₦airaland Forum

I believe in his program ANIDS! the best poilicy that have ever happened to Anambra state. Who shares the same conception with me?

2011: Aondoakaa for Governor

…As plots against Gov. Suswan’s thicken


Michael Aondoakaa
Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa may have began an underground plot to run for the Governorship of Benue State in 2011, teaming up with former Governor George Akume who is alleged to have falling out with his successor, Governor Gabriel Suswan.

Pointblanknews.com investigations revealed that the Attorney General, whose allegation of corrupt enrichment is legendary in the history of his office, is said to be starching up several millions in hopes of clinching the PDP Governorship ticket in 2011.

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Part of the plot, according to sources includes discrediting the administration of Governor Suswan within the Presidency and tagging him as one of the anti-Yar-Adua’s Governors.

Sources told pointblanknews.com that the cold war between Aondoakaa and Governor Suswan was blown open recently at a reception in honor of the new Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii where the Governor was said to have openly told the Attorney General to face his Federal duties and allow him serve the people of Benue State.

The Attorney General was said to have replied the Governor at the occasion, denouncing any gubernatorial ambition.

But sources hinted that the denial from the Attorney General was not genuine as his loyalist were said to have regrouped and urged the Attorney General to move on with his Governorship ambition and use his closeness with President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to swing the Governor’s ticket to his favor.

The sources confirmed that Aondoakaa and Senator Akume have teamed up to form formed what is known as the Tiv Elites where strategies against the administration of Governor Suswan are being plotted. The Sources added that even though some members of the Tiv Elite group are not favorably disposed to Aondoakaa’s Governorship ambition, majority who are associates of Senator Akume are in support of the Attorney General.

Pointblanknews.com gathered that former Governor Akume, a serving Senator is not particularly happy with Governor Suswan whom he believes has portrayed his administration in a bad light especially with several developmental project the new administration has embarked on in the last two years. The few supporters of Governor Suswan in the Tiv Elite group are hinging their support on what they described as “the governor’s excellent performance in the last two years.”

However, Aondoakaa and Senator Akume are bent on moving on with their plots against Governor Suswan and have started recruitment of those said to have an axe to grind with the Governor. The Attorney General, a source said has promised to make available funds for the Suswan-must-go project.

It would be recalled that Indian steel giant, Global Holdings Ltd. were at daggers drawn with the Nigerian Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Michael Aondoakaa over the inability of the former to deliver on a deal to convince President Umaru Yar’Adua to reverse the federal government’s cancellation of the concession granted the company on Ajaokuta Steel Company. Global Steel Holdings was asking Aondoakaa to either “deliver or refund the $6 million dollar bribe he received on the deal.”

And only recently, through a memo issued by Aondoakaa, he delivered on the deal as the Indian company would be paid $240 Million and retain the Ajaokuta Steel Concessionaire

You got News for us, give us a tip at: newstip@pointblanknews.com. We treat them confidential as we investigate!

I will tell him there are more fools and idiots on NairaLand than he will ever dream about.

Fashola insists on State police • Wants special status for Lagos

By Maxwell Oditta and Ekene Okoro, Lagos

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has reiterated his call for State Police as a veritable way of addressing security problem across the country

The governor also insisted that the state deserves a special status, in view of its pivotal role in the revenue generation of the country.

Fashola said special allocation from the federation account and provision of infrastructure, as well as effective security arrangement, are part of the unique needs of Lagos.

According to him, these provisions would enhance the development of the state, and the well-being of Nigerians from different backgrounds living in Lagos.

Fashola made the call at a world press conference at Lagos House, Ikeja, at the weekend, which was convened to commemorate 10 years of democracy in Nigeria and the two years celebration of his administration.

The governor reasoned that Lagos, as the economic nerve-centre of the country, with the most strategic seaports and airport, deserves a special status.
He said Lagos is a mini-Nigeria, compromising all various ethnic, religious and social backgrounds from across the country.

Fashola pointed out that should Lagos attain its Mega City status, the Federal Government would share in the credit, saying, "The greatness of Lagos is the greatness of Nigeria."

He revealed that his administration would soon embark on various projects, including the ambitious metroline, conceived under the administration of Lateef Jakande in the Second Republic.


According to him, the objective of the metroline project is to ease the problems of transportation in the state.


Fashola, who scored his administration high, stressed the importance of security, noting that no meaningful infrastructural development or investments can be carried out without security of life and property.


