₦airaland Forum

ifeci: @skyblue

what is your point exactly? Agencies should created if there need be as long as there is none that is existent and performing same function.

Whether or not the Nigerian government should be creating more agencies at this point in time with all the history of agencies past and the inefficiency of our very big government is not a discussion for this thread. If you want to delve into that open another topic. I was simply debunking David Mark's claims. That's all. The thread history is above you for you to see. . .Besides, I dare say you don't even know if any of the agencies I have highlighted above will be performing the same functions as existing ones. Or are you willing to make that claim? ? ? ? ?

TOBACCO CONTROL BILL

link provided below (might be wrong but I do believe this is the bill going back years David Mark is referring to)

www.nassnig.org/nass/legislation.php?id=418

Observe:

C3915 Point 25 (Establishment of Tobacco Control Fund)



Again it is quite possible that I did not read something correct, but can someone else read through that bill and show me where it actually highlights the purpose of the Tobacco Control Fund? Again not doubting whatever noble ideals might have inspired the bill, but it seems to me that all the bills David Mark mentioned in defence of his position actually contribute to the size of the federal government. A committee is even established in the Tobacco Control bill (refer to C3891 points 6 - 7) which among other responsibilities, will decide how the money in the Tobacco Control Fund is spent.

JomoGbomo2: @sky blue: I think you are the one not being objective here, you just selected the part of the article that suits you. The question to you is that are there examples of bills that have nothing to do with agencies creation yet to be signed by GEJ? If yes why is he holding back?

He is holding the Nation to ransom because he wants to get back at the law makers, dumb move if you ask me.

National Heallth Bill and Nigeria Airforce Institute of Technology Bill do in fact create more federal government parastatals. So again, what are David Mark and you talking about?

NIGERIA AIRFORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BILL

link pasted below

www.nassnig.org/nass/legislation.php?id=941

Observe:

C259 Point 3 (Establishment of the Nigeria Airforce Institute of Technology)

C262 Point 8 - 10 (Establishment of a governing body known as "the Council" for administration of institute)


Again, not necessarily questioning the importanc of this bill, but the bill itself seems to be asking for the creation of a government agency. So again, what is David Mark talking about? Or am I reading the wrong bills?

JomoGbomo2: @sky blue: I think you are the one not being objective here, you just selected the part of the article that suits you. The question to you is that are there examples of bills that have nothing to do with agencies creation yet to be signed by GEJ? If yes why is he holding back?

He is holding the Nation to ransom because he wants to get back at the law makers, dumb move if you ask me.

NATIONAL HEALTH BILL LINK PASTED BELOW

http://www.herfon.org/docs/Harmonised-NATIONAL-HEALTH-BILL-2011%20doc.pdf

Observe:

Section 4 (Establishment of National Council on Health)

Section 6 (Establishment of Technical Committee on the National Council of Health)

Section 8 (Establishment of the National Tertiary Hospitals Commission)

Section 10 (Establishment of Primary Healthcare Development Fund)

Section 11 (Establishment of Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Board)

Section 31 (Establishment of National Health Research Committee)

Section 33 (Establishment of National Health Research Ethics Committee)

Section 48 (Establishment of National Blood Trasfusion Services)


Now, not necessarily knocking whatever noble ideals might have inspired this bill, but is this the same bill that David Mark is saying would have nothing to do with government agencies? Really??

Of course don't take my word of David Mark's word for it, read it for yourself and tell me we are not making more government agencies with that bill.

kaeto: omehia's spent about a year in office n did more than many thieves would have done in 8years. His awarded n payed 4 projects includes; the Eleme jnctn bridge, the bridge at airforce frm rumuokoro axis, the modern primary n sec.skuls etc. Go n ask those who know about both govnors, check the dates the contracts were actually awarded and stop wasting ur life in defence of what u know nothing about.

Please stop. How many contracts did Peter Odili sign in his eight years? How many of those contracts were executed? Wasn't signing of contracts actually exposed as a way in which he siphoned 100billion naira based on what we know alone according to EFCC reports? What development did Rivers State see under Omehia's one year, that is the real question right there. Please again, STOP!

