₦airaland Forum

The damage has been done. This will be a serious lesson to people who speak about public affairs without caution particularly when it gravitates around the issues bedeviling this nation. If he can fall into these traps so easily then he becomes a victim of his advocacy - the free press that has given him expression and so much exposure is a double edged sword. He should flee from his high handed utopian views to work for equity and justice from the centre because he has just been found out as no more than one of us.

ikechukwu354:
I think this states should stop relying on FG every time, they should start building up companies, farms and other things that will generate fund, they can even tell international companies to come in, seens this will bring Job Opportunity, tax paid by the people will generate funds, as you can see with this system they have killed two birds with one stone... I know its not easy but I mean something has to be done...

Somebody is thinking here but you see when you are trapped in the allocation merry-go-round rational thinking and inspiration vanishes. The same spirit that makes beggars dullards pervades Nigerian leadership. Free money is a curse. This country's structure is defective. How can the price of just 1 commodity cripple the lives of 150 million people.

Back to the response: Though I hate government dabbling into business nothing stops it from owning equity or receiving royalty. Nothing stops it from doing joint ventures or licensing. As a matter of fact if I was governor I will not only ramp up tax revenue but seek to make laws to trade debt for equity in any organisation defaulting. In a nutshell as in this case if you fail to pay your taxes government will simply send you a sheaf of salary vouchers of teachers or road sweepers for payment that month. Afterall that is what the taxes were meant for anyway.

ibietela2:
Is it that all the 36 States don't generate revenue? Y depend on oil? Is there no minerals?

Yeas. We hap flenty, flenty minerals. We hap Danta Kola, Koka Kola, Fepsi and Sifirite....

Of course. Corruption is what someone else is doing or has done. Pity. Corruption has no end in this country.

sinizia:
There's nothing "unoriginal" about the dumb, pathetic, insulting and tribalistic BS he said about the Igbos. He said those words, Havard website just decided to post the parts of his speech they deemed important for them. This ain't the "full text" of his speech.

His insults on my tribe was totally unnecessary and bigotic. And it hurt me and my fellow Igbos that campaigned endlessly for Buhari to win. I guess the tribalistic nature of him has finally been laid bare. If i knew supporting APC as an Igbo was because of money and my stomach, which wasn't true, i wouldn't have wasted my time supporting a cause where they see my tribe as an outcast.


This country is a sick joke. 4 times Buhari contested, 4 times majority of the North voted him. The sick and depraved mind of Soyinka never insulted the Hausa-Fulanis. When the Igbos voted Obasanjo twice, were we voting for our stomach too? The SS and SE voted for Jonathan, while the majority of the entire North and SW voted for Buhari. Yet he chose only the SE to pour his senility on. Maybe he wanted a case where everyone will vote APC, which leads me to ask; "what's the need of an opposition if everyone votes for one party?" I revere this man so much so i won't be insulting the entire Yorubas because of one man's hatred. When Oba Akiolu wished my tribe death, i never insulted the Yorubas, so Soyinka won't make me do such. I've met and befriended many Yorubas and they all accommodated me, loved me and never hated me. So i won't judge all of them with one man's senility. But as i type this, i regret championing the cause of APC, it's clear everything in this country is down to tribal bigotry. What a cursed country.

You're right in many ways. Shame on him. We know that at the heart of every Nigerian is hard-wired racism but there are certain levels you get that interests and other realities should override these. Sadly not in his case. Shows how far we are from salvation in this country. Glad he said not in his lifetime because his generation sowed and nutured the seeds of this mess. Pity.

It is the people that make governments work or not. The degree to which people have and will change is the degree to which Nigeria will change. There is no magic elsewhere. It is a game of numbers. So the man is right from his perspective based on what he observes and 'change' agents are right from their perspective based on their conviction and faith.

Whether we like it or not the best coaches in the world looking to win the biggest trophies will not sign up to lead Millwall (with all due respect) because the resources are not just there - players, finance, administration. The club will have to provide these qualities and match the coach's ambition for them to even consider dreaming. What qualities do the average Nigerian bring to this country to make him or her even consider dreaming of a better country even if Buhari was Pep Guardiola. I think we should look at that first. How good is package Nigeria.

Real should go through. The Estadio Santiago is no play ground for visitors.

Rose2014:
And if that's the case, Why must it be NE n NC? What happens to SS n SE?

