₦airaland Forum

qwertyboss:
That's how in the future you will be hearing Buhari's loots or Obasanjo's loot

Very true! Lalasticlala!

It  is 24 years since the maximum ruler and dictator, General Sani Abacha, passed on in strenuous circumstances. Nevertheless, his name continues to resonate in Nigerian diplomacy, particularly in the humongous amount, codenamed ‘Abacha loot’, which the Western countries have been returning to Nigeria in instalments. Only on Tuesday last week, The PUNCH reported the return or the projected return of the sum of $23.4 million to the country in a ceremony attended by that country’s ambassador, Mary Leonard, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN. In the case of the United States, the latest reparation brings up to $335 million returned to Nigeria in the last two years. Well known is the fact that as far back as 2018, Switzerland had reportedly returned $1 billion cumulatively as part of the loot warehoused by it. It is also hardly in doubt that up till now, the total figure of the loot returned to Nigeria so far billowed up to $3.65 billion. Were we a country famous for prudent financial management, the assets would have added up to quite something in ameliorating our current economic crisis.

As we all know, looted assets, even when they are returned, can be re-looted in a country like ours with a porous accountability regime where, for example, the former Account-General of the Federation is facing trial for the mysterious disappearance of N109 billion. That tells you that the very factors which created the Abacha loot, 24 years later are still very much with us. So, the nomenclature is a signifier for a country reeking in utter corruption and where government after government have been unable to slay the hydra in spite of several promises. For example, the current President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), came to office in 2015 with the exciting slogan “let us kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria.” The jury is still out on how narrowly Nigeria has avoided being killed by corruption, but if the annual report of Transparency International on anti-corruption is anything to go by, optics apart, very little has changed.

In more sober climes, nations learn from tragedies, misfortunes and jinxes because they are determined that those misfortunes should not recur. I do not see many people even among those angling to rule us, talking about worthwhile lessons to take home from such a massive haemorrhage of national assets such as the Abacha loot much more raise discussion about how to ensure that we do not get into such a mess any longer.

To be sure, corruption had been with us since independence. During the Second Republic, to share an anecdote, this writer was looking for money to go overseas for post-graduate studies. The drive took me to several personalities including some politicians. However, one of the memorable things that I recall is that while my personal search continued, a British newspaper published the information that a Nigerian politician had given his British girlfriend a fat amount of money in pounds—several times over what I was looking for to study. The shocked girl cried out that she did not require such a hefty sum of money and would have to donate much of it to charity. Nigerian newspapers echoed the publication and there was some consternation and debate about how easy it was at the time for politicians to fritter away our resources while turning a blind eye to the qualitative improvement of the country. The event recounted occurred many years before the Abacha loot but we are no better off today.

If you want a recent example, then find how much the major political parties sprayed on delegates and aspirants during the recent presidential primaries. To get back to the heart of the matter, what precautions have we made since the Abacha loot and related loots to ensure that the country’s resources are not going to be up for dubious sales in the years to come? Pretty little, if you ask me; which means that the nation is still a sitting duck for the carting away of state assets by privileged individuals. The fundamental issue about the Abacha loot is that a single Nigerian became so powerful that he could steal the country blind without anybody batting an eyelid. Such degenerate matters take place also in other countries, including the United States. The difference between them and us is that the culprits once caught are unlikely to get away with blue murder, no matter how elevated their position is. This implies that they have created a deterrence effect which ensures that there is a reciprocal relationship between crime and punishment. Here, we have such institutions as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corruption and other Related Offences Commission; but their roles remain largely decorative, perfunctory and cosmetic.

Related News Abacha loot not for elections, Rep tells Buhari I'm ready to die for Nigeria, Al-Mustapha defends presidential bid Ex-Abacha minister submits APC presidential forms

At the bottom, there is the infirmity of political will when it comes to fighting corruption, reminding one of a book by Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala entitled “Reforming the Unreformable: Lessons from Nigeria.” One might add that “one step forward, two steps backwards” has been the bane of successive anti-corruption struggles. For there to be a loot there must be a ‘lootocracy’, referring to powerful individuals and networks that make it their full-time duty to milk Nigeria dry and to carry out state capture. You cannot dismantle a lootocracy by merely railing against it. You require a vanguard of dedicated reformers who are willing to come up with and sustain an agenda to fight corruption. What we have done so far is simply sloganise around anti-corruption hoping that slogans will do the trick and the sloganeers will reap publicity dividends.

If we mean business about ensuring that the Abacha loot does not become a staple pastime of our political system, then the politicians seeking power now should initiate a national conversation on how to end or drastically reduce public sector corruption. The famed writer Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie said at the recent annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association that we are a country starved of heroes. She meant that we are only playing at governance without caring to undertake the tough labour and exercise the stamina that governance reforms require.

