₦airaland Forum

barcanista:
I read an article where Ovation Magazine Publisher Mr Dele Momodu was quoted by saying President Buhari knows what he's doing
https://www.nairaland.com/2455063/know-what-im-doing-buhari. In the words of Dele Momodu after meeting with Buhari

“We spoke about security and the efforts he is making; we spoke about anti-corruption crusade and I must say, today, he reassured me that not only does he know what he is doing, he is determined to make Nigeria work.”

After reading the article, I began to ask myself maybe Dele Momodu really heard the President say "I don't know what I am doing" or he was actually misquoted. Let us see...

The Economy Under Buhari
Since May 29 the price of goods and commodities in the market have gone astronomically high. Between May 29 and July 16, The naira depreciated by 22% against the Dollar. It depreciated from N198/$ to N242/$. Fuel is still being sold at N110-120 per liter as against the approved N87 per liter in filling stations despite the existence of subsidy. Yet we have no economic manager nor planners in place, neither do we have any direction that we can say our country is heading to. Despite all these, the President still thinks he knows what he is doing?

Security
Security in the North-East that was experienced significant improvement as at May 28, 2015 has gone from improvement to deterioration. Boko haram terrorists has strucked about 25 times killing more than a thousand and displacing thousands of Nigerians since President Buhari took over power. Despite all the attacks, it has never been reported that the military under Buhari struck BH for even once. Yet Mr President still thinks he knows what he's doing?

Anti-Corruption
Look at the corruption cases and the systematic letting off the hook of Timpre Sylva. Till date all immediate past Governors and political office-holders are walking free without the present administration instituting any fresh case. The cases against Sule Lamido and sons, Murtala Nyako and son and Timpre Sylva which Buhari inherited from his predecessor have taken a new twist. While the Lamidos and Nyakos were granted bail, Sylva was systematically let off the hook. Is the administration trying to tell us that non of the immediate past chief executives apart from Sule Lamido was corrupt (irrespective of party line)? And Buhari still thinks he knows what he's doing?

Administration
The administration several times had countered and reversed itself within days/hours all because it lacks coordination. First it was the permanent secretary of Defence Ministry announcing that the President had ordered for the dismantling of military checkpoints. 48hours later APC Governors after having meeting with the President came out to say the President had reversed himself. Days later came the now outgone NSA who said there was no such order for dismantling of military checkpoint by the President. There was conflicting reports from the Presidency and the Foreign Affairs whether or not the President did recall Nigeria Ambassadors. Yet, the President thinks he knows what he's doing?

Is it that Dele Momodu was misquoted or he himself misquoted the President? Is it a case of trying to launder the image of the President and give Nigerians that are tired of the directionless government a false message that "Buhari is on top of the situation"? Is the President out of touch with reality?

I understand that the administration has been looking for means to propagate false hope. However, from all indices on ground, it is very clear (even to the blind) that Muhammadu Buhari does not know what he's doing. But, if the President insists that he knows what he's doing, then it is safe to say that Nigerians elected a disillusioned government.


May God Bless Us All

Your hate for buhari is clear to all and sundry now, and you indeed want him to fail. Even the real politicians who lost out to him haven't shown so much hate and dislike as you do daily. There's no effort of the government that's commendable to you at all, all you're good at is calling our president names, and trying to tarnish his image on this forum by creating unnecessary threads and making unguarded comments.

I pray you one day, that you'll be in a position of authority and your followers will hate you so much, and will never appreciate what ever action you take, no matter how good it is.

Shameless protection seeker.


Your

I think this is a right step in the right direction, if effectively and efficiently followed up to the later irrespective of party affiliations, ethnic or religious considerations.

It will go a long way to cleanse our electoral system and make it more sustainable.

So far so good, the recommendations from joda committee has been top notch. I hope Mr President implement most if not all of it.

CC Lalasticlala seun

The Ahmed Joda led Transition Committee has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure those responsible for election fraud and violence during the 2015 polls are punished.


The committee said such offenders should be swiftly sanctioned as part of immediate steps to reform Nigeria’s electoral process.
In its report on “Governance”, submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari and exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the committee recommended a six-item good governance initiative, to include Electoral reform, Public Service reform, Police Service reform, Judicial reform, Military reform and Constitutional amendment.

Stressing the need for electoral reform, the report stated that, “Election is the cornerstone of any democracy. The recent elections in Nigeria showed the strength and weakness of the institutions, necessitating the need to reform”.