Gbawe: Why all this bellicosity? Has anyone spoken to you rudely? In fact do you not insult folks here saying slyly that objectivity and consistency are not strenghts of Nairalanders? You make a post seeking to implore folks to consider the notion that the Presidency may have valid reason for slowness to pass bills.


Why then this immaturity and childish tantrum when it is shown to you , politely, that no less than the [b]Senate President and the head of the legislative arm, [/b]i.e David Mark, invalidates the excuse of the executive with examples of bills that have nothing to do with agencies yet remains unsigned? If some of you have a problem with those you percieve constantly criticise GEJ and his Presidency, then you should consider leaving the forum instead of 'losing' it and displaying unsolicited rudeness when others speak to you with civility even if they oppose your argument. "Move on from my post" indeed when there is no rudeness at all towards you and only a factual countering of the point you raise.

Thank you sir. Please move on

JomoGbomo2: @sky blue: I think you are the one not being objective here, you just selected the part of the article that suits you. The question to you is that are there examples of bills that have nothing to do with agencies creation yet to be signed by GEJ? If yes why is he holding back?

He is holding the Nation to ransom because he wants to get back at the law makers, dumb move if you ask me.

Read post again. Part of article selected is what I think needs consideration.

Question for you. What do YOU know about the bills in front of the president? What I find inobjective here is how we are willing to go with very little information as to what a bill entails (and hence decide for ourselves if it would require increasing the size of government - I am quite capable thinking for myself) instead of jumping on the bandwagon. Without that information if I am to go based on what the article has, passing bills that increase the size of government is antithetical to what I think the Nigerian government should strive for, a point worth considering as I clearly stated. I am NOT going to go plainly on what David Mark of all people said.

Gbawe: I think it is crystal clear that Mark pooh-poohed what you highlight as an empty excuse. Read again. He even gives an example of an unsigned bill that has nothing to do with agencies.

What the heck does "most of these bills" mean? What is most? It might be worthwhile talking with figures not superlatives just in eagerness to jump on the band wagon. At time of posting do you know the entails of the national health bill and its implications or are you just taking David Mark's word for it? I still stand by what I posted earlier.

Sky Blue: I know it is definitely not one of nairaland's strengths, but let us try and be objective and consistent at least. I thought we were all anti big government, no?? If we are as we claim then the above points in bold need to be taken into consideration.

So please, move on from my posts

kaeto: my friend stop making posts to gain popularity. Do you live in the SE/SS ? There is not 1 quality road in portharcourt except the onne-sea port new road,an FG project. Most of the giant constructions in the zone was done by the defunct Celestine Omehia gov. And most of you have no idea on what quality roads are. Every road in PH is patched anually 'cos they use MARLS as laterites during construction. Funny mediocres!

How long was Omehia in government before he was thrown out? What projects did Omehia sign off before leaving? If you cannot provide information and garnish us with facts on these I suggest you stop spreading untruths.

On a similar note, Amaechi NEEDS to finish this project before he leaves office. No point investing all the effort to leave behind ruins as vestiges of some failed promise. Amaechi needs to conclude this project and focus on the developments in his state.

[quote author=wise_many2k]dis is a silly joke....train max speed is 70km/hr? Stupid train! When trains developed in europe and asia are moving @ 320km/hr... I wonder who is d manufacturer of dis train! Perhaps Innoson [/quote]This is THE DUMBEST critique this project has received, please stop embarassing yourself. This is an INTRACITY system, not for long distance travel but within city commute.