His words: "We cannot continue to implement policies and programmes that history and experience have clearly shown to be inefficient, and refused to change, while expecting things to be different.


"Now, all other federations that I know recognise the coordinate jurisdiction of the federating units. Therefore, you even ask yourself if the point has been put to those who made the Constitution at its conception. We should ask them if they remember that they actually created a legislative arm for each state and even created state courts? If the courts gave rulings, who will carry out these orders?


"I am sure if these questions had been put to them during the debates, they will know that they have made a mistake and put the Police there to enforce the law. And that is what is happening everywhere," he said.


On soldiers' involvement in the security arrangement of the state, Fashola said it was borne out of necessity, explaining that there were not enough police personnel to secure the state effectively.

"Clearly, the military has its responsibility, not only to protect the territorial integrity of the country, but also from internal and external aggression. And if you look at it, they assist only in areas of violent crimes.

"You don't have soldiers in police stations harassing people. It is clearly lack of enough personnel in the Police that compelled the state to look for solution elsewhere," Fashola said.

Meanwhile, Fashola has reiterated that his administration would not be distracted by the accolades accompanying his current performance, to lose focus or deviate from its programmes.

The governor said insinuations about a second term for him remains speculation, saying his administration would continue to fulfil its electoral promises to indigenes of the state.

His words: "From inception, our administration made it a point of duty to invest every minute of our time in achieving our overall policy thrust of poverty alleviation and sustainable economic growth. I can, therefore, tell you confidently that in the last 17,520 hours, 1,051,200 minutes and 63,072,000 seconds that make up the last two years since our assumption of office in 2007, we have relentlessly pursued the greatest happiness for the greatest number of our people", he said

Fashola also noted that the state has achieved much in the areas of providing efficient transportation network, which, according to him, is the pivot on which the economy of any modern mega city revolves.

He revealed that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Lite System, a brainchild of his predecessor, Bola Tinubu, has since its commencement transported over 52 million passengers as at March 17, 2009, adding that the system has also been strengthened with the introduction of LAGBUS.

He also noted that his administration was also making concerted efforts to maximise the water transportation potential of the state, as it has facilitated the operations of City Link Limited and Metro Ferry, which currently offer ferry services between Badore to Marina, and Ikorodu to Marina respectively, through public and private partnerships.

Fashola said the state was committed to delivering two of the planned seven-rail network, namely the Red Line from Agbado to Marina, and the Blue Line from Okokomaiko to Marina.


The governor also revealed that contractors have been paid to transform the Lagos Badagry Expressway into a 10-lane international highway with BTR routes, pedestrian walkways and light rail mass transit routes.

Meanwhile, eminent Nigerians have continued to laud the state administration for its achievements in the last two years.

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, described Fashola as a mechanic.

According to him, "Fashola diagnoses the problems and goes at it like a skilled mechanic. You know, he wants to know what will work, while what will not work he set out to eliminate. He is transforming Lagos State ruthlessly because he is not a politician."

Minister of Information and Communication, Professor Dora Akunyili, rather sees Fashola as a brand, saying, "Governor Fashola is one of the great brands of Nigeria, and one of the faces which Nigeria can show to the world. Everyone is excited about the opportunity of meeting the governor, because of the giant strides he has recorded in such a short time. His great work will boost the re-branding project of Nigeria."

On his part, Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Ephraim Ademowo, described Fashola as a stickler for thoroughness and excellence in government.

He noted that Fashola epitomised commitment to the principle of transparency and accountability.

"He is not only a visible action governor, but opinion poll recently conducted showed that he has transformed Lagos. Definitely, he is taking Lagos to higher heights", he concluded.

Blames Politician-Owned media For Distorting Facts On Ribadu's Tenure

From Martins Oloja (London)
PRESIDENT of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana, literally saved Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from a barrage of questions from concerned Nigerians in London at the weekend

Ribadu, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was assailed with questions on his integrity while superintending the commission under the Olusegun Obasanjo government.

Angry Nigerians and other nationals who attended the heated colloquium on the state of the Nigerian nation at the Metropolitan University, London, wanted to know on which platform Ribadu mounted the rostrum to declare Nigeria as a failed state, which they accused him of contributing to its failure.

Ribadu, who was moved to tears during his presentation, lamented that Nigeria had not made any steady progress because of poor leadership.