While lamenting the presence of corrupt officials in Independent National Electoral Commission, and pervasive electoral fraud, the committee recommended that those involved in electoral fraud during the last elections be prosecuted, as one of the quick wins to strengthen future elections.
In some states, especially in the South South States of Akwa Ibom and Rivers, there were overwhelming cases of electoral fraud as noted by local and international observers.


In Rivers, for instance, the Independent National Electoral Commission allocated the eventual winner of the governorship election there, Nyesom Wike, votes almost five times higher than the authentic number of voters accredited with card readers and Permanent Voter Cards.


PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported that while there were 292, 878, voters, Mr. Wike, who is now the governor of the state, scored 1,029,102 votes, representing 87.77 per cent of 1,228,614, being the conjured number of total accredited voters.
The result was announced by the Returning Officer for Rivers State, Osasere Orumwense, on April 13.


Similar discrepancies were also confirmed in other states, including Akwa Ibom.
The tracking was possible because under Nigeria’s current electoral system, INEC’s central server automatically generates figures of voters accredited with the electronic Smart Card Readers and Permanent Voters’ Cards across the polling units.
To dispense justice in cases of electoral offenses, the Joda Committee recommended the immediate establishment of an Electoral Offenses Tribunal.


Also, it recommended that the removal or suspension of INEC Chairperson be done by the President with support of two-thirds majority of the National Assembly.
The process of recruiting Resident Electoral Commissioners should be through public advertisement, the committee said.


Further, it recommended that voter registration should be electronic and continuous, and fully computerized, based on bio-metric data; and that the Constitution and all other electoral statutes be amended to accommodate electronic voting.

www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/185961-prosecute-2015-election-offenders-joda-committee-tells-buhari.html

Please do not allow anybody to deceive you, The unilorin post utme form is not yet out. The procedure is yet to be released officially by the school.

It's only on the school website that you can get authentic and verifiable information.

Please take note

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE 2015 UNILORIN POST-UTME

The information has reached us that the social media is already awash with the rumour making round that the Better By Far Institution, the University of Ilorin has scheduled the procedure for obtaining the form and writing of the Post-Utme exam for 23rd June-10th July/13th-16th July 2015.

We, the Positive Change Team, are alarmed at the spate at which the rumour is spreading.


Flowing from the above, we urge all candidates seeking admissions into the University to desist from this untrue information as the University has not fixed the schedule for this year's Utme exams.

We advise you all to continue with your preparation for the exams and always check the University website (www.unilorin.edu.ng) for update on the exam; the platform where you can get the official and authentic information from the University.

Thank you and God bless!

Signed:
Comrade Ademola Adeyemi (Shemzy)
PRO, Students' Union,
University of Ilorin,
Ilorin, Nigeria.

The appointment of onu as widely claimed by some quarters as the new SGF is nothing but just mere rumor.

The rumor first broke on Twitter via the APC situation room account and went viral.

But afterwards, no confirmation, no tweet from the presidency, no Nigerian newspaper has also reported same.

Only Nairaland is exclusively breaking this as a news without any confirmation.

This news is false. No confirmation of any sort has been made from any quarters. Even the APC situation room, had debunked the rumors and claimed that some hackers are responsible for this.

Mr. barcanista spare us all these your last minute attempt to presume you can deceive Nigerians with the your living in the past. Am sure a child given birth to in 2011 should be walking now, all things been equal. If you think what happened in 2011 will happen again, I think you're in for a big shock.

BTW , some of your assertions have been bookmarked.

" APC will not get up to 70,000 votes in the south east " - Barcanista.

We are indeed waiting for tomorrow. May God spare our lives.

barcanista:
I looking at the trend I doubt if the voting pattern in the SW, NE and NC will be anyway different from that of 2011. The only difference will be that Buhari will get more votes in SW and NC than he had in 2011 but Jonathan will still win the regions. The NW has been traditional Buhari slaughter ground except Kaduna where it is usually 51-49 in favore of Buhari(Thanks to the Southern Kaduna Christian Population). The election will come and go and Jonathan will again be re-elected. The Reality on ground favors him.
https://nigerianmuse.com/images/Presidential_poll_Nigeria_2011_regional_map_of_winners_large.jpg

Ogbeni stop deceiving yourself. Nigerians are not gullible. you think 2015 is 2011?

naijaboiy:
[color=#1980BC]Well written and nicely put.
I know some people who scored very high in their JAMB but they relaxed and it affected them in their Post-Utme. Though they got admitted,,they didn't get their choice course.