[quote author=S@NNiE]Senate President David Mark yesterday took on
President Goodluck Jonathan over his failure to
assent to some bills passed by the National
Assembly.
Mark also said the President “distorted facts”
when he said on Monday that the lawmakers
tore up the budget proposal sent to them
thereby making it difficult for the executive to
implement it.
“A number of bills that would have changed a
lot of things for this country have not been
signed,” Mark said at the opening of a public
hearing by the Senate Committee on
Environment and Ecology on a bill to set up an
erosion control commission.
“So, my advice to the executive is to dialogue
with the legislature in matters like these and find
a common ground instead of shifting blames,”
he added, speaking through his representative,
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
At the Democracy Day symposium on Monday,
Jonathan squared up with Speaker of the House
of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal over
the bills that have stayed for a long time in the
President’s in-tray.
Tambuwal said Jonathan was shirking his
constitutional responsibility by sitting on many
bills passed by the National Assembly. In his
response, Jonathan accused lawmakers of
“tearing” the budget bill and of acting against
the manifesto of the ruling PDP.
Yesterday, Mark joined the fray.
“We expressed our displeasure over some of the
bills which we have sent to the Presidency for
assent since last year that have not received
presidential assent. And in response, the
president said that it is because we are creating
agencies. We will continue to create agencies if
it is important, because that is why we are here,”
he said.
“So, we have to do our job. Most of those bills
have nothing to do with agencies. I remember
we have the State of the Nation Address Bill, it
has nothing to do with any agency and it has not
been signed. We have the National Health Bill. It
has nothing to do with an agency. It has not
been signed. We have the Air Force Institute of
Technology Bill and Tobacco Bills.”
He added: “If institutions are to be created, they
will definitely be created. So any person who
thinks that the creation of institutions should
stop is wasting his time. It would not stop
because the society itself is dynamic.”
On the budget bill, Mark said, “I also believe that
the issue which he (Jonathan) also raised
regarding the Appropriation Bill was also a
distortion of facts. The president said that we
tore the Appropriation Bill into pieces which
made it impossible for implementation.
Certainly, that is not so.
“I am aware that the 2012 Appropriation Bill
was returned to the executive substantially the
same way they brought it. So, we are
challenging them to ensure that the 2012
Appropriation Act is fully implemented. They
have been complaining that they could not
implement the budget because of the inputs of
the National Assembly.
“So, this year, we said we are not making any
input, we are going to give you the bill the way
you brought it as a challenge to ensure that it is
implemented. So we expect them to implement
it 100 per cent because that is their own vision.
“Of course, he also made reference to a point
where they wanted to go to court to challenge
the role of the National Assembly in altering
Appropriation Bills. Well, that will be a welcome
development.
“So we want to suggest that the executive
should please take that step of going to the
Supreme Court or any court they wish to look at
the constitutionality of our role in terms of
appropriation for this country. We will be happy
to see the outcome, and of course, we will obey
whatever the court says.
“But we believe the National Assembly has the
ultimate say when it comes to the appropriation
of funds because that is what the constitution
says. If the Supreme Court or any other court
says otherwise, we would succumb to it and do
exactly what the court says.
“Some of these things I think are things we
should be able to discuss with the executive.
There is need for closer collaboration between
the parliament and the executive because if we
are close to each other, we can always discuss,
we can always dialogue. But if we are far in
between, of course, we will be shouting at each
other because for you to hear me if we are far
between, I have to raise my voice. So I don’t
think that is good for democracy.”

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=163930:mark-hits-back-at-jonathan&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8[/quote]I know it is definitely not one of nairaland's strengths, but let us try and be objective and consistent at least. I thought we were all anti big government, no?? If we are as we claim then the above points in bold need to be taken into consideration.

dirifred: Buhari should forget the presidency of Nigeria, he is still in the remote past. did you listen to his interviews at all? he is as clueless as possible.i will never waste my vote on him. if not for over politicizing everything, Goodluck and his team has good plans that was suposed to shape the future of Nigeria, But will the power hungry politician call their BOKO BOYS to order?

Are you privvy to these plans because I would genuinely like to know them. So pleasse what are these plans that Boko Haram are stifling? No 'I have a dream' speeches please, just concrete plans with measurable and tangible deliverables with which one can judge or measure progress.

I LIKE!!

This is how you cut off the fat. As long as all money saved is used for development and not thrown into more bureaucracy. We need prodevelopment budgets.
I am sure this can even be bettered, especially when we get down to STATE agencies which state governments need to also start looking at but so far, this is just about a start IF this is actually pulled off and not just talked about.

