₦airaland Forum

Ever since the crisis in NASS, with the people the Jagaban himself supported not winning the post that was allocated to them by the party leader. Different kind of talks, rumours and counter rumours av been flying from one post to another.
Just yesterday and today PMB has been meeting with various groups in the party and reminding them the party is supreme. But the man at the centre Tinubu is yet to make comment or any statement from is own angle.
While the media is awash with different kind of speculations and opinions, he(Tinubu) is just sitting quietly and silence. Is this Silence golden or a strategy or a defeat? Pls I need the political analyst to answer me.

Tinubu hmmm ur silence is causing more itches we sorry I wish u can jus say a word to all ds APC crisis. The Jagaban is this one of the strategy of a leader am jus asking.

Nollyworld I pray they learn and stop this rush jus to make a movie.. they need to also improve on the equipment use in producing their films.

Anoda thing I think Nollyworld shu improve on is the story line..I notice if one movie com out on romance bfo u kno it all nollyworld script writer will jus focus on love as if there nothing else more to write on.

That serve him right...I wonder how he would av those lovely girl.

I think Nigerian electorate ar still in learning stage...if we can vite PDP of power drunk and the former largest political party in African out of power cos of non performance then ds current political holder shu watch their back. Time flies in mins and secs 2019 wl b here then we d electorate we determine who again shu rep us.

Wike, Ekweremadu differ with Jonathan, wife
over Sekibo
•
Akpabio seeks Minority Leader’s slot against
Senate rules
James Manager, longest serving senator, may
lose out
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)
continues to grapple with the challenges posed
by the allocation of the principal positions of the
National Assembly, a similar crisis is brewing in
the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Expectedly too, the situation in the PDP appears
to have pitched some influential leaders of the
party, including the immediate-past president, Dr
Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, against the
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike
Ekweremadu as well as Governor Nyesom Wike
of Rivers State.
While both Ekweremadu and Wike are against the
choice of Senator George Sekibo as Minority
Leader as suggested by the former first family,
the immediate-past governor of Akwa-Ibom
State and now senator, Godswill Akpabio, has
thrown his hat in the ring for the same position.
But Akpabio’s ambition, which is at variance
with the Senate Rules on ranking is almost
having the blessing of majority of the senators
from the South-south, the zone the position of
Senate Minority Leader has been allocated.
Curiously, the chances of Senator James
Manager, who had hitherto been touted as the
Senate Minority Leader are looking dim as
financial muscle appears to have laid a path
ahead of the final decision that will be
announced when the senate resumes plenary on
July 21.
A senator from the South-south zone confided in
a team of journalists that the brewing crisis was
‘capable of weakening the PDP ahead of its role
as a viable opposition party in the years ahead’.
“We are seeing the APC crisis now, ours is also
in the making because before July 21, if we too
don’t sort ourselves out, we can at best say that
what is capable of weakening the PDP ahead of
its role as a viable opposition party in the years
ahead may have been planted.
“We all thought the issue of Senate Minority
Leader has been laid to rest until the DSP
(Deputy Senate President) called us for a
meeting in his house where he sort peoples
opinion on the propriety or otherwise of selecting
Senator Ita Enang for the position.
“I think it was from there the former Akwa-Ibom
governor got the feeling that if the matter has to
be revisited, then he would take a shot at it, but
he doesn’t know that his ambition is against the
rules of the senate as regards the selection of its
principal officers.
“Before then, we were all facing the challenge of
the suggestion by the former president and his
wife that we should consider Sekibo who is from
Rivers State but the duo of Ekweremadu and
Wike kicked against it.
“From all indications, if we don’t step in on time,
our earlier decision backing James Manager may
fail because you know what money can do in
politics; we can’t say money won’t work in this
circumstance.
“Although Akpabio has argued that both Manager
and the House Minority Leader-designate, Hon
Leo Ogor, being from Delta state, cannot hold the
two positions simultaneously, we have also told
him that since the PDP is in unusual
circumstances, we can allow that to fly.
The opposition PDP on Tuesday, zoned minority
positions in both chambers of the National
Assembly.
The party’s national publicity secretary, Olisa
Metuh who disclosed that at the end of its
meeting, the National Working Committee (NWC)
zoned the Senate Minority Leader to South-
South while the North-central will produce
Minority Whip.
Deputy Minority Leader and Deputy Minority
Whip go to North-east and South-west
respectively, while in the House of
Representatives, PDP said it accepted the choice
of the members who has already chosen Hon.
Leo Ogor from South-south as Minority Leader.
Metuh however, said the North-west will produce
the Minority Whip while the South-east and
North-east will produce Deputy Minority Leader
and Deputy Minority Whip respectively.
He said the party expects that, in consonance
with the provision of the Standing Rules of the
National Assembly, members will use their
various zonal party caucuses to chose party
principal officers to enable PDP provide effective
opposition in the National Assembly.
“We have directed them to note that in
accordance with the practice and convention of
our party, the nomination process should take
into consideration ranking, gender and religious
sensitivities,” he said.
However, baring any last minute switch of fate,
indications emerged yesterday that Akpabio
might be nominated to the position of Minority
Leader in the eighth Senate.
THISDAY gathered from sources at the National
Assembly that Akpabio’s colleagues within the
South-south Senate caucus of the PDP might
have settled for the former governor as their
choice of the Senate Minority Leader.
Although there were others who are interested in
the position, but the source said Akpabio
appeared to be having an upper hand following
the perceived leadership qualities during his stint
as the chairman of the PDP governors forum.
PDP rose from a meeting of the National Working
Committee (NWC) Thursday, to approve the
zoning structure for the party’s share of principal
offices.
Under the zoning structure, the party said the
South -South is to produce Minority Leader,
Minority Whip (North-central), Deputy Minority
Leader (North-east) while Deputy
Minority Whip will emerge from the South-west.
Similarly, the party zoned the Minority Leader in
the House of Representatives to the South-
south, Minority Whip (North-west), Deputy
Minority Leader (South-east) and Deputy
Minority Whip (North-east).
In approving the zoning formula, PDP advised its
lawmakers to use the various zonal party
caucuses to choose the party’s principal officers
in consonance with the provision of the National
Assembly Standing Rules.
It charged the legislators to ensure that they
provide effective opposition in the respective
chambers of the National Assembly.