On the point of putting all eggs in one basket,,JAMB has really made it difficult for candidates as they can now choose just one institution and no second choice unlike before.[/color]

Thanks for the insight. I understand that JAMB has even made it more difficult. But students should not because of that depend solely on university alone and forget other institutions. After all, half bread is better than none.

Thanks once more

TRADELYN:



Your life is in your hands. Use it well.

#ThinkPositive!

That is a bitter truth, Your destiny is in your hands. Use it well

Viktoh:
Nice one op

Thanks for dropping by...

Recently, I have heard many students express their displeasure about studies. They have totally lost hope in making it as successful students. A few days ago, I read about a student on Nairaland who was about committing suicide because she graduated with a third class degree from school. As if that was not enough, just yesterday another student confessed that he was tired of schooling and won’t hesitate to call it quits. These and many more should be a source of worry, and concern for all and sundry.

The Country Is Not Helping Matters

We are all in a country where university certificate is idolized and it is really difficult to gain admission into tertiary institutions. The truth is that most people end up studying courses which they never dreamt of or envisaged in their lives. And because we all wish to be university graduates, we have no option than to accept those courses and study them against our wills, aspirations, and dreams.



Most students end up not really performing well in those courses and at the end of the day wished they never attended the four walls of the university. It has gotten to a stage that most students upon graduation or dropping out of school unwillingly console themselves with the fact that some popular persons today never graduated well, or that the Bill gates, and the likes of this world never had it rosy in school and had no option than to drop out.



It is true but…

These are facts that cannot be disputed. But one thing most students fail to understand is that, we are never the same. They failed to realize that they are not Bill gates, nor others who had no option than to drop out of school. They failed to include that the condition those people found themselves isn’t the same as theirs. They failed to be sincere to themselves and realize that, those who later graduated with poor grades, are entirely different from themselves. They also forgot to include that the society we find ourselves differ. The truth is that, we are all unique and the situation surrounding our actions and in-actions differ totally from the other.

What then do you do?

Having found yourself in this situation stated above, Now that you feel like calling it quits in your studies, or in fact having decided to commit suicide just because of your poor grades.

You need to ask yourself these sincere questions:

Is it justifiable?

Is it the right step in the right direction?

Do you think it can finally be a solution to the quagmire you are in?

If you quit studying today, what else will you do?

If you decide to kill yourself today, does that change anything?

Will the decision make you happier, fulfilled, and more successful?



As you ruminate on these questions.

You need to take a look at the following points.

What is the essence of studying?

Are you in school, to be more educated or just to acquire certificates?

If you do not go to school today, what else will you be doing?

Do you think your future lies solely on that degree earned?

Do you think that, not graduating well means not living well?

Don’t you believe that, the downfall of a man is not the end of his life?

Haven’t you read stories of those who never went to school/ graduated poorly but are better off today?

These and many more are points you need to think deeply about before taking any decision.



On a Final Note:

The truth is that in life we are bound to encounter challenges in one way or the other. Your attitude towards it and your reaction can make it a nice or an awful experience. One thing I have come to realize in life is that there is an opportunity in every condition we find ourselves. What matters most is to understand this, and make the best use of these opportunities while they last. You might not have graduated well, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel as it is not too late to start all over again, this time more prepared. You might be witnessing a decline in your academic performance, but it is never late to re-strategize and perfect your performance. The solution to any problem you encounter in life is solely with you. Your destiny is truly in your hands and only you can make it happen.

Over to You:

Have you ever encountered challenges in school that you thought the best option was to quit? Have you ever contemplated committing suicide due to your academic performance? What was the experience like then and how did you overcome the unfortunate situation.


http://naijainspirationalhub.com/when-you-start-giving-up-on-your-studies/

The 2015 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Unified tertiary matriculation Examination (UTME) has officially ended. As it is usual in any examination, some candidates performed very well while others didn’t. Though your good performance in the examination does not guarantee admission but it is a right step in the right direction.
So today I have cheering news for you, which if utilized very well could aid you in getting admitted this year. You might have performed very well in JAMB but is that all? Many candidates have scored better in the past but never got admitted. Thus what are those things you need to focus on, after a successful JAMB UTME EXAMINATION?


Work Harder: The euphoria of UTME should be over by now. The reality needs to dawn on you that you need to work harder to gain admission this year. Gaining admission is not all about scoring high in UTME. You need to focus more on performing better in your Post UTME than you did in JAMB. Because JAMB UTME performance is a means to an end but it is not the end itself.

Learn More About Your School of Choice: The tertiary institution which you chose to study in means a lot. Since each university/ polytechnic/ college of education has its own requirements and mode of entry. This is the time to learn about that, the school's cut-off points, course of study requirements etc. It does not end there; you need to start researching about your school, what it entails, and the best means to get admitted there.


Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: The fact that most candidates end up not gaining admission even after performing well in JAMB and POST JAMB should be a source of concern to you. If you really wish to get admitted this year, you need to explore many opportunities. Many a times, you depend solely on one university/ polytechnic/ college of education, and if you fail to get admitted there become stranded. I personally got admitted into my second choice university despite not getting it in my first choice school. Had it been, I never explored other opportunities of taking the pain to know about my school now, or even stressing myself to write its post utme, perhaps I wouldn’t have been admitted when I did. So, explore other opportunities as you prepare to get admitted this year.


Stay Glued to Naija Inspirational Hub: Naija Inspirational Hub was created to inspire and educate you to greatness. Subscribe to my newsletter and also visit this blog daily. I promise to bring you news updates about different institutions, tips that can make you succeed in your forthcoming post utme examinations, and inspirational articles that will spur you to be the best in whatever you do.

Pray Harder: Never under-estimate the power of prayers in whatever you do especially as you seek to gain admission. The competition out there is stiff with many competent and qualified candidates hoping to get admitted. You need to do what I have highlighted above and also pray harder to be on top of your game. Remember it is neither by your power nor might but with prayer you will surely get there.

On a Final Note:
Gaining admission into any tertiary institution in Nigeria is really a herculean task. The first step you have taken by performing well in your JAMB is a right one in the right direction. Therefore, doing what works is what you need most at this critical time. The tips given above are necessary to guarantee you admission this year.


http://naijainspirationalhub.com/after-jamb-utme-what-next/#more-197

graceforum:
Please whats the venue for this year's interview

It actually depends on your state. But most at times it usually takes place at the state capital. Besides you can check your state scholarship board for more details.

RealJenny:
Pls where can I find a list of the host communities in rivers state

You can check t the website for it.

JAMB OFFICIAL COMMENCEMENT DATE FOR ALL CANDIDATES.

https://www.nairaland.com/2180553/jamb-c.b.t-exams-commence-10th

YIIPEE.

If you are participating in this year's examinations. You can signify on this thread, Share the dates and venues for your exams here. You never can tell, a Nairalander can be close by.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (U.T.M.E) is to commence on Tuesday 10th march 2015, Naija Inspirational Hub has gathered. This follows the re-printing of Examination slips for the confirmation of Exam dates and venues by students which commenced on Monday, 2nd March 2015.

In a press conference in Abuja on Thursday 5th march 2015, which was reported by The Nation. The board stated that a total of 1,475,477 candidates registered for the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admission, Matriculation and Examination Board (JAMB). It further states that this year’s UTME is scheduled to hold between Tuesday, March 10 and Saturday, March 21 [/b]across 400 centers in the country and seven foreign countries namely – Ghana, Cameroon, Republic of Benin, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Ethiopia.

The JAMB Registrar, [b]Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, also revealed that 208 prison inmates from Kaduna and Ikoyi prisons will write the examination. He, however, lamented that the total number of candidates that registered for the examination was a far cry from the last year’s examination in which 1,632,172 candidates sat for the paper pencil test, the dual based test and computer based test.

While attributing the decline in the number of applications to insecurity in some parts of the country, Prof. Ojerinde explained that there was a decrease of 156,695 applicants compared to last year, adding that the registration process for the computer based examination had also eliminated the incidence of dual or multiple registrations by candidates.

The JAMB Registrar, further debunked insinuations that the Board had postponed the examination, said the transformation to a full blown computer based test became imperative in order to resolve the challenges faced by the Board in the conduct of its examination.

Naija Inspirational Hub hereby wishes all students partaking in this year’s exam all the best. We pray that your story will change for the better this year, by the special grace of God


http://naijainspirationalhub.com/jamb-c-b-t-exams-to-commence-on-10th-march-2015/

The 2015/2016 Bilateral Educational Agreement scholarship for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Nigeria who wish to study outside the shores of this country under the auspices of the federal scholarship boards is now available. As usual, Nigerian students are now applying for this annual Federal Scholarship board Awards.


Naija Inspirational Hub is delighted to announce to you that this year’s awards application has fully commenced after a little hiccup in the initial stage of the application. Therefore, today I am bringing to the fore things you must know about this scholarship, what it entails, and things you should do to be among the successful scholars for this year’s awards.

Overview: Bilateral Educational Agreement is one of the numerous scholarships offered by the federal government of Nigeria to its citizens through the federal scholarship boards to study in countries that have entered bilateral agreement with Nigeria for the programme. It includes both the undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Programmes offered/ Duration of Study: There are many programmes available for study in this agreement which depends on if it is undergraduate or postgraduate studies.