The right conditions might just be falling into place to make electricity a viable investment opportunity in the country but I remain cautiously optimistic.

On a related issue that whole subsidy thing should just be scrapped right now before its too late. How do they classify who is poor and who is not poor? Based on the area they live? Considering the indeginous nature of Nigeria and how that affects land ownership, it might not be feasible. Asking for income details might open the system to corruption. Instead of all the headache, just ask Nigerians to pay for their power. AS LONG AS WE ONL PAY FOR WHAT WE GET!!! Nigerians have never complained about not being able to afford power, but more about paying for what they don't get, so abeg, nobody send una message for dat side.

The issue with governing Nigerians has alays been trust. This is the reason Nigerians fought so vehemently against removal of fuel subsidy, no trust that the savings would be used diligently (and they were kind of proved right). So please no more subsidies so we don't have another wahala when it is time to remove it. And no more talking about plans to do something, just do it let us see. Nigerians have also grown impatient after decades of appalling leadership. Just give us power. . . .and this automatically becomes the best administration the country has seen in a long time.

The dumbest waste of OUR money ever. What utter nonsense. Are they also going to force police to everyone's house to make sure they are using the bulbs? You want people to use energy saving bulbs then put higher tax on non-energy saving bulbs. This is just so ridiculous it it shocking. It is OUR MONEY they are using to do this?? Nigeria is not rich. There are many areas crying for funding. Unbelievable!

ballabriggs: Everytime the man speaks the PDP people go defensive. What the hell are they scared of is something I find it difficult to understand. He has only said what is inevitable if things continue this way in Nigeria. This charade called democracy is not sustainable. It is ruining every aspect of our lives. It has got to change. But the problem is whether it is going to change for good or for bad. That is why these people who are there to loot, kill and deceive the people have got to wake up. For how long are we going to cry restructuring? Anyone expecting Jonathan to move for restructuring is joking. If he does then how would he be able to stone Sylva? They are so scared of loosing power at the center. Nigerians have got to wake up to vote out the PDP. Voting them again is like rewarding mediocrity. It is not done in any serious democracy. The PDP is a very retrogressive party.

I understand your point, and honestly, I agree with most of what you have said. However, do we cut off the nose to spite the face? The problem with elections has always been about a viable alternative with regards to the parties we currently have. Last election was about two things: Was Buhari a better option than PDP; and those who saw themselves as fighting against a northern 'born to rule' mentality especially after the whole Yar Adua death fiasco.

I was swayed slightly towards Buhari, not because I thought he was the answer (because I didn't and don't), but because I thought it would be good to make a break from PDP so they know what it feels like to lose an election since I think they have gotten waaay too complacent and comfortable. Did I believe in Buhari enough to campaign for others to vote for him? NO! And therein lies the problem. NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVES.

If you want to inspire people to leave the devil they know, then it has to be done with viable alternatives that the people see as different enough in what they can bring to what attains. If Fashola had declared for precidency last year, I would have put in my own money and done fundraising and campaigning for the guy my darn self (even though I don't believe he is the panacea to Nigeria's problems but definitely worthwhile). And that is the difference.

People seem to be unable to reconcile the fact that Buhari does not cut out to be the inspiring figure they see him to be and get angry with others when all they see in him is an EX MILITARY DICTATOR. That also has to stop. The assumption that those who chose Jonathan over Buhari somehow don't have the interest of Nigeria at heart or are less politicaly savvy is both condencending and patronising, and will win you no converts to the cause. What we need as we have always done, is a viable alternative that people can believe in and get behind. The work starts now and not one month to elections. With his utterances today Buhari has just made me feel even more distant from whatever it was he was meant to stand for.

Buhari the federal government did not "increase" the price of petrol, they unsuccesfully attempted to remove subsidy. It is not the same thing! That is saying, instead of the government paying for it, Nigerians pay for it. I hope he knows the difference. I hope this is just poor translation as can sometimes be the case because that speech was not impressive at all and I seriously not see this man leading the country with this type of mentality.