The S.E. & S.S. did not vote APC. They should not expect leadership positions in an opposing government. That is ridiculous. What should be changed is the constitution that 'spreads' power making for entrenched corruption.

mrmetoo1:
He can't buy it. I'm not sure he's ready for the public scrutiny that'll follow. The world will get in on Dangote's dealings not only for accountability but also racism. A cub with a rich English history all of a sudden taken over by an African. The questions, the ridicule will be bad PR for arsenal. All those "how did he become so rich in a nation with so many poor people?" "He's extorting his people, why are cement prices so high over there" "he has used his connections in government to get away with unscrupulous practices" "if he has that much money how come he's not using it to help his country people" etc. Dangote will spend more time defending himself than anything else. They'll find every way to justify it not happening without necessarily saying "we won't let an African own arsenal"

Any chance of that happening, we really need to clean the image of Nigeria. Nigeria has to be seen as a prosperous nation.

Wake up. Socialism doesn't work. I can read your thoughts because of free enterprise. Your phone, your network and yes Dangote cement used in building the base stations..

GenBuhari:
[size=15pt][b]Fuel scarcity is political!

In other words it is deliberately made scarce as a way of extorting extra money from general population.

This proves that there is adequate fuel in the country.

When a govt is serious about solving a fuel scarcity crisis that is threatening to grind the country to a halt it would put it as a high priority and announce emergency measures to get fuel supply raised.

I may have missed but I am quite sure that the government has done nothing at all.

All GEJ needs to do is order fuel marketers or those hanging on to the fuel to release the fuel to filling stations with immediate effect or lose their license and face arrest and jail sentence.

Who created the oil marketers? PDP govt of Thief Obasanjo .

The same PDP are telling us that they are held to ransom by the fuel marketers.

It is political and corruption - nothing more!

Imagine if the company servicing all of Aso Rock's vehicles refuses to return any of the vehicles, do you think govt would do nothing and only be complaining that it has been held to ransom?

Abeg this pure nonsense!

America and her allies are the beneficiaries of the $ 800 Billion looted from Nigeria since 1999.
Can you see now why America despite public statements to the contrary, does not want a competent APC administration that cut of our money flowing to them.

May the gods protect our President Elect and wreck all evil plots against him and his incoming govt.
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Very simplistic. You cannot decree enterprise. Government has no refineries (at home or abroad). It has no ships, it has a few licensed gas stations and trucks. It has only part of the money to buy fuel per time. It is a minority stakeholder in this business. Its leverage is minimal and that's the way it should be. When your airtime is gone your phone becomes an ordinary but expensive calculator, organiser or gameboy. It is the continuous funding matching consumption that keeps enterprise alive, nothing more.

We the public do not buy gas on credit at filling stations. We pay cash. The government that promises to bridge the gap is the cause of the scarcity so the solution is simple. Remove government from the equation by removing subsidy. But what we are saying now is let us change government and see whether it is a better businessman. Is there such a thing.

Onajevwe:
Buhari is free to receive treatment anywhere he wishes to. Our health system is in shambles, for 16 years it has been in a state of decay. Reviving the Sector will take some time and till then Buhari is at Liberty to go for treatment wherever he wishes. However I'd suggest that any Overseas treatment he goes for should be self-sponsored.

LP should know that building a strong opposition isn't just about making empty speeches. They should register for Lai's boot camp course on Basics of Opposition Politics (BOP 101)

But you already have a doctorate in hypocritic studies. Ask your Lai what he has said about overseas medical trips by the past PDP led government. Just don't go there or be parking the bus till 2019. You guys cannot be shifting the posts at will. That's gamesmanship...tut,tut.

A thread that should inspire is infested with racial piglets squealing slurs in delight. Shame on you all.

Consistency in service delivery, operating outside your comfort zone, spirit of excellence, rising to technical challenges, customer satisfaction, loyalty, respect, etc, values to gain in this story, that is lost on most Nigerian businessmen, professionals and enterprises. Unfortunately the devil that will not let this country move forward is tying most in their pet sins to see the light and inspiration. Pity.

edogirl2:
The only answer to this is for the SS and SE to work with the SW. Before people rain curses , they should know the following:


1. Without working with the SW, the SS in particular is doomed to receiving just crumbs from Northern Presidents

2. The hatred some Southern people have for the SW is misplaced and totally unjustified. What exactly has the SW ever done against the SS?

3. I live in Lagos, and even in the SW state where my sister is (not Lagos), all the radio or TV stations have SS and Igbos presenters, some even reading Yoruba news! Their civil service nko? Yorubas are very tolerant and will accommodate & propagate our long term political interest far better than a core Northerner. But people just don't want to accept it becos of some tale their uncles told them about Awolowo during the war.