The following programmes are available for the Undergraduate studies:

Medicine Paramedical

Engineering Geology

Agriculture Sciences

Mathematics Languages

Environmental Sciences Law

Social Sciences Sports etc.

For the Postgraduate Studies: The Scholarship entails Masters Degree and Ph.D in all fields

Duration of Study: The duration of study for the scholarship award ranges from 4- 9 years depending on the level of study (Undergraduate/Postgraduate) and the country.

Participating Countries: It should be stated that not all countries have bilateral agreement with Nigeria under this scholarship award. Thus, the countries which have bilateral agreement with Nigeria are as follows:

Russia China

Morocco Turkey

Algeria Romania

Serbia Japan

Ukraine Cuba

Greece Czech Republic

Syria Macedonia

Mexico Egypt

Tunisia etc.

Language of Study: Since the countries mentioned above are Non-English speaking countries. It is therefore mandatory for students who are awarded the scholarship to study the language of the country in their first Year because it constitutes the language of instruction throughout their study. It is also important to mention that performance in the language course determines the continuation of the course of study for which the award has been made. Therefore any student, who fails to understand the language of the country in the first year, will have his/her scholarship award terminated.

Eligibility Criteria: It does not suffice for any student to start filling the application form online without checking if he/she is eligible or not. Though, the eligibility criteria for the BEA awards vary from undergraduate to postgraduate. Therefore, the criteria are as follows:

UNDERGRADUATE:

Candidates must possess at least A or B grades in five relevant subjects including English and Mathematics in one sitting.
Qualifying Certificate is (WASC/NECO) only.
Candidates must be between 17-23 years old as at the time of taking up the award.
Certificates must not be more than 3 years old as at the time of application. (In this case, certificates obtained before 2012 will be invalid).

POSTGRADUATE:

A postgraduate applicant MUST possess the following

University degree with a minimum of Second Class Honours Upper Division
Should not be more than 35 years of Age at the time of taking up the award
Certificate obtained should not be more than 5 years at date of application
NYSC/Exemption certificate (where applicable)
Not less than two (2) years post qualification experience
Provide willingness of employer to release applicant (where applicable)

FINANCIAL AID: As stated earlier, the scholarship is fully funded by the Federal Scholarship boards, with the assistance of the partnering countries where applicable. Therefore:

The countries mentioned above are responsible for the tuition and accommodation, while the Nigeria government takes care of the following;

$500 monthly for supplementation
$250 yearly for warm clothing
$200 yearly for Health Insurance
$500 yearly for medical scholars only
$1000 for PG research grant yearly were applicable
N100,000 – Take off for Post graduate scholars were applicable
N60,000 – Take off for Undergraduate scholars were applicable

DEADLINE FOR ONLINE SUBMISSION: The final date of the online submission for the 2015/2016 Bilateral Agreement awards is Sunday, 8th March 2015.

INTERVIEW DATE: The dates for the screening and interview of successful applicants for the Scholarship are between Monday 9th – Friday 13th March 2015.

INTERVIEW TIME AND VENUE: The interview starts by 9:00am daily. The venues are yet to be determined, but applicants should contact their respective state scholarship boards to get the information about this.

About the Interview: The interview for the scholarship award, just like other interviews of the federal scholarship board is conducted by the board itself. The questions are usually objective (OMR sheet) which consists of the following subjects: English Language, Mathematics, Quantitative/Verbal Reasoning, Computer/Information Technology, Current Affairs etc. Strict adherence to the instructions given is also advised because from experience, many qualified candidates are disqualified in the long run because of this.

From Naija Inspirational Hub, we urge you to apply for this scholarship because it is a rare opportunity, work hard, obey the guidelines and pray fervently. With all these, you are assured of a successful scholarship application.


http://naijainspirationalhub.com/what-you-must-know-about-2015-2016-bilateral-educational-agreement-scholarship-awards/#more-177

Anything worth doing, they say is worth doing well. To that end, your life, career, studies, business, job etc. and in fact anything you do deserves more than enough. You might be wondering what this is all about, you might think that after all I do the best I could and I don’t need to do more. After all I make lots of sacrifices daily to keep me on top of my career, studies, business etc. In fact I do all within my means to lead a fulfilling life.

Yes friend, those are encouraging words from you but that is not just enough, those things you have been doing are helpful in whatever you do, but you still need to do more. I have always maintained that: in life, what actually matters is not working hard, but working smart too. What actually counts is doing things that really matters. It is not just enough to do what others do, but to do what you need to do.

