago it would be a dead rubber. North versus South and north means hausa-fulani while south will be a scramble for crumbs going to the dog that barks louder. This is exactly why I personally preferred the candidature of GEJ to Buhari not that the latter is not qualified but the fact that nothing meaningful will change. Just sideways movement. He alone cannot possible change Nigeria. He needs the active co-operation of all sections. All parts of the Nigerian engine need to be firing to be able to tackle our grave situation. The ND has got it. In five or ten years time there will be no excuse coming from that section as to why it is not co-operating. The yoruba have had it and that's why they seek to better the nation through co-operation with others. Are they selfishly seeking the presidency in the short term, no. That is the benefit.

You tell me to come sacrifice to right this country when I have not benefited anything from it. I say a big no. Let the debate continue. The country is slowly changing.

Onlytruth:
Posted by: dem_people
I believe that there is a very thin line between "social welfare" and politics proper. I hate talk bodies where folks simply go to talk, drink palm wine and go home. We've had that all through these years.
Ohanaeze is on the right path. It is involved in the socio-politico-cultural emancipation of Igboland.
Enough of splitting hairs. We have too many Igbo political bodies and all they do is divide us into infinitesimal parts, hence impotent whole.

@topic,

GREAT initiative by Ohanaeze and Uwazurike.

ekt_bear:
Igbo 2015 probably isn't happening.

X-factoria:
ACN's best bet is to present a northerner from the middle belt say from Benue, Plateau, Kogi or Kwara and get a VP from the South East.

OHANEZE Ndigbo has set aside October 7 and 8, 2011 for reburial of all Biafran soldiers of Delta State origin who died in the Nigerian Civil War.

This, according to Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, a member of the Reburial/War Heroes Memorial Committee, is prelude to the more elaborate arrangement already slated for January 12 to 14, 2012 at Okwe, Okigwe in Imo State at the five thousand hectares of land where tablets/monuments would be unveiled in memory of all Igbo who were killed in the war.

The reburial plan is part of efforts at spiritual healing and cleansing of Igboland from its contemporary social woes and retardation which are believed took a more noticeable turn since the civil war.

The memorial site was donated by the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike.

“Besides, the burial committee has also mapped out and sent emissaries to all Igbo linkages in the diaspora, especially those taken as refugees during the war to Gabon, Ivory Coast and other places, to recover and re-establish contacts and brotherly relationship with them. It is aimed at re-inventing the hunger and initiate the process for their safe and easy passage and eventual return to their fatherland,” for those willing, Ezeonwuka said.

They also have plans to extend the consciousness to all the ex-slaves shipped away to parts of the world from Igboland.

According to Ezeonwuka, owner of the Rojenny Tourist and Games Village in Oba, Idemili South council of Anambra State, no business or social activity would hold in any community or part of Igboland other than those lined up or associated with the formal burial of all the wartime dead.

An all night interdenominational memorial vigil and special prayers for the peaceful repose of souls of all those who died in the war would be held simultaneously in all communities on January 12, while the reburial proper comes up the next day.

dayokanu:
You know the governors of Ondo and Lagos were NRC? I think even Rivers Rufus Ada George was NRC

Additionally, [b]voting patterns in the south-west were solidly ethnic [/b]as the overwhelming majority of votes cast were for Abiola. In the south-west mainly Yoruba states of Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo, Abiola scored crushing victories, and received over 80% of the votes in each of those states. He also received over 85% of the votes in Lagos state.

alj_harem:
OK that aside. abiola is died now

Would u prefer an igbo president or a Nigerian president ?