Ginaz:
everybody needs attention but when we sell our self worth to get it, it becomes a problem.

anyway I'm not perfect, so I won't judge!

seconded....

Oko oni baje oooooo...

sometimes I wonder wat d world is turning to just op one day a crazy judge will not legalise raping... hmmm I bliv ppu frown at same sex sometime ago today its bn legalise God save us.

Barely a month after Muhammadu Buhari,
became Nigeria’s President, many Nigerians
are already reminding him of his campaign
promises.
It would be recalled that the former head of
state was sworn in as the country’s President
on May 29, 2015, after he defeated former
president Goodluck Jonathan.

In this regards, a famous social commentator,
Ike Chidolue, on Saturday, June 27, went on
his Facebook page to post 81 campaign
promises made by Buhari.
Below are the campaign promises as posted
by Chidolue:
1. Public declaration of assets and liabilities
2. State and community policing
3. Ban on all government officials from seeking
medical care abroad
4. Implementation of the National Gender
Policy, including 35% of appointive positions
for women
5. Revival of Ajaokuta steel company
6. Generation, transmission and distribution of
at least 20,000 MW of electricity within four
years and increasing to 50,000 MW with a view
to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply
within 10 years.
7. Empowerment scheme to employ 740,000
graduates across the 36 states and the Federal
Capital Territory.
8. Establishment of a free-tuition and
scholarship scheme for pupils who have shown
exceptional aptitude in science subjects at O/
Levels to study ICT-related courses.
9. 720,000 jobs by the 36 states in the
federation yearly (20,000 per state).
10. Three million Jobs per year
11. To embark on vocational training,
entrepreneurial and skills acquisition schemes
for graduates along with the creation of a
Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to
create at least 5 million new jobs by 2019.
12. Churches and Mosques would not pay
taxes under national laws, but if they engage in
businesses, the businesses would pay tax.
13. Provision of allowances to the discharged
but unemployed Youth Corps members for
Twelve (12) months while in the skills and
entrepreneurial development programme
14. Making the economy one of the fastest-
growing emerging economies in the world with
a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.
15. Creation of a Social Welfare Programme of
at least fivethousand naira (N5000) that will
cater for the 25 million poorest and most
vulnerable citizens upon the demonstration of
children’s enrollment in school and evidence of
immunisation to help promote family stability
16. Recruitment and training of at least
100,000 officers into the Nigerian police force
and establish a Federal Anti-terrorism Agency.
17. One free meal (to include fruits) daily, for
public primary school pupils
18. Building an airport in Ekiti State
19. Eradication of state of origin, replacing
that with state of residence to ensure
Nigerians are Nigerians first before anything
else.
20. Establishment of crime squad to combat
terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, militants,
ethno-religious and communal clashes
nationwide
21. Working with the National Assembly
towards the immediate enactment of a Whistle
Blower Act
22. Economic stability for the ECOWAS nations
and maintaining a strong, close and frank
relationship with West Africa, South Africa, UK,
USA, Canada, and other African countries
23. Establishing a conflict resolution
commission to help prevent, mitigate and
resolve civil conflicts within the polity.
24. All political office holders earn only the
salaries and emoluments determined and
approved by the Revenue Mobilisation and
Fiscal Commission (RMFAC).
25. Permanent peace in the Niger Delta and
other conflict prone areas such as Plateau,
Taraba, Bauchi, Borno and Abia.
26. No plans to Islamise Nigeria.
27. Nationwide sanitation plans to keep
Nigeria clean
28. Preserving the independence of the Central
Bank
29. Simplifying immigration process to foster
faster visa processing at points of entry.
30. Special incentives to facilitate the
education of the girl child
31. Full implementation of the National
Identification Scheme to generate the relevant
data.
32. Making Information Technology,
Manufacturing, Agriculture and Entertainment
key drivers of our economy
33. Balancing the economy across regions by
the creation of six new Regional Economic
Development Agencies (REDAs) to act as
champions of sub-regional competitiveness
34. Putting in place a N300 billion regional
growth fund (average of N50 billion in each
geo-political region) to be managed by the
REDAs.
35. Amending the Constitution and the Land
Use Act to create freehold/leasehold interests
in land along with matching grants for states
to create a nationwide electronic land title
register on a state by state basis.
36. Reviving and reactivating the minimally
performing refineries to optimum capacity.
37. Creating additional middle-class of at least
two million new home owners in the first year
in government and one million annually
thereafter.
38. Creating an additional middle class of at
least four million new home owners by 2019 by
enacting national mortgage single digit interest
rates for purchase of owner occupier houses
as well as reviewing the collateral qualification
to make funding for home ownership easier,
with 15 to 30 year mortgage terms.
39. Enacting a national mortgage system that