When power sector is deregulated and put in private hands and tarriffs go up what would he say? That government increased the price of electricity?

Funny thread. Quite amusing watching people fighting over their state being richer than the other in a country as desperately poor as Nigeria. You guys don't know what wealth is. Anyways, in the country of the blind the one eyed man is . . . you know the rest. Continue clinging to backward village champion status.

FOI bill being signed into law is one of the very few things that come to mind. If this is a genuine attempt to uncover the truth (which I doubt it is) then the internet is your friend, do some research. However if this is just a guise to open another bashing and meaningless thread I will say grow up, its irritating, we have way too many of those already, and I always scratch my head wondering what exactly are the point of such or what they achieve. Or do we now just post things for the sake of posting? At least I can see the genuine benefit to the 'Jonathan's Promises' thread. Very useful, we can rally around that thread, track promises and attempt to hold government to account with the information. This thread on the other hand creates an avenue for what??

Ficeo: I wept when he gave up. That was when I knew that Due process and obeying the rule of law is dead. RIP my best president that ever lived.

What due process, is it the one where the AGF was very actively blocking investigations of certain individuals like Ibori in the UK? Is it the due process that saw Yar Adua refuse one of the major recommendations of the Uwais report that removed power of choosing electoral chairman from the presidency? You actually believe it was Yr Adua that gave Nigerians the most open elections it has seen since reintroduction to democracy? Please what due process are you talking about? Save your stories for people who have amnesia abeg and sing another story, not every body was blind. Seven point agenda my yansh. Don't doubt he was a nice man if you decide to go down that line, but his presidency was RUBBISH. No need to compare him with satan to make yourself feel better about it. Rubbish is Rubbish.

hipinnacle: Today is exactly 2 years that you left us in the hands of the Buccaneers. When you were around we thought you were the bad one, the luckless one, the slow one and the sick one. Yes, you were sick, in fact, too sickly all through your administration, but you were never as sick as these current brain sick pirates. We all cried for your resignation at the height of your sickness, lampooning you, your first lady and your supporters (The first set of Cabals), asking you to die if you want to die and allow the man with all the luck in this world to lead us. We forgot that even though you were sick, you were the first Governor to have ever declared ur assets publicly and you remained the only President in the history of Nigeria to have ever declare his assets publicly. We conveniently forgot that even though you were gravely sick you were the first president to ever reduced the price of petrol in Nigeria,(This you did twice. From #75 to #70 and later from #70 to #65 ) and the economy did not collapse like the present Brigands are making us believe. We forgot that you didn't afflict yourself with your sickness and so could do very little about it, but we still insisted that you just have to go, just because Mr luck will have the chance to rule us. We forgot that even though you were terminally ill, you still succeeded in solving the NigerDelta crisis which you didn't cause, but which you promised to find a solution to (when the present nitwits keep blaming others for their inability to govern a country well). You gave us rule of Law, Andy Uba lost in court and was removed as Anambra State's Governor in less than 3 hours. Oni lost in Ekiti and was removed, Agagu lost in Ondo and was removed, Osunbor lost in Edo and was removed even though they are all your party people. You can compare and contrast that with Sylva's case in Bayelsa and see if we are still practising rule of law. President Umaru Musa Yaradua, we have seen what a healthy president has been doing with us. R.I.P

And this is just a sample from a few posts on the same theme. . .

NIGERIA INDEED DESERVES THE LEADER IT GETS. Simple as, no coma no hyphen, fullstop, period. We are experts at rationalising failure. Satan can come and r.ape that country from all sides all the way to the moon and some people will say in retrospect that "well, at least he told us before he did it, no one ever used to warn us before". What a truly sick nation. Why wouldn't history repeat itself? Why?? That people can't recall not knowing where there president was for a good number of months, that people do not remember Aondoaka, Ibori, Turai and co is something else, that people can't remember Ribadu and the "police course" he was sent on as a means of phasing him out. What a hopelessly abused citizenry with messed up psyche. Your President was disappearing a good number of weeks every year, we did not know where the president was for months, other countries knew your president had died before you did, and that does not shame you in any way?