If this country is not to be condemned to serial Abacha loots, we need leaders who will engage in reformist agenda setting and produce our own version of the Red or Green book which will popularise a national drive to reclaim lost ground as well as visionary followership that will provide buy-in. That is not enough. There must be efforts to overhaul the current institutional architecture so that they cannot be easily manipulated by wheeler dealers. Above all, there must enough grit on the part of leaders to make clear examples of those who are caught putting their hands in the cookie jar.

To be fair, Buhari, at least initially, tried to make a difference but sadly, the pressures of party politics and reluctance to go the full hog vitiated his idealism. What is required as we look towards the forthcoming elections is to dust up that enfeebled but lofty program, give it new life, invest it with fresh direction in order to create the kind of Nigeria that we have often dreamed about but has continued to elude us thus far.

https://punchng.com/abacha-loot-have-we-learnt-the-lessons/

I have friend from Benue, Ortom may not be good, but saying the truth!

EmperorTolson:
Please house, I need the advice of all medical personnel in the house and any help I could get. I have a friend that is battling with pelvic inflammatory disease.

According to her, she got to know in year 2020 and she's treated it countless time since she discovered but the infection keeps coming back.

After recent treatment again, she couldn't sleep yesterday due to a pain in her stomach (she felt like her abdomen is going to cut) and when she seek medical advice, she was told that its due to the infection.

Please, how can this infection be treated once and for all? What does she have to do? She's been to two hospitals already.

Let her see a gynaecologist or dermatologist. This can lead to cervical cancer if not urgently treated!

Lanrelagboi:
https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2022/09/01/sanwo-olu-floats-autonomous-financing-channel-for-lagos-tertiary-schools/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter#

Owo Abu lafi nse Abu lalejo!

Racoon:
Gabbage Shehu & presidency over to una.

Why are they not arresting them!

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has asked the President, Major General Muhammad Buhari retd.to rescue the nation from bandits, kidnappers and terrorists.

In a statement issued and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Thursday, the governor said that the issue of insecurity in the country was a reality that the presidency does not want people to talk about.

Ortom, who was reacting to the statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Garba Sheu, said that the painful reality that handlers of the president always shy away from reality on ground.

The governor who was reacting to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu asked the presidency to tell Nigerians steps been taken to end the unprecedented bloodshed perpetrated by armed Fulani terrorists in the country.

The statement read, “Each time I speak about the dreadful manner the Muhammadu Buhari administration has handled the security situation in the country, his media aides and hangers-on come out attacking my personality instead of addressing the issues I raised.”

“If the Presidency assumes that I am wrong about my statements regarding the failure of the present government to tackle insecurity, I urge them to hold a referendum to get the feelings of Nigerians towards their ineptitude, complicity and clear lack of commitment and sincerity in protecting the people.

“It is sad and unfortunate that the likes of Garba Shehu have zero sympathies for the families of those being killed daily by Fulani terrorists. As long as their meal ticket is secured, they tell Mr President to go to bed, that all is well with the country.

“Garba is a man whose loyalty is for sale to the highest bidder. He sings in high praise of the President today because that is his current source of livelihood. He will be the first to go against the President once the tables turn. He has done that before with other prominent Nigerians whom he served. A man who betrays his former benefactor for a new pot of porridge does not possess the moral right to question me.

He went on, “Shehu blew the opportunity to prove me wrong that I raised a false alarm about the worsening security situation in the country. Hundreds of our citizens are held captive by terrorists in the forests. I expected Shehu to tell Nigerians what efforts the Federal Government has made to release the hostages.

“Was it a false alarm from me that led to the terrorists’ attack on the convoy of President Buhari in his home state Katsina? Or was it a movie acting when terrorists broke into Kuje Correctional Centre right in the heart of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory and released their colleagues? It is unfortunate that till date, no officer has been arrested or questioned for the lapses and clear cases of complicity by the security operatives attached to the Kuje facility. There are reports of over six jailbreaks in the last seven years under the Buhari administration. If that is not a crying shame of failure on the part of the Presidency, we wonder what else qualifies as a failure.

“Everyone is aware how the Buhari administration descends heavily and brutally on other groups like Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) or Sunday Igboho who have been declared as terrorists with their members arrested and incarcerated but the same government treats Fulani terrorists with kid gloves.

The statement added that “Garba Shehu must be reminded that I speak the minds of most Nigerians on specific areas of incompetence or deliberate complicity by the Federal Government in the heinous crimes committed against citizens by armed Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists. Instead of taking me on those points, Shehu went chasing vain and mundane matters in a desperate attempt to malign me which he failed woefully. ”

“If I raised a false alarm, why have the Fulani terrorists who are veiled as herdsmen continued to kidnap and kill Nigerians unchallenged? How many of the terrorists and bandits have been apprehended and prosecuted? The Buhari administration cannot extricate itself from complicity regarding the evil visited on citizens of this country. The Presidency has failed the integrity test and should rather accept its failure, apologize to Nigerians and seek help to salvage the situation.