will lend at single digit interest rates for
purchase of owner occupier houses.
40. Injecting extra N30 billion into the
Agricultural sector to create more agro-allied
jobs by way of loans at nominal interest rates
for capital investment on medium and
commercial scale cash crops.
41. You farm, government buys, guaranteeing
a minimum price for selected crops and
facilitate storage of agricultural products as
and when necessary.
42. Creating a national infrastructural
development bank to provide loans at nominal
interest rates exclusively for this sector.
43. Construction of 3,000km of superhighway
including service trunks.
44. Building of up to 4,800km of modern
railway lines – one third to be completed by
2019.
45. At least one functioning airport is available
in each of the 36 states.
46. Ending gas flaring and ensuring sales of at
least half of gas produce, within Nigeria.
47. Speedily passing the much-delayed
Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and ensuring that
local content issues are fully addressed.
48. Establishing at least six new universities of
science and technology with satellite
campuses in various states.
49. Establishing six centres of excellence to
address the needs of special education.
50. Prioritising the reduction of the infant
mortality rate by 2019 to 3%.
51. Reducing maternal mortality by more than
70%.
52. Reducing HIV/AIDs infection rate by 50%
and other infectious diseases by 75%.
53. Improving life expectancy by additional 10
years on average.
54. Increasing the number of physicians from
19 per 1000 population to 50 per 1000
55. Increasing national health expenditure per
person per annum to about N50,000 (from less
than N10,000 currently).
56. Increasing the quality of all federal
government-owned hospitals to world class
standard within five years.
57. Ensuring timely payment of retirement
benefits for all pensioned senior citizens and
creating a poverty safety net for all aged
citizens above the age of 65.
58. Amending the Constitution to require local
governments to publish their meeting minutes,
service performance data, and items of
spending over N10 million.
59. Requiring full disclosure in media outlets,
of all government contracts over N100 million
prior to award and during implementation at
regular interval.
60. Amending the Constitution to remove
immunity from prosecution for elected officers
in criminal case.
61. Initiating action to amend the Nigerian
Constitution with a view to devolving powers,
duties, and responsibilities to states in order to
entrench true federalism and the federal spirit.
62. Reforming and strengthening the justice
system for efficient administration and
dispensation of justice with the creation of
special courts for accelerated hearing of
corruption, drug trafficking, terrorism and
similar cases of national importance.
63. Establishing world-class sports academy
and training institutes and ensure that Nigeria
occupies a place of pride in global sports and
athletics.
64. Reviving the Nigerian football league and
putting incentives in place to make it as
competitive as other national leagues.
65. Putting in place measures to identify
talents early and ensuring their participation in
local and international games to enable them
become professionals.
66. Assisting Nollywood to fully develop into
world class movie industry that can compete
effectively with Hollywood and Bollywood in
due course.
67. Ensuring that the rights of women are
protected as enshrined in our Constitution.
68. Guaranteeing that women are adequately
represented in government appointments and
providing greater opportunities in education,
job creation and economic empowerment.
69. Promoting the concept of reserving a
minimum number of seats in the National
Assembly for women.
70. Free maternal and children healthcare
services.
71. Stabilising the naira.
72. Targeting up to 20% of our annual budget
for this critical sector whilst making
substantial investments in training quality
teachers at all levels of the educational system
(some other APC policy documents had 15%).
73. Ensuring compliance with policies and
measures to halt the pollution of rivers and
waterways in the Niger Delta and other parts
of the country.
74. Adopting a holistic approach to erosion
and shoreline protection across the country.
75. ECOWAS currency by 2020 under Nigeria’s
guidance and leadership.
76. Maintaining strong, close and frank
relationships within the Gulf of Guinea, the
Commonwealth, South Africa and the rest of
the world.
77. Establishing a new special relationship with
the leading emerging markets like Brazil,
Russia, India and China (BRIC) and other
strategic partners around the world.
78. Government intends to commission a
sociological study to determine Boko Haram’s
origins, remote and immediate causes of the
movement, its sponsors, the international
connections to ensure that measures are taken
to prevent a recurrence of the evil.
79. Strengthening INEC to reduce, if possible,
eliminate electoral malpractices in Nigerian’s
political life.
80. Improving operational and legal
mechanisms so that disciplinary steps are
taken against proven human rights violations
by the Armed Forces.
81. Free education at primary, secondary and
tertiary institutions for Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and
Education.
(Ike Chidolue gave credit to Comrade Ikem
Anthony Kalzeeni)
Which one of this campaign promises has been
fulfilled and which one of them do you think is
unrealistic?