Genuinely scratching my head at the point of this news. Is it to create sympathy or what exactly?? Because following the corruption that trailed the so called money savings from the subsidy removal, looking for sympathy feels rather audacious. When people see you as achieving then they would be more willing to indulge you but I'm afraid right now he just sounds like a narcissist. But hey, he did not ask for this to go in the papers I guess . . . . . .so can't really blame him for that, this was for those who attended whatever conference it was to swallow and not for national consumption (the only way it doesn't seem so pathetic)

Nothing wrong with reshuffling if it keeps the ministers on their toes. But Mr President, can you at least pick competent people that will actually work this time so you don't have to reshuffle the week after this reshuffle. Note: reshuffling does not count as achievement! . . . it just, . . . . . it just reaally doesn't count . . . . really doesn't.

THANK YOUUUU!!! FINALLY!!!! I have been wondering when this was going to get addressed. So how many ministers are we going to appoint and how much of the budget is going to be allocated to what I hope is a new ministry charged with these most arduos of tasks? It is a difficult and bold step but it is imperative and in the national interest.

Just last week I heard a five year old address his seven year old brother as "Chief", and I was like What the hell?!!?? Like, really, What the hell!! Can you imagine??!!!! What on earth is this world coming to?? Sure when I grabbed him by the hand and dared him to repeat what he just said and see if he wouldn't see red he said that is what they call his brother at home.

Now my question is this; did the parents go through the appropriate requirements and bodies before they started calling that little brat "Chief"? I checked, they didn't even know what I was talking about when I asked, and even decided to play ignorant. Since when did the title of "Junior" go out of fashion for these new 'too cool for school' generation of parents??

I also propose a task force and a corresponding ministry for the logistics of deploying this said force to areas they are desperatly needed (Some states go hear am pass and una know una self ).

See my vision, I am talking with friends and one of the doucebags throws around the C word flippantly to address somebody who has clearly not been vetted by the Agency for Chieftancy Ratification. I tell him the first time to mind his mouth before I do him bad tin. He drops the C word subsequently and I just vex and make that call, next thing I know it I am hearing helicopters (too many potholes in road it will take too long and not as cool), and I see men in black jump out like rambo to dish out prejudicial justice to the scumbag. This is the Nigeria of my dreams. Good to know the government is finally looking out for me. God bless Nigeria.

MeGaStReEt: Nigeria is a comedy country. If the security agents knows who these Boko Haram sponsors are, and they have their names, why not arrest them and put them in to detention. WHAT THA FVCK ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WITH THEIR NAMES

That is the real joke in all of this and I second that emotion. Do they think this is like writing names of noise makers or are the citizenry now supposed to do the arrest and prosecution for them?

FRONT PAGE PLEASE. If it can be pinned on top of the board even better. Let us see which ones we can tick off.

jmaine: Oga make we hear word jare . . .The situation we are in now is akin to the proverbial scenario of a Mosquito perching on the scrotal sac . . .Do you slam it to kill it or you chose to endure the pain while it feeds . .whichever way involves a negative value . . so you have to exercise patience while trying to solve your predicament

In life, when faced with two evils , ,it's always better you go for the lesser evil . . .And for the record, am not a Boko apologist but when i see a dicey situation . . .objectivity demands i say it as it is despite whatever support i have for GEJ . . calling their bluff and Boko haram eventually blowing people into bits is a steeper prize to pay than show up on TV to save countless lives considering our present inadequacies in dealing decisively with them . . .

But I'm sure you can see how easily this can turn into a slippery slope. If we unintentionally hold boko haram to such importance in national affairs that they can summon the presidency (this is not about Jonathan) at whim, then they have suceeded in fully holding the nation to ransom and can easily continue using threats to get the attention they need to be robbed of.