“It is clear that the loud-mouthed presidential media aide is unaware that other states such as Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto and even Katsina where the President comes from are under siege. Is that also my false alarm that has given rise to the killings in other parts of this country?

“In case the likes of Garba Shehu and his likes are not aware, majority of Nigerians wake up to face daily frustrations and live in constant fear of who will be the next victim of terrorists. Yet, self-serving individuals like the presidential media aide who live under the shield and paraphernalia of the Presidency and have apparently sold their conscience to the devil, want us to pretend that nothing sinister is happening.

For describing the governor, an “opportunistic politician,” Ortom who highlighted his political career, stated that no amount of blackmail, persecution and media attack can discourage him from speaking against the injustice and pain the present government has caused Nigerians.

He then advised the Presidency to focus on ending the killing of innocent Nigerians, fix the economy as it promised and stop the stinking corruption under their watch.



https://punchng.com/rescue-nigerians-from-terrorists-ortom-replies-presidency/

Manchester City will aim to return to the top of the Premier League table - for 24 hours at least - when they make the trip to take on Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

The champions put six past Nottingham Forest without reply in midweek, while Steven Gerrard's side went down 2-1 to early pacesetters Arsenal.
Steven Gerrard can take solace in the fact that he will not be the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season - that unwanted honour belongs to Scott Parker - but the 42-year-old has admitted that he is fearing for his future in the Villa hotseat.

How the Lions were not blown out of the water by Arsenal in the first half of Wednesday's contest remains a mystery, with only Gabriel Jesus's goal separating the two sides at the midway point, and Villa threatened to end the Gunners' perfect start through Douglas Luiz's direct corner goal before Gabriel Martinelli hit back less than three minutes later.

While Villa demonstrated a greater sense of urgency in the second 45 minutes, the scoreline certainly flattered Gerrard's men, who have now suffered three straight Premier League defeats - all to London clubs - and can only boast three points from a possible 15 so far.

Such dismal fortunes leave the Lions below the dotted line in 19th, and while there is still a lot of football to be played in the coming months, the early signs of discontent can be heard across the West Midlands as Gerrard desperately tries to find the formula to best the champions.

Now without a clean sheet in 10 Premier League matches dating back to April's 2-0 victory over Norwich City, Villa's defensive frailties could certainly be exposed by City's in-form marksman Erling Braut Haaland, whose name has already been etched into the history books.

ArewaNorth:
Go and verify!

Come with evidence!

9-0 loading!

Erling Haaland! 1-0!!

ArewaNorth:
PDP appointed Professor Yakubu as Executive Secretary of TETFUND because of his similar relationship with them and Buhari now appointed him INEC Boss. Almost all INEC staffs who came through nomination under PDP were PDP members.

Proof it!

slivertongue:
Buhari is always selecting the wrong personnel.

97 percentile!

nlfpmod:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/navy-disagrees-with-petroleum-ministry-others-over-quantity-of-stolen-oil/?s=08

If you know how many vessels come to Nigeria per night, even from Takowa bay!

Lalasticlala!

Since he reluctantly assented to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which allows the transmission of election results from the polling units after intense pressure, President Muhammadu Buhari has been assuring us of his willingness to allow the 2023 general elections to be free and fair.

However, his habit of taking measures to tamper with the independence and integrity of the National Electoral Commission, INEC, right from the inception of his government in 2015, runs contrary to this pledge. In June 2015, he appointed his relative, Amina Zakari, an INEC Commissioner, as the Acting Chairman.

Also, in October 2020, the president raised dust when he nominated his controversial social media aide, Lauretta Onochie, as a Resident Electoral Commissioner. Nigerians fought the nomination to a standstill until Buhari was forced to drop her.

With just five months to the 2023 general elections, the president has again proposed 19 candidates for approval by the Senate as RECs. Nine civil society organisations, after tooth-combing the list, identified four names as politically-exposed persons who are unsuitable for appointment as RECs of the Electoral Umpire.

These are Muhammad Bashir, an All Progressives Congress, APC, Sokoto State governorship candidate in 2015; Sylvia Uchenna, a direct relation of the APC Deputy National Chairman (South-East) from Enugu State; Pauline Ugochi, a former Head of ICT of INEC in Imo State who was once alleged to have connived with politicians to undermine the integrity of elections; and Elizabeth Agwu, a former Accountant-General of Ebonyi State suspended for alleged incompetence and misconduct in 2016.

