₦airaland Forum

Reading thru all the comments, I can see that people want miracle to happen in Edo State. What people forget is that this same state has been destroy over the years by successive govt. Also has any of you that want miracle overnight ask yourself how much is the allocation to the state monthly? and how much is the state paying to the civil servant in the state? Ishmael said the allocation to the state has drop to N1.7b from N3.5b due to slump in oil market and need to raise revenue true taxes but people don't want to pay. If anyone of you here get any genuine idea not all this name calling should contact the state govt.

@fhemmmy,

There is no clear strategy for now but the heat is on. Every Nigeria in all works of life are frustrated, btw now and next year people will match in their thousands in every cities of this country with the support of Nigeria labour Congress and Civil society.

The way our dis-honourable National Assembly cast their vote on every major issue in the country is a farce. How can it be NE or Na or whatever they shout out during voting? Do you know that we don't have the voting record of each individual senator and members of house of rep? can anyone tell me if I am wrong that the whole system in the national assembly is a fraud at the highest order, a system that do not allow the electorate to know the voting record of their representative in the National Assembly.

Fellow Nigerians, this is the time for change.

Northern governors bicker over discrimination against christians

By Sukuji Bakoji, Bureau Chief, Kaduna

* Saraki, Wamako Storm Out Of Meeting
Calls by Christians in the North for autonomy from the Sokoto Caliphate and Northern emirates has sharply divided governors from the region.


The disagreement reared up on Thursday, during the quarterly meeting of the Northern Governors' Forum (