What Do You Need To Do?

It is a known fact, that what works for Mr A might not work for Mr B. what a friend of yours did to succeed might be the same things you will do and fail. It does not mean that your friend has cursed you never to succeed in the same way he did. It is far from that, in fact no amount of inspirational stories could have done the magic. But the turning point is that, your friend did what he needs to do in life, and he got the right results. He unravelled a secret which you have not figured out for a while and the rest is history. He did what works always, yes he focused on his WORLD.


Focus On Your World

We all live in a competitive and challenging world; everybody is doing all he could to make it in life. But the secret which most people are yet to figure and utilize very well is focussing on their world. Many people are trying so hard to live another person's life, thinking that because he succeeded that way, they will too. Most youths nowadays have been configured to mimic the celebrities in such a way, that they now live a fake life. Some students imitate their friends too, all in the name of doing what works. Having a mentor is good, looking up to people is better, and in fact learning from others is the best. But all these cannot really materialize if you do not focus on your world.

As a student, you really need to focus on your world and do what works for you better to succeed. It is suicidal for you to read just because your friends are reading. You need to figure out the best time for you to read and follow it religiously. Some people assimilate better in the day, while others do at night, some can read in noisy places, while others need quiet serene to understand better. Some understand better when reading alone, while others prefer it in a group. These are the things you must really focus on, because it is your world. Do not read at night because your friends do, and do not while away your day because your friends do too. If you focus on your world and do what works for you, I assure you that, you will see amazing results.


On a Final Note:

In life, you have to focus on what works for you. "If you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything" So friend, take a critical look at yourself, Are you doing the right things? Are you really happy with what you have been able to achieve so far? Do you really focus on those things that make you happy? Hope you are not living someone else's life? It is your world you know, you understand what matters and works for you, so focus on them. Remember always that it is different strokes for different folks.


http://naijainspirationalhub.com/focus-on-your-world/#more-173

President Goodluck Jonathan has
challenged the presidential candi­
date of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to a
presidential debate at the Chatham
House, London.


Jonathan, in a letter to Buhari
through his Non-Governmental
Organization, the Wind of Hope
Foundation, signed by its National
Coordinator, Mr. Ono Akpe, said he
was ready to sponsor Buhari to
participate in the debate.


The APC presidential candidate had
earlier rejected taking part in a
debate put together for presidential
candidates for the forthcoming
general elections by the Nigerian
Elections Debate Group (NEDG),
citing the composition of the body
as reason for his refusal.


Jonathan said Buhari’s presentation
finally acknowledged the
achievements of his administration
in growing the nation’s economy to
becoming the largest in Africa, with
a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of
$510 billion and maintaining a
single digit inflation regime.


Jonathan’s letter to Buhari read in
part: “Your Excellency, we wish to
congratulate you on your recent visit
to the United Kingdom where you
delivered a speech at Chatham
House, London, on Thursday,
February 26, 2015.


“Your speech at the event is clearly
a source of motivation for your
supporters who in recent times
seem to have lost steam in their
aggressive marketing of your
candidacy for the office of President.


The author of the said speech must
be commended because your
presentation finally acknowledged
the achievements of the present
government in growing our economy
to be the largest in Africa, with a
GDP of $510 billion and maintaining
a single digit inflation regime.


“However, your actions or may we
say, your party’s action with regards
to the entire concept and aim of the
forum, calls to question, your refusal
to accede to request for a
presidential debate here at home in
Nigeria.


“In our quest to deepen democracy,
which thrives on robust and
constructive deliberations that aid
the electorate in making informed
decisions, Wind of Hope hereby chal­
lenges (or offers you a platform to
debate) your excellency, to a debate
with the incumbent President
Goodluck Jonathan before the
forthcoming elections at Chatham
House where you were so obviously
at ease before your ‘supporters’ and
the international media.


“We wish to state further, our
readiness to fully sponsor such a
forum. All we ask is that you state
your preferred date and time.




http://abusidiqu.com/i-will-pay-the-cost-jonathan-challenges-buhari-to-a-chatham-house-debate/

Abbycite:
I av my reservations on anything 'electronics' especially in dis part of d universe.....but let's see how it pans out

Yes we all have our reservations, but as they say a TRIAL WILL CONVINCE YOU.

simplemach:
Dont be suprised that that card would end up verifying ATM cards as valid for the election.

LOL, Come on bros, you're trying to downplay the effectiveness and integrity of INEC here.