The CSOs want the Senate to drop these nominees because their appointment will run contrary to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended). Section 156(1)(a) stresses that such an appointee shall not belong to a political party, while the Third Schedule, Part 1, Item F, paragraph 14(2), in addition to the non-partisan requirement, insists that such a person shall be of “unquestionable integrity”.

Some of Buhari’s supporters claim that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, did the same during their time in power, while others claim the president may not know the candidates’ antecedents. We disagree with these. If what PDP did was right, why did the APC call for change in 2015? Secondly, is it not the duty of the president’s office to scrutinise the records of names forwarded to him for appointment into sensitive public offices? This is political corruption.

President Buhari is not a stranger to the appointment of his personal loyalists and relations into the INEC. We call on the Senate to drop the four names. The National Assembly exists to check the Executive’s excesses and defend the people’s power to elect their leaders. The people’s faith in our elections is at a very high level, which is why the rush for voter registration was unprecedented.

The Constitution must be upheld.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/buharis-four-unacceptable-rec-nominees/

All Abba Kyari's cases must be reviewed!

Storm ‘Buhari House’; want state party chair sacked 

By Omeiza Ajayi

Abuja — Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, yesterday, stormed the ‘Buhari House’ national  secretariat of the party and demanded the immediate sack of Mr. Ugochukwu Agballah-led State Working Committee.

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The leaders were led by former Senate President and South East leader in the defunct Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, of the party, Senator Ken Nnamani.

Others include former Enugu State governor, Sullivan Chime; former Foreign Affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama; General J.O.J. Okoloagu Board (retd); Senator Ayogu Eze, Gbazuagu Gbazuagu, and former State Assembly speaker, Eugene Odo.

Others are Ifeanyi Nwoga, Onyemuche Nnamani, and Director General, Voice of Nigeria, VON, Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

In their petition addressed to the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and titled, “Appeal and petition for urgent intervention to rescue the APC in Enugu from  its downward spiral, implosion and imminent collapse”, the petitioners noted that a  major crack emerged during the last state Congress, when Mr. Ugochukwu Agballah was surreptitiously manoeuvred into the party to become its state chairman to the bewilderment and vehement opposition of a majority of the party members who knew his antecedents as a person and in Enugu State politics.

Part of the petition read: “The Chairman may wish to recall that as Chairman of All Progressives Congress National Peace and Reconciliation Committee that H.E Sullivan Chime, immediate past Governor of Enugu State had led a protest of stakeholders/elders of Enugu State All Progressives Congress Chapter against the emergence of Ugo Agaballah as State Chairman on two grounds: “Non-membership of Ugo Agballah and controversial and irregular process of Ugo Agballah’s emergence as State Chairman.

“Ugo Agballah was given the benefit of the doubt by a few leaders of the Party and issued a Certificate of Return. It was felt by those few leaders that the Party needed to change direction at all costs and have a vibrant leader who could finally unite the Party in the state. Unfortunately, the new Chairman did not waste time in proving those majority leaders who opposed his emergence correct in their warning.

“He immediately and systematically dismantled the core of the Party structure and brought in his followers. He insulted the Party leaders, including those few who supported his emergence, sidelined them completely in matters affecting the running of the Party in the state and has been operating as a Sole Administrator or indeed a Dictator! The result has been the withdrawal from the Party of a growing number of important leaders and members.

“The Party is imploding and on the brink of  imminent collapse. It is in  no  position as things stand, to be competitive in the general elections. The leaders now believe that a radical solution is called for to save the state party from total  collapse and disgrace in the state.

*The aim is to unify the party through the appointment of a Caretaker Chairman as the current Chairman has alienated and lost the confidence of the majority of the members of the state party and its leadership.

“Very importantly, it should be noted that he has been lawfully removed by his Udi/Agbudu ward of Udi LGA of Enugu State on the 19th day of August, 2022 by an overwhelming majority of party members in his ward. 

“We urge the NWC to immediately save the party in Enugu State from total collapse by removing Mr. Ugochukwu Agballa from office and in his place, put a Caretaker Chairman who should be someone not within the present State Executive Committee. The party still s tands a chance of  remedying the situation and being competitive in the General Elections”, they stated.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/08/2023-enugu-apc-on-verge-of-collapse-nnamani-chime-onyeama-cry-out/

Lalasticlala!

FreeStuffsNG:
I hope MURIC will call out the mosques and CAN is now aware of this crime or CAN is still forming 'opposition party' against the ruling APC.

Let NNPC name them!

loosecanon50:
Name the churches and mosques.

Government of lies. APC will never rule this country again. We OBIdients will make sure of that.

That is it, name them!

slivertongue:
The legacy and achievement of APC government

Lalasticlala, Mynd44!!

Lalalasticlala!

At least they agreed there is oil theft!