So, Awolowo of 1970 = SW of 2015?


We need to approach issues with our head rather than our heart.


LET US ENGAGE WITH THE SW or face eternal political slavery.

It is the setting that matters. Engaging a lion in its cage is not a fight. It is a massacre.

A system or structure that continuously, consistently upholds, supports or appoints undesirables or leaves us with Hobson's choice or between the rock and a hard place or the devil and the deep sea is quite frankly undesirable.

This is the reason I don't vote. Nigeria cannot progress with the burden of a constitution and structure that does this to its people time and again. Pity.

Now even Bukola Saraki 'the Corrupt' is looking peachy all of a sudden for Senate Head Honcho.

onatisi:
with the way this telecoms companies are competing,it is just a matter of months or even weeks before one of the reduces the price of 1gb to 700 or even 500 naira .

Hahaha. Na data subsidy na. See Nigeria. The telecoms that is not subsidized and they are paying fully for is going down while the one government is subsidizing is erratic and going up.

smurfy:
That's good to know. I'm yet to regret porting to etisalat. The quality of their service is unbeatable.

Yes, they are about the best for now. Even in tough, congested cities they work well.

What made Gowon, Murtala, Obasanjo, Buhari Head of State. What made Babangida or even Abacha COAS's and later HoS, professionalism ?, competence?, integrity? Were they the best the army had to offer at that time. Were they the best in their class? Without the same system that placed a certain Kenneth Minimah we will never have known a certain Muhammadu Buhari. They are all beneficiaries of the jaundiced Nigerian system.

They will tell you professionalism then use the 4 edges of the compass to share positions: North, East, West, South with the juiciest going where the wind of change is blowing from irrespective of real competence and true professionalism. Our constitution that promotes mediocrity is what should be retired. Our structure which requires compromising rebalancing is killing us. Sack all you like. The foundation is faulty.

What if all the competent, incorruptible, top professional soldiers, airmen and sailors were from Daura. Will he have the guts to appoint them all....

Abujabir24:
Serious retirement is needed and investigation into alleged mismanagement of military fund should be thoroughly done so as to prosecute some bastards.
The GOC to the newly established 7th div is among the big goons. If you see his mansion he's building in kaduna?
The current COAS and his predecessor are also thieves. Minimah even needs to be court marshaled. Ihejirika should be investigated for the alleged killing of Mamman shuwa.

Is there any present or former senior military officer without a mansion somewhere in Nigeria. Where will they start. Where will they end.

wisemany2k:


I have no problem with people placing bets but this celebrities seem not to understand that they are not just entertainers, but also role models.... Is this the kind of life they want their esteemed followers to live? They need to learn what part of their life that is for public consumption and the part that should be kept private.....

If they are your role models it is you I'm sorry for. Esteemed follower indeed.

How many people will vote for telecommunications to be handed back to government even if they promised it will be free. Then why are we toying with energy which is far more important. Isn't it clear that the NNPC which is saddled with providing us gasoline and who does not know how much it earns and has no audited books is not competent enough to handle such a critical sector. Government has no business in business. They are the worst service providers. Why leave them with critical stuff.

onatisi:
didn't okonjo iwella and sanusi lamido warn you and nigerians about this subsidy payment in 2012? Wasn't it removed on the 1st of january 2012? When it was removed ,what did you do? Nigerians protested against this subsidy removal then by organising occupy nigeria protests in lagos, nlc went on strike , apc kept calling gej wicked and all sorts of names. Wasn't it nigerians that said the payment should continue that the oil subsidy is the only thing they enjoy from government?

Leave them dummies. They don't know that when people pay properly for things they chart the present and future courses of those things but when someone pays on your behalf you have no more rights than a slave. There are countries that rely solely on taxes whereby fuel is even taxed and yet have no shortages because government who is the beneficiary dares not upset the paying public. But here we want government both to pay and provide. I just laugh. What will happen if big oil is privatised and subsidies removed. Nothing. The heavens won't fall. Six months, the economy will adjust and stabilize but once and for all the people will have taken charge.

If you say Buhari built government refineries and he should do this again. Know this. Buhari will not be there forever. Even Jesus had to return to heaven at some stage and clearly there are no disciples to keep those refineries working the next 20, 50, 100. Doubt me.? Then where are the ones he built in the 80's. We are just kicking the can down the streets and losing money with this subsidy regime. It is not sustainable.

Vorp:
I won't fall for this crap,they are only trying to forcefully make us adapt to fuel subsidy removal..Upon all the oil we have Nigerians are suffering for fuel,this country is cursed.