Well, I pray they deliver.

denko:
What you fail to tell us is how many minute does it take to accredit one person (one minute) multiply one minute by 5 hours you will three 300. the questions then is, in polling unit where you have more than one thousand registrant what happen to the remaining seven hundred after 5 hours elapse.

Who failed to tell you?
Me or INEC.

Maybe you didn't read the post very well or just want to be mischievous. Because it is stated clearly there that it'll take 10/20 seconds to get a person verified.

So do the maths, that's approximately 3-6 persons for a minute. Which means 180-360 persons for an hour.

So if you have about 1,000+ voters. 5 hours should be enough, going by this calculation.

"QUESTION 1: Why use Card Readers?
Answer: For the first time in Nigeria’s
electoral history, electronic voter
authentication system, with the aid of
smart card readers, is being deployed
for the 2015 general elections. Using
Card Readers has enormous
advantages, which include:
Once configured, the Card Reader can
only read Permanent Voter Cards
(PVCs) issued by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Any person that shows up at the polling
unit without a PVC or with a card not
issued by INEC will not be able to vote.
The Card Reader reads the embedded
chip on the PVC, not the barcode, and it
shares a secret code with the PVC; thus
it is impossible to falsify the cards.
The Card Reader authenticates the
identity of the voter by cross-matching
his/her fingerprints with that stored on
the embedded chip. No person can vote
using another person’s PVC.
The Card reader keeps a tally of all
cards read, comprising the details of all
voters verified as well as those not
verified, and transmits the collected
information to a central INEC server via
GSM data service.
Information transmitted to the server
will enable INEC to audit results from
polling units, as well as do a range of
statistical analysis of the demographics
of voting.
Collation officers will also be able to
use information transmitted by the Card
Reader to audit polling unit result
sheets and determine whether
accreditation figures have been altered.


Question 2: Is the usage of Card
Readers for 2015 elections legal?
Answer: The use of the Card Reader for
the purpose of accreditation of voters is
one of the innovations introduced by
the Commission to improve the integrity
of the electoral process. It does not
violate the Electoral Act 2010, as
Amended, or the 1999 Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as
Amended. It adds value to the process
in line with the yearnings of Nigerians
for credible elections, and accords with
international best practices. Whereas
the Electoral Act prohibits the use of
electronic voting, the Card Reader is not
a voting machine and is not used for
voting. The Card Reader is used only for
accreditation of voters, and only
accreditation (and not voting) data is
transmitted by it.


Question 3: How does the Card Reader
work?
Answer: The Card Reader uses a highly
secure cryptographic technology that is
used commonly in devices that need to
perform secure transactions, such as
paying terminals. It has ultra-low power
consumption, with a single core
frequency of 1.2GHz and an Android
4.2.2. Operating System. The INEC staff
operating the Card Reader will scan the
PVC of each voter to verify its
genuiness before allowing the voter to
get accredited. It takes an average of
10 to 20 seconds to authenticate a
voter.


Question 4: How long is the battery life
of the Card Reader?
Answer: The Card reader has a
3200mAh battery, which can lasts for
about 12 hours in continual usage
when fully charged. The device
hibernates when not in use to save and
lengthen the battery life.
Question 5: Who operates the Card
Reader at the Polling Unit?
Answer: An Assistant Presiding Officer
(APO) at the polling unit has the
responsibility to operate the Card
Reader. Poll officials that will operate
the Card Readers have received
extensive hands-on training and are
well equipped to handle the task. The
Commission has also painstakingly
outlined the operational procedures in
its ‘Approved Guidelines and
Regulations for the Conduct of 2015
General Elections’.



Question 6: Have the Card Readers
been tested ahead of the 2015 general
elections?
Answer: The Card Reader units have
been broadly subjected to simulation
Quality Assurance, Integrity and
Functionality tests and INEC has full
confidence in their performance for
election purposes. The device has also
been subjected to Performance and
Conformance Test, both locally and in
Texas, United States, laboratories by
the Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) Research Centre and found to be
of the highest quality grade. Besides all
these, and with additional time resulting
from the rescheduling of the 2015
general elections, the Commission has
directed that Stress Test be conducted
on the Card Reader device in mock
election scenarios – two states in each
of the six geo-political zones – ahead
of the new election dates. (Details of
this exercise will be unveiled by the
Commission next week.)