It would be recalled that the Lagos PDP
currently has two chairmen.
“There is no division in the party. It is just
some minions misbehaving. There are laws in
the party. The state chairman is a member of
the National Executive Committee of the party.
I didn’t state it: It is part of the party’s
constitution that no member of the NEC can be
removed by any lower strata except by the
NEC.
“Thus, I don’t know the constitution they used
in removing the chairman. They are doing it for
their selfish interest. Whatever Musiliu
Obanikoro is doing in Lagos is just a
nonsensical move. They should be dealt with
by the disciplinary committee of the party and
thrown out. I think the ultimate plan is to get
some people to defect to the APC.
“Is Obanikoro a loyal member of the party?
Party chairmen cannot be removed illegally.
When we wanted our national chairman,
Adamu Mu’azu, to go, we did not do it
illegally. He resigned by himself.
We are at the Election Petitions Tribunal and
need to be focused. This is not the time for
such misbehaviour,” he said.
Speaking on how the party will forge ahead
with no national chairman or Board of Trustess
chairman, he said it is only the NEC that can
recommend a new chairman and call a
convention to ratify the decision.
“Thus, in the meantime, the deputy national
chairman is acting (in that capacity). Since the
chairman has resigned, it is the responsibility
of BoT members to elect a new BoT chairman
and that can be done internally by the BoT
members.
“The BoT does not have executive powers like
the national chairman. It is the elders’ club of
the party and it only handles serious matters
which the party cannot handle. Thus, Dr. Aliru
Bello is acting for now. We don’t do elections
in BoT, we just do consultation and appoint”,
he averred.
Meanwhile, he had earlier taken a swipe at
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying he’s a
joker if he thinks he has the full control of the
Southwest, adding that the APC national leader
lacks knowledge of Yoruba history.

what is good about ds stuff....has d church go down to this extent let call a spade this guys not born again with their lifestyle. Yet they climb d alter dt suppose to b a sacred place that they com from a xtain home dos not make dem holy and that they ar celebrities shu not b a guarantee fo any1 to c them as saint. This is where som church ar missing it these dudes ar not gospel singer so while celebrating them in d church neida ar dey in d chrch to c God.

This days pastor shu mind how dey corrupt d alter of d most high jus to pls ordinary mortal men.

Op while u may b right in your opinion, probably cos of the type of men u meet; the young one who hardly keep honesty wt their single babe and the married who goes after anything in skirt justified ur saying..but just as in in d days of Joseph where portiphar wife thought every young men ar the same Joseph proof her wrong. so back to ur question there ar still men like that jus as u wish but one thing is don't create a man God has already created in ur mind.

Is eida the msg make dem tired or they both tired due to d wedding pparatn...