By asking the presidency to attend their summons you assume they will halt the bombing and can be reasoned with this way. You seem to be counting on some kind of code of honour or etiquette which (sorry to disappoint you) might be non existent. These are terrorists. What exactly is their idealogy? Think about it for a sec, what is it they say they want? Sharia in the whole of Nigeria. . . . . And you think they are reasonable people?

Allowing sharia to exist in the first place will remain a bloody stain of conviction on the OBJ administration. Now who will bell that sharia cat? Why introduce something which would be almost impossible to remove without bloodshed?

All I am interested in knowing is the specific parts of the country (LGA by LGA) they have grassroot support and sympathisers (if any), because then it's all about pushing for the motion for them to carry their supporters and form their republic, no be by force abeg. On the other hand this issue has indeed been handled incompetently and what is more alarming is the talks of "boko haram sponsors" the federal government keeps reeling out from time to time. Does this seem like game or is Jonathan that stup!d?

If you can't arrest these so called sponsors then shut the hell up about it and take responsibility for that ineptitude. Stop continuously spitting on the intelligence (no matter how disappointing) of millions of Nigerians. Saying there are sponsors every two weeks will not win you sympathy from sensible people especially when you make allusions to knowing who these sponsors are. It just makes you look extremely daft and stup!d!!! That to me is the real scandal!!! Some times one really has the desire to give that man a dirty slap.

Omen100: Please i am not the author of the writeup or letter, i saw it somewhere and i thought of it for some seconds and it occur to me that the best place to discuss high delicate matters like in nairaland, a land where some of the best brains in Nigeria duels, so Nairalanders, lets deliberate on the matter, because like what someone once said in another thread, that God Almighty is about to expose the evil doers in the land by setting confusions in their gathering.


AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN BY CHIEF TIMIPRE SYLVA

As I write you this letter, Mr. President, Sir, I feel a spell of grief in me, not because I have lost the office of Governor, but because of the totally unjust way, manner, reason and people used to remove me from office and the wave of state persecution still lynching on me. Most painful is that it is you, the President that is at the centre of it all. I believe I have not done anything wrong personally to you to deserve this. If on issues of performance as Governor, and popularity as a politician in Bayelsa State, comparatively, the records are clearly in my favour. But I know we have had political differences in the past and sometimes disagreed openly on public policies and strategies. I have always believed that we did so for public good and never took it any further. It would seem, however, that Mr. President has taken these disagreements too personal. In this case, I leave the matter in the able hands of God Almighty, our Creator.

In the discharge of my official duties to my country as a public servant, as an Honourable Member in the House of Assembly, as a Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources and as a Governor of Bayelsa State, I have been mindful of and guided by the provisions of the law, and had always acted in the best interest of the public. On this point, I can confidently say that I have absolutely nothing to hide and I desire to come and face the law. But I have a grave fear that I might end up coming to face trumped-up charges, not necessarily relating to my public service, but on pure and baseless political vendetta that can cost me my very life.

If only the President can apply empathy in reasoning out this matter, that is putting yourself in my position, surely you will agree with me that the events leading to my removal as Governor of Bayelsa State cast ominously dark clouds over the intentions of the federal government towards me. Apart from the fact that the whole world knows that it is you who denied me the right to contest my party’s nomination and consequently the general election, however, in the desperate attempt to justify to the Nigerian public this infringement, the federal government falsely accused me of treason; a charge that carries the death penalty. It was publicly stated by the party and even security officials then that it was my immunity as a serving Governor that hindered my arrest. Although, I flatly denied this evil accusation and called you to witness, not a word came from you either publicly or privately to me on this very grave claim.

Please also recall how immediately following my exclusion from the governorship contest, Bayelsa State, particularly the state capital, Yenagoa, including the Government House, was completely over run by the Armed Forces, Police and other Security Agencies in a war-like invasion. As a Governor, my constitutional immunity was ignored and I had to escape for my dear life. Even plain administrative requirement of simply applying in writing for the use of a state property was abused and the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, was forced open by armed security personnel to conduct the so-called People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.