Question 7: Can the Card Reader fail to
function?
Answer: Going by the results of tests
already conducted, it is highly unlikely
that the Card Reader will fail on Election
Day. Still, INEC has drawn up serial
intervention plans in the unlikely event
of the Card Readers failing.
Should there be a challenge with battery
power for the device, the Commission
has procured more than 35,000 back-
up batteries that can be rapidly
deployed.
If the device itself fails in the course of
accreditation, the Commission has
procured more than 26,000 spares that
can be rapidly deployed in replacement
within the scheduled accreditation
hours of 8a.m. – 1p.m. Whatever time
is lost on these scheduled hours in the
course of replacement will be added
and accreditation extended beyond
1p.m. to compensate for the lost time.
In the extremely unlikely and isolated
event that a faulty Card Reader can’t be
replaced within the scheduled
accreditation hours, INEC has come to a
firm agreement with political parties that
the exercise be repeated the following
day rather than revert to manual
accreditation.
These procedures, which registered
political parties have agreed to, have
been written into the ‘Approved
Guidelines and Regulations for the
Conduct of 2015 General Elections’.


Question 8: What if the Card Reader
verifies a voter’s PVC but his/her
fingerprints cannot be authenticated?
Answer: The Commission has come to
an agreement with registered political
parties on what to do: namely that if a
voter’s PVC has been read and it is
evident that he/she is the legitimate
holder of the card, but the fingerprints
cannot be authenticated (or he/she
doesn’t have fingers), the Presiding
Officer of the voting point will complete
an incident form and the voter will be
accredited to vote. Party Agents and
Observers would be there to witness to
this.


Question 9: Is it possible to accredit all
voters who turn out within the
stipulated hours for accreditation using
the Card Reader?
Answer: The accreditation of a voter,
using the Card Reader, is estimated to
last an average of 10 to 20 seconds per
voter. Even if we double this time to 20
to 45 seconds for planning purposes,
and working on the basis of a maximum
of 750 voters per voting point, and
using a generous projection of 70%
voter turnout (the average being 54%
from past elections), which equates to
525 voters, the card reader will need
6.5hours to process all the voters. This
is well within the operating time for the
elections as well as the battery life of
the Card reader.


Question 10: How is the Card Reader
programmed?
Answer: To prevent fraudulent use, the
Card Rader is configured to work only
on Election Days. In addition, the device
is configured to specific polling units
and cannot be used elsewhere without
requiring reconfiguration by authorised
INEC personnel.



Question 11: How has the INEC’s Card
Reader addressed the problems
experienced in other countries in the
sub-region?
Answer: The challenge with a few of the
Card Reader devices in Ghana, for
instance, during the country’s 2012
general elections was the battery power,
apparently because the affected devices
were not fully charged. It was in
learning from this experience that INEC
designed the Card Readers to be used
in the 2015 elections with 12-hour
battery life in active usage, and also
procured more than 35,000 units of
back-up batteries. The imperative of
adequate charging of the Card Readers
is underscored during the trainings of
election personnel."

REMINDER:
10 MORE DAYS TO GO.

ozoigbondu:
APC as usual trying to control the heat generated by buhari's outburst whic protrayed him in the light of exactly what he is a traynnical dictator who believes that he is the all and all the alpha and omega the supreme overlord who is perfect just like his personalty is perfect whose opinion is perfect and any opposing voice is a traitor that should be ignored

But APC should just know that this feeble attempt at damage control won't work.Gradually the well painted democratic mask put on buhari is fading away showing the whole world the true buhari the one which all insults is a treasonable offence punishable by life imprisonment one whose freedom of speech is a hinderance to government one whose if care is not taken this noble forum will be shut down

A vote for buhari is a vote aganist freedom of expression
Vote for the one that allows you to air your opininon even if it is aganist him and his personalty
Vote Goodluck Ebeleim Azikiwe Jonathan

GEJ till 2019

What crap is this one saying again. A statement was issued by an associate of GMB(Let's put it that way), and he expressed dismay as to the level the PDP has disregarded the accord peacefully signed, this threatening that if they don't stop, the general will back out.

And the general through his campaign office is telling the whole world that, this absolutely doesn't represent his opinion, and you're here talking trash.

Do you think GMB is like your GEJ who has no conscience, keeps mute when tompolo, dokubo et all are threatening fire if he losses, and couldn't stop his men from degenerating into abusing the general?

Oga pack well.

Seun Ngwakwe maclatunji. Do the needful so as to avert the misinformation been spread about on the social media.

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives congress APC, General Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday debunked rumours that he has threatened to back out of the Abuja peace accord he signed.

The statement which was released by his campaign office on Twitter reads:

" . @ThisIsBuhari remains fully
Committed to the Abuja Peace
Accord. Kindly disregard any news
that states otherwise. #GMB15".

...