Pardon the cheek. I want to give you a quick
assignment this morning. Please pick up your
phone. Call at least three of your friends. Ask
them to list the most urgent national issues, in
their own opinion, at the moment. Let's be quick
with it, please. Here we go. One… Two… Three…
Are you done? Great. Did any of them list Senate
Majority Leader and Chief Whip as their
priorities? What about Deputy Majority Leader?
The ones I called said the urgent issues are the
falling naira, unpaid salaries, the looming fuel
crisis, erratic power supply and rising insecurity,
notably the renewed Boko Haram attacks and
increasing armed robberies. None of them
mentioned Chief Whip.
My friends must be out of touch, you would say.
Reading the news, after all, they should know
that the most urgent issue in Nigeria today is
the politics of sharing political spoils at the
National Assembly, which has become the
battleground for a test-run of the 2019
presidential election — with various interests
strategising to take control. The undercurrents of
this proxy war will not be televised. In the
absence of anything of significance happening at
Aso Rock, the National Assembly is the centre of
attraction. The politicians are keeping us
entertained with their usual who-gets-what
fiasco, while thousands of distracted Nigerians
are at the ringside soaking in the fun.
I have been well lectured that we need to put the
National Assembly "in order" before the new
administration can take off and I must express
my sincere gratitude to my teachers. I suspect
that the naira is falling because the house of
representatives is yet to have its principal
officers, and we should expect a better exchange
rate when the reps reconvene in July and make
those appointments. Armed robbers, sensing that
Senate President Bukola Saraki was not the
preferred candidate of the APC, have gone on the
rampage. Hopefully, if Senator Ahmad Lawan is
made senate president, the robbers will beat a
retreat remorsefully.
Wake up, fellow Nigerians, we are in trouble. Big
trouble. Saraki is the least of our problems. Our
economy has had a ghastly accident. It suffered
multiple fractures and lost a lot of blood. We
don't seem to know it. Some accuse President
Muhammadu Buhari of exaggerating the
problems. They say he should just roll up his
sleeves and pull out the magic wand. Even many
of those who know that the problem is genuine
still think it is only temporary. They think oil
prices will soon rise and there will be petrodollar
rain again and we will soon have enough to eat
and drink, make merry and rise up to play. They
say it has happened before and it will happen
again.
I belong to the group that thinks we are in a
nightmare and that it will take a long and painful
process to stabilise the system. I must confess
that I am not one of those praying for crude oil
price to rise again. Do not blame me. I'm
paranoid. In 2008, crude oil sold for as high as
$147. It did not make my life better. It did not
improve electricity. It did not fix the hospitals. It
did not improve the quality of public schools.
What I saw, instead, was profligacy. I saw state-
of-the-art governor's residences being built, with
designer champagne being popped at the
"house-warming" ceremonies and showcased on
live TV. I saw a country whose problem was not
money but how to waste it.
And then crude oil prices began to crash. When
the 2009 budget was being drafted in the last
quarter of 2008, oil prices hovered in the vicinity
of $100 per barrel. The drafters felt they were
being conservative with a benchmark of $62.50.
(After all, the 2008 budget was benchmarked
against $59 yet oil eventually hit $147.) In no
time, however, prices began to wither; the
$62.50 mark was no longer realistic. The budget
drafters adjusted it to $45, thinking again that it
was a wise, conservative decision. But a week
after the Appropriation Bill was presented to the
National Assembly by President Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua, oil was selling for $40. It ended the
year at $32.
To adjust to the new reality, Yar'Adua and
governors began to reduce the population and
salaries of political appointees. Nigerians
rejoiced. We went on a sweet-smelling campaign
on how we were about to reduce reliance on
crude oil and diversify the economy. Northern
governors spoke deliciously about how
agriculture and solid minerals were going to
power the economy of the north. Southern
governors spoke seductively about
industrialisation and Japanisation of their own
economies. If you lived in Nigeria in 2009, you
would swear that we had finally overcome our
genetic folly and were about to get over the oil
dependency nightmare.
But crude oil prices began to recover, selling for
as high as $80 in December 2009. What
happened next? Normal service resumed. It was
time for petrodollar carnival again. Politicians
went on a spending competition with vengeance.
Agriculture, solid minerals and Japanisation
became dirty words again. All tiers of
government embarked on unsustainable
expenditure. Civil service went on an employment
festival. Minimum wage went up. The population
of political appointees exploded. Recurrent
spending doubled and tripled and quadrupled.
National Assembly ballooned their own
overheads insanely. They did not bother about
the math.
Ahead of the 2011 elections, the excess crude
account (ECA), which is supposed to be our
savings for days like these, came under
"terrorist" attack. Governors embarked on self-
serving arguments that ECA was
unconstitutional. Some of us wrote and pleaded
with them to keep these savings intact and live
within their means. They waved the constitution
menacingly in our face, telling us that we knew
nothing about the law which says every federally
collected revenue should be shared. I remember
asking: is there any part of the constitution that
says we should not agree to save part of our
income? Of course, the governors knew what
they were doing.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who himself was
thinking of the 2011 elections, became very
vulnerable to governors asking him to share the
booty. Anytime governors met in Abuja, it was
always announced thereafter that they had
agreed to withdraw from ECA to "cushion" the
effects of global "food" crisis. Food indeed.
Jonathan, meanwhile, was paying fuel subsidy to
every Jumai, Jumoke and Juliana, apparently to
fund his own election. The governors soon
disappeared from our radar. They started flying
private jets. The only governor I ever met on a
commercial flight since then was Peter Obi.
Many ministers started flying "ministerial jets".
That is the way we are.
So it is 2009 all over again as crude oil prices
have tumbled. The population of political
appointees and their pay packets are being
"slashed" again. On the surface, we appear to be
sober, with our tails nestling between our legs.
We are pretending to be prudent. It appears the
leopard is about to change its spots. But if I
know my country very well, we don't learn any
lessons. We are quietly waiting and wishing for
another oil boom so that normal service can
quickly resume. You can bet that as soon as the
salary arrears are cleared with another oil boom,
we will return to senseless spending yet again.
That is why I am not praying for another
windfall.
If we are a country that learns lessons, this crisis
presents a perfect opportunity to reform our
brain. With the right policies and incentives, Abia
can be the electronics manufacturing centre of
Africa; Plateau and Kogi can become global
tourist destinations; Jigawa can be a world
leader in sesame seeds; Rivers can play host to
the biggest refineries exporting petroleum
products; Kwara can rival Thailand in rice export;
Taraba and Adamawa can host Africa's biggest
mango and orange juice-making factories. The
revenue to be derived from VAT, PAYE, duties
and corporate taxes as well as the associated
economic activities can cut off our umbilical cord
from the unstable and disruptive hydrocarbon
monster. Not to talk of the accompanying
millions of direct and indirect jobs.
This crippling fiscal crisis has again exposed the
underbelly of our "feeding-bottle federalism", as
Senator Ike Ekweremadu calls it. We are in an
economic nightmare. The time has come to
confront our politicians and get them to sit down
and do their jobs. On a second thought, I would
love to be the Chief Whip so that I can, with the
help of "koboko", whip these overfed adults in
the National Assembly into line. They are
obstructing our progress with their pot bellies. Of
course, we need a peaceful National Assembly to
move forward. But the most urgent issues today
can still become our priorities while these
exuberant legislators try to sort themselves out.