He had asked rhetorically: "How did we get here? How did we get it so wrong and how did we fail as a nation?"

He said he felt "sad that we're not allowing the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka and Chief Anthony Enahoro to rest. Why is it that the same man (Enahoro), who moved the motion for independence, is still the same one going over the nation and rallying politicians?

"Why are we not allowing Soyinka to rest after using more than 50 years of his life to fight for the nation?"

He cited Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Soyinka and Falana as some of his notable mentors even as he revealed that "fighting corruption is the worst and toughest job in the world. But I made up my mind to give it my best shot."

He encouraged everyone in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to rally round and "make Nigeria work, and let's start writing our own history."

His presentation drew applause and hisses, with many in the audience questioning his collaboration with Obasanjo to nearly derail the 2007 elections.

But Falana came to Ribadu's rescue and blasted a section of the Nigerian press as not capable of judging the state of democracy and its actors in Nigeria.

Specifically, Falana, easily one of the leading lights of the pre-1999 pro-democracy struggles in Nigeria, had sought to rescue his close pal - Ribadu - from some barrage of questions arising from his participation in the Obasanjo administration.

While rounding off his intervention, Falana, who suggested that the electoral Act in Nigeria should be amended to include provisions allowing Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote anywhere, urged the critical audience to judge the travail and triumph of Malam Ribadu within the context of what the administration he served represented and the structure of the section of the press that has been vilifying him (Ribadu).

His words: "Please, do not judge Ribadu by what you read in some Nigerian newspapers, The young man has not been everybody's friend. I also criticized him while he was EFCC boss from the way he was carrying out his assignment under Obasanjo.

"But he (Ribadu) has demonstrated by his act in office that corruption can be fought, Really, don't judge him by what you read in the newspapers."

Then, he raised the poser: "Who own the newspapers that have criticized him? The Nation is owned Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The Sun is owned by former governor Orji Uzor Kalu. Daily Independent is owned by James Ibori, Some of these actors even own some radio stations in Nigeria.

"The best thing these papers and their allies can do is to stigmatise Ribadu, These are people that Ribadu was prosecuting as EFCC boss."

However, a common thread that ran through concerns raised at the colloquium, which was also attended by the 1996 Nobel laureate in Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka, as exclusively reported in The Guardian on Saturday, was the issue of strategic plans after the talkshop.

Many contributors including Mr. Tunde Asaju, a journalist and media consultant and Mrs. Josephine Amuwo, a London-based community organizer, raised questions about what would happen to issues raised at the symposium.

Mrs. Amuwo, who described the London gathering as "community development for me," said, "but all of you guys have to ensure that it should not just be a symposium where we write a report and nothing gets done."

She asked: "What are we going to do next year when we will clock 50 as an independent nation? What should we plan to do, too, in the next 50 years? We should be part of making Nigeria great again."

Mr. Asaju also wanted to know: "Do we just gather here, lament our fate and just go home? What concrete changes do we expect to make after here?"

Nonetheless, part of the practical steps suggested by Dr. Okey Ndibe, who spoke on 'The role of those in the Diaspora,' include:

"We ought to come out and demonstrate against an imposed leader. An imposed leader should be rejected. 99

"We should not always forgive and forget; we should develop a long memory of any wrong-doing. Obasanjo elected Yar'Adua and Nigerians have forgiven and forgotten.

"We have to insist on the right thing. No criminal should be allowed to go. We are in Nigeria, where when a politician steals public fund, he declares God is faithful; God has blessed me. Three Bishops held a mass for Professor Maurice Iwu (the INEC chairman) in Nigeria."

The symposium was organised by the Nigerian Liberty Forum, to mark Nigeria's Democracy Day in London on Friday.

In about 2 weeks, we will be launching a counter TRUELY Pro Nigeria website.

Walata

I agree English Language is your problem

Dont just complain YarAdua is bad - who in your honest opinion do you think will do it better than him, be honest please

New Yorker - this is a private venture - about five companies got the license to operate the cabs - it is not for government

four people reported dead while another 20 people sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika.

pathetic
even President Obama receives congratulatory messages
what a waste!

fu ck Sahara reports - very biased.

Govt. interference in a capitalist economy is really frowned upon, that is what fashola's move amounts to in my opinion.

Now one said the website is not OK, but i will visit there in another 6 months, and see how many links would be broken