In addition, after my removal from office, your utterances against my person and government clearly betrayed a deep-seated odium in you for me. For example, the Timi Alaibe Panel, set up to investigate my administration, is composed of my arch political rivals, which betrayed the ill-determination of the government to be unfair and unjust to me. Leadership has moral standards, but with all due respect to the office of the President, I can impassively say that in your dealings with me since my taking over from you the governorship office of Bayelsa State, your actions and attitude have fallen far below the universally acceptable standards. With all these, therefore, I cannot in all honesty say that I still have any modicum of trust in you on any matter concerning me, especially when my life is on the line.

Consequently, I demand from you, Mr. President, a public statement that I have no treason allegation against me as put out during the desperate days to deny me the governorship contest; that the claim was untruly made in the heat of the moment, and an assurance that such a trumped-up charge shall not be levelled against me. My fear is not that any such charge, if made, shall be proven – I know it cannot because I committed no such offence – but having seen how the Judiciary operated in cases where the President has vested interest, I fear that the President can make any trumped-up charge against me stick in the courts. On this point, I may well remind the President how a Court Order was conjured like magic and handed to INEC to substitute my name for Hon. Seriake Dickson as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for Bayelsa State. Had my life been on the line on that matter, I would have long been a condemned man.

Notwithstanding, in the course of all these injustices and impunities against me and our democracy, I maintained a wilful silence as I pursued and tried to defend and advance my cause peacefully and through the law. This is well in line with my acclaimed disposition and character of being a man of peace, honesty, and respect for the rule of law as well as a patriot and a democrat. Honest Bayelsans will attest to this claim since I joined active politics in 1991.

I am due to appear before the Court of Law in Abuja on May 8th, 2012 on financial charges brought against me by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. I have no problem with that as I believe I can defend each and every action I took in office as Governor and I earnestly desire to come defend and clear myself of these charges, but my fear of being framed-up by the federal government on diabolical political charges are well founded. I therefore in good faith make the above demand of the President to enable me come and defend myself. Without immunity and without such a public statement and assurance from you, and given how far you stretched yourself in the past against me, sometimes at the risk of dislocating the entire national democratic structure and bringing to ridicule the sanctity of the judiciary, I am afraid, in all honesty, I cannot risk appearing in public anywhere in Nigeria while you superintend over the affairs of the country as President. In other words, I cannot entrust my life in your hands as I am not sure of the limit you can go in your intentions against me. This demand, therefore, is made as a condition-precedent to my appearing in court. If, however, this demand is not granted, then I will be left with no choice but to leave Nigeria and formally apply for Political Asylum in a foreign country on the ground of political persecution till such a time when you vacate office as President of Nigeria.

I hope you will give this letter the seriousness it deserves by kindly acceding to my demand.

Thank you.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Signed:

CHIEF TIMIPRE SYLVA

Cc:

The Senate President

The Chief Justice of Nigeria

The Speaker, House of Representatives

The Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party

The very definition of narcissism. Nothing about the people or underdevelopment in the state (and many of our so called leaders reason like this - they will steal heaven and earth then when it comes back to bite them it becomes "woe is me" )

The only solution to the PDP quagmire is citizenry involvement in governance and a viable alternative. At the end of the day the election process comes down to choice. The choice between a gunshot and a rusty knife don't make either an ideal.

This man needs to sing a less embaraasing tune. All the underage voters in the north, were they all voting for PDP? How can he be sure only PDP rigged, or is the election only considered fair in areas CPC won? He should please stop, Nigeria generally got the leader they voted for, whether it was the choice the country needed is a different matter altogether. You can't force the whole country to like you.

CyberG: After screaming for AGES, some people can now SCREAM what we always knew on the pages of newspapers and publicly. I can imagine the DUMB STOOPID look on his face when he reads that he has been finally found out. Even the Analytic Chemistry teacher Yaradua is way ahead of this piece of ass shiite JONADUNCE EMPTYLUCK.

Nigerians and short term memory, it really is no wonder that history will always repeat itself in that country. We will always continue jumping between frying pan and fire. I don dey tire for that country, honestly!