It is only the politically naive that will be
surprised by the event that rocked the ruling
party, leading to the emergence of Bukola Saraki
as the Senate President and bringing the almost
comatose Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into
political relevance.

The crisis in the All Progressives Party (APC)
was long in the waiting, having survived the
keenly contested Presidential Primaries and the
emotionally laden exercise that produced it’s
Vice Presidential candidate, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo. However, what was not expected and
was evidently surprising was the dramatic
dimension it took when it ultimately occurred.
It will be an understatement to say that the
hurriedly and craftily planned legislative coup
that led to the emergence of the immediate past
Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu from the main
opposition party which gave three out of the
initial four positions (including majority and
minority leaders) to the former Peoples
Democratic Party (old-PDP) members or
members of the new-PDP if you like; sent jitters
to the spines of average Nigerians, particularly
those who voted for Chance and have hinged
their hope of the smooth sailing of President
Muhammadu Buhari’s Change Agenda on a very
cooperating Legislature.
Otherwise, how on earth would the first section
of the Senate that was supposed to have the full
representation of all the Senators-elect with
family members and their well wishers be
composed of just half of the expected members
with about eighty percent of members of the
ruling party in absence.
Saraki was elected, nay selected by 58 of the
109 senators on June 9 with most of his party
members absent but with the support of the
minority PDP, the Party he left because of its
highhandedness.
As the event was unfolding live via broadcast
media, it reminded many Nigerians of Orubebe
phenomenon as they began to express concern
on the real intentions of Saraki and his group-
refusing to accept it as mere intra party
politicking. Some queried: if the new-PDP, the
old-PDP and the current-PDP are effectively in
control of the National Assembly, would they not
constitute a blockade to the anti-corruption
crusade of Buhari? And to some, it will be a cog
in the wheel of progress of sanitizing the polity.
Nigerians simply pray that the gang up of "old
friends" will not spell a doom for the anti
corruption crusade of PMB.
Perhaps, the most worrisome aspect of the
intrigue which the ruling party referred to as
‘treachery’ was the concessioning of sensitive
positions like Deputy Senate President.
Critics believe Saraki went too far and that not
even in the most advanced democracies of the
United States of America, United Kingdom or
Australia has such an experience been recorded.
Many could not believe that APC politicians
would jettison their party’s wishes and connive
with the same party that Nigeria brazenly
rejected at the polls for their impunity, corruption
and mis-governance due to their own personal
interests.
Saraki’s betrayal was further strengthened by his
utter disrespect for the party leaders like the
Tinubus, the Oyeguns, the Baba Akandes, the
Kwankasos, the Okorochas, the Ndas among
others; in addition to his humiliation of the Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo as well as the shunning
and dishonouring of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s call for reconciliation at the
International Conference Center (ICC), Abuja.
In fact, this made the elder statesmen of the
2015 National Peace Committee to come to the
rational conclusion that the process that led to
the election of the key principal officers of the
Senate was faulty and “unacceptable”.
The Committee which played a pivotal role in
ensuring peaceful elections and facilitated a
peace pact between former President Goodluck
Jonathan and his then challenger President
Muhammadu Buhari also spearheaded the post-
election peace management.
The Committee said it was important for the
highest legislative body to uphold ‘moral
authority and values’. Given the maturity, track
record and experience of the body, the
Committee wondered why a routine process
turned into an ugly, selfish dogfight.
“This is unacceptable to Nigerians. It neither
dignified the Senate nor does it honor what
Nigerians voted for. It is not the way to thank
God for what He has done to those who were
lucky to be elected to that high offices, nor does
it honour what He has done to our country,” they
concluded.
The event was a quick reminder of the dreaded
Ajagungbale phenomenon that is rapidly gaining
popularity in Lagos and in some parts of Ogun
State.
Ajagungbale literally means: He who fights a war
to secure the land. Ajagungbale is a dreaded war
lord, deeply connected in government arena,
(including the police, SSS and military), judiciary
and social circles. He is much feared because he
controls the Area Boys, as well as the Area
Fathers and is of course, highly fortified with
very potent charms. Hence, nobody crosses his
part or challenges his decision whenever he lays
his hands on any land!
However, as dreadful as the Ajagungbale is, he
does not and will never trespass on any piece of
land until he is invited by a member of the family
(close or distant) who owns the land. Once