You. Yes you don't have any oil. It doesn't flow on the streets. It costs money, effort, skill, risk and a whole lot of trailing damage to get it. It cannot be free. Does your village farm produce yams of its own accord. Are yams free or subsidised. Don't you pay properly for them. And this is a regenerative, sustainable resource. Oil is not. Once it is pumped out, refined and burnt it is gone.

teeowl:
I think we have 3 refineries, it is high time that Government repairs them and start refining our own fuel or else this kind of thing would keep happening.

And who will distribute the refined products. Is it not the same cartels. Abegi.

The insurgents looking for food and fuel. That's good news. Just as German General Paulus was at the Battle of Stalingrad. Just encircle them like Stalin's Army in an iron lock and watch them starve to submission. No rush.

logica:


I didn't know assassins were legal in Nigeria. Pardon my ignorance.

I think he meant to say armed robbery which is still the largest division of the criminal industry but the fact they could not ascertain anything stolen made his knickers twist.

givan:
I belive this is a reaction of the white house to the decline of a request made by some UN delegate to send foreign boots on ground to help combat boko haram. The request was made last month when some delegates from the UN visited president Goodluck in Aso rock. He decline the request and ordered them to channel their help to the resettling of displaced Nigerians affected by the insurgent group.

We are not interested in their troops and no longer interested in their weapons. Nigeria is a powder keg filled with an explosive ethno-religious cocktail. I tell you. One American bullet kills a northern muslim and insurgent becomes freedom fighter. They will simply board their Chinooks, fly away leaving us with a full blown civil war. Nuff said.

utytill:
Must you get opposition before doing the right thing?nonsense,next excuse will be" APC may not perform because there is no strong opposition" then if yes,why not opposition wife,opposition husband,opposition father,opposition mother.

Yes, it is not humanly possible to perform without opposition. That is how democracy works especially in a Nigeria where institutions remain weak and we have a structure built on allocations, entitlements and rent seeking.

If you, yes you were given 4 trillion to spend without a stick over your back you will do no better than the average Nigerian leader since independence. Make no mistake about it, this country is incredibly challenging. Our constitution is against our development. Only firm, brutal, consistent, corrective forces against leadership at ALL levels will work.

babyfaceafrica:
That's what I am also after...but the way PDP is behaving after defeat..I see a new party breaking away and forming opposition..APGA is not helping matters

Just as the main opposition to the PDP came from within, the main opposition to the APC will come from within. The PDP will merely give them a platform to launch. All they need is a derelict big brand to renovate.

qbd2:
Are u sure? Cos dem alawin. Pple rarely callor message now, all na whatsapp or bbm

In your small, vain world that is. In the real, productive world out there talk is key.

NobleG1:
Don't blame the U.S. for the bad relationship Nigeria. Blame the st*upid and incompetent so-called "leaders" we have.

U.S.sent drones and dozens of training personnel to Nigeria after Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls. However, the relationship appeared to deteriorate as the useless Nigerian ambassador to the U.S., Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, accused U.S in November of refusing to sell his country "lethal weapons" to combat the insurgents. Nigeria also canceled a very important training program of its army by U.S. personnel.

And on top of that, U S. sees Nigeria as a rogue State where human rights and the rule of law are not respected by heavily corrupt Nigerian politicians. So U.S. has a known policy of not selling lethal weapons to rogue States.

So who is to blame? I hope Buhari will reset the U.S.- Nigeria relationship.

Don't be silly my friend. Nigeria has every right to tackle this problem in the way it deems fit in the light of our constitution and our military doctrine. We have laws here too. The U.S is giving Africa aid via France. Is it running the French Army too? Can that be accepted. And for those talking rubbish about corruption. Where do our neighbours Niger, Chad, Cameroun and Mali stand in the index of corruption or good governance. Heck Cameroun has had Biya since 1982 yet the U.S is cool with that.

They should leave us the hell alone and shove their money where the sun don't shine. We are not accepting American troops or bases on our soil (due to our incendiary ethno-religious situation) and we will not change our military TRADOC more than our willingness to ditch the naira for the dollar.

Obama has issues with Nigeria, America is NOT our friend. We should see them as competitors not collaborators and certainly not conquerors.

BTW: Buhari should wizen up, listen to his military and security chiefs and give the US a wide berth. He himself should know that the day troops of the 'great satan' step on our shores and any one of his brothers is killed by an American bomb or bullet, that great disintegration prophesy will be set in motion.

America steer clear of Nigeria's affairs.