invited, (out of disagreement or disputations
among the members of the family who either feel
aggrieved or cheated by another arm/branch of
the immediate or extended family in the
distribution of the land), Ajagungbale moves in
to take ownership of the property and sends out
from the land, the initial landlord(s), who for
safety hurriedly vacate the land. If the
Ajagungbale is the generous type, he then
apportions half of the land to the aggrieved and
takes over the rest.
The Ajagungbale does not collect money for
wages. He will also be the one to sell or help
dispose any part of the land allocated to the new
landlord should he intend to sell his portion. He
of course, provides security for the land. Since
land appreciates with time, the Ajagungbale is
never in a hurry to leave the land until the last
piece is sold; and should the old-Landlord
decides to make trouble, the Ajagungbale is ever
battle ready to engage in a long-drawn judicial
duel.
Dear Senator Bukola Saraki, this is the fear of an
average Nigeria and those lovers of Change who
voted your party.
I am one of your fans and I believe in your
intellectual prowess. I think you are vibrant and
brilliant enough to lead the National Assembly,
but my fear is that you may have inadvertently
invited Ajagungbale into the family you labored
to nurture and grow into maturity and success.
Nigerians won’t forget so quickly how you
constructively engaged the former regime and
brought many corruption cases to the fore. They
will also not forget your immense contribution to
the formation of APC and the eventual successful
election that led to the collapse of the wickedly
corrupt and directionless PDP.
There is no doubt, you are of the PDP extraction
(old PDP). Yes, you are of the new-PDP. Yes,
you have every constitutional right to be the
Senate President. However, do you know that
your action rather portrays your party leaders as
unwise, uncoordinated, lack of foresight and
politically naïve? By ingloriously securing,
through scheming and parleying with the ‘devils’,
what you probably would have honorably
achieved with negotiation at the ICC in Abuja,
you have already portrayed yourself as a spoiler,
representing those who did not wish Nigeria and
the President well. Some even interpreted your
action as an attempt to tame Senator Bola
Tinubu and cut him down, an objective you
perhaps never set out to achieve.
Your exploit also led others to fault the non
interfering stance of PMB. They said that if he
had interfered, you would have been adopted
based on your desperation and a loyal member
of the APC would have emerged as your Deputy
instead of Ekweremadu.
Senator Saraki, you must realize that the defunct
CPC and ACN used to settle amicably, in
distributing the spoils of war after political
battles were won, but the PDP schemes and
engages in treachery. The 'amicable settlement
approach' has sustained the progressives till
now, so those of the PDP extraction must learn
the new art/way wrought by the 'common sense
revolution'.
Many wise people in Nigeria have nevertheless
realized that Tinubu’s and the Oyegun’s position
are more justified because when the chips are
down, they will have nowhere to go should APC
breaks or be defeated in the next election (God
forbid); but you and your colleagues along with
other political prostitutes could find your way
back to other opposition parties where you
would be warmly received with red carpet.
Therefore, be aware that Tinubu and Buhari
remain the two main pillars of the APC while you
and your other colleagues must recognize
yourselves as the necessary accessories that
complement the foundation laid by the duo.
Hence, they deserve all the respect and honour.
The only thing that can sustain the relationship
is mutual trust.
My dear Senate President, it is pertinent for you
to note that this singular deed of yours has
made many doubt your sincerity. With the
ensuing events that trailed your major ‘election’-
your recalcitrance to read the APC letter at the
plenary as well as your outright obstinacy and
refusal to acknowledge the party’s supremacy,
under whose banner and goodwill you contested
and won your election to the Senate- some have
actually come to believe that you are either a
fifth columnist or a malleable tool in the hands
of the detractors of APC and by extension,
enemies of Nigeria and the much desired
Change. My prayer is that, contrary to the
expectation of many, the fusion of the APC and
the PDP members into the formation of the
principal officers of the Senate will eventually
translate into a ‘Government of National Unity’
for Nigeria and facilitate a quick realization of
your party’s Change Agenda and Buhari’s anti-
corruption crusade.
As a full-blooded Yoruba son, I urge you to
remember the popular saying that: “If a home is
at peace and does not witness crisis, it is only
because the bastard in the household has not
attained maturity.” Just as it is held in Yoruba
land, only a bastard will connive with and invite
an Ajagungbale to his father’s land whenever he
is aggrieved with his siblings.
Like a prodigal son, your father’s big house is
fervently awaiting your glorious repentance and
you can be sure of the elders’ magnanimity as
well as the warm embrace of your brethren.
Go and sin no more.
Yinka Salaam
Voice of Nigeria,

Saraki watch ur back..

A legislative body divided into two branches is
like a carriage drawn by one horse in front and
one behind pulling in opposite direction." –
Benjamin Franklin
I must start this short piece with a confession;
one which I am ashamed to say. However, not
saying it will hurt me more.
I do not know the name, background, or
complete details of the person I voted to
represent me in our legislative chambers – an
act which I regret this day. I have learnt my
lesson and trust me it’s not going to ever
happen again.
With that said, I think it is time Nigerians, as a
matter of urgency, started to focus on the kind of
people they send to represent them at the
legislature. This is important so we do not ever
make the mistake of sending cretins, nuisances,
and unashamed narcissists to represent us.
We were hoodwinked by law-making creeps who
rode on President Buhari’s goodwill and now
exist as a source of embarrassment.
When Nigeria should be focused on getting out
of the doldrums she has found herself in due to
pummeling from our leaders year after year,
especially the last 6 years, some mutton-heads
are trying to take us back with their narrow
mindedness and selfishness.
The obloquy that we witnessed at the House of
Representatives today just goes to show us that
the lacuna between these guys, their ambitions,
and the good of the people is quite large. This
gap solidifies my call for a unicameral
legislature.
Unicameralism is the system of having a
legislature which has one house. It may interest
you to know that half of the world’s sovereign
States, including the Vatican, practice
unicameralism. If this is the case, why can’t
Nigeria have one as well? I mean why should
we waste a massive percentage of our money
on those who have no intention of doing what
we have sent them to do in the first place.? Why
in God’s good earth should we allow more
people to milk us? For crying out loud these
guys are mercilessly paid and when I say that I
mean one of the highest paid legislators in the
world, if not the best. Why feed 469 people (who
do basically nothing) with what more than a
million (or more) of us can live on when we can
have far less carrying out exactly the same
functions?
While there are so many important things that
need to be sorted out, l we cannot afford to
continue wasting our money on thugs who are
bent on disgracing us
This is a system which will allows efficient
lawmaking by making legislation less
cumbersome and guaranteeing a simpler
process. You are rest assured that there will be
unity of purpose and less confusion concerning
law making. Instead of having two houses whose
impact we rarely feel, why don’t we just reduce
it to one so we can have greater efficiency and
transparency? With this, we can be guaranteed
of some kind of accountability as there would be
a few officials for us to monitor.
Because Nigeria is a big country with multiple
chambers it allows for guaranteed representation
of different ethnic and regional interests. While
this is a fair argument, I have some questions.
What have you gained from that person you
voted to represent you over the years? Can you
say with all honesty that you have always had
fair representation? Do you even know your rep’s
name? Are you ever allowed to contact him?
Truth is, we’ve not really felt the impact of these
guys apart from their spending of our collective
wealth while doing absolutely nothing. So why
keep them?
My two cents are that we have to start thinking
of cutting costs (especially one which is of no
interest to us) by adopting unicameralism. This
way we can start channeling the tax payer’s
money into what will benefit the ordinary man.
Chiechefulam Ikebuiro
thalynxis@yahoo.ca
@thalynxis on twitter.

Hate him or like him Jagaban, one thing I kno is history wl neva forget him and Nigeria politics won't b complete wtout mentioning his name. He is not perfect cos he is not god, he is a man so make mistakes..somtimes he gooof but one thing I kno is time wl tell.

Those days when schs has value...and they taught pupil virtues and morality. Now a days sch hmmm.

sandrannna:
Next time, u should ask "what should he gv her?"
I will reply, a scarf for her to cover her half n.akedness.

A scarf OK oooo. U got a nice pix there....but handling things like this gently is not d best way, remember not all men ar Joseph nd not all ar Samson too.

Tolzeal:
John Lennon with Mark David Chapman


John Lennon signing an autograph for the man who would shoot him only hours later.

The heart of man is desperately wicked who can know it?

Don't com naija o..cos our made in naija blade dey cut person.

Its long overdue... Just op the right one wl fill d space.

This is not the real story op pls always verified ur story bfo u post...the CRO was rude to the customer while the lady tried to talk to him instead of him to listen and take correction he went ahead and berate the customer who come fo BVN..

In UBA BOM don't go fo marketing they head the operation staff so u ar wrong, the BOM appointment was terminated its the BM that was place on suspension. While this may sound harsh let not forget customers ar always right.

Do you know that every Monday in UBA, they ar been lecture on how to be professional to customers but op most of the staff won't change, until drastic action like taken. UBA staff work as if they ar semi god and they need to change their attitude.

Hmmm let saraki enjoy while the fun last but let him remember that time flies...once upon a time it David Mark, today its Saraki time and posterity wl definitely tell who is right.

I wl b angry wt her fo not telling bfo she did it...now dt d did has b done and I av d job...I wl warn her neva to do anything wtout my consent den go ahead wt d marriage afterall virginity is not a requisite fo a happy home.

Late Kudirat Abiola died on June 4, 1996 in
a state sponsored assassination which
was executed by Sergeant Rogers,
an errant sniper for Nigeria's Military junta led
by General Sanni Abacha.
Kudirat was one of the legitimate wives of Chief
MKO Abiola, who won the June 12, 1993 election
in Nigeria, but the election was annulled by the
sitting military dictator, General Ibrahim
Babangida.
Mrs. Kudirat was assassinated in Lagos after
several protests were conducted to resist the
annulment of election that was clearly won by
MKO Abiola. Some of the protests were led by
Kudirat Abiola.
19 years after, Pro-June 12 activists gather at
residence of the family in Lagos, where she is
also buried, late to make tributes in a wreath
laying procession.
The commemoration tagged "The Labour of Our
Heroine" was attended by former military
administrator in Lagos State, Admiral Ndubuisi
Kanu; widow of radical human rights attorney
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Mrs. Ganiyat Fawehinmi;
OPC leader, Mr. Gani Adams, President of Women
Arise, Dr. Joe Odumakin and other supporters of
Chief MKO Abiola's family and mandate.
The activists demanded that the Federal
Government currently headed by President
Muhammadu Buhari should immortalize Mrs.
Kudirat Abiola over her personal role
and sacrifice for Democracy in Nigeria.

Nice write up so concise but really encouraging... pls my experience is also touching; I was born in a polygamous family got a call one day from one of my step mothers that university is forbidden fruit for me like a joke...today frnds I av finished d uni presently doing my Msc and working in a reputable place. The woman who gave me d call then hmmm she look up to me now...frnds neva give up.

Hmmmn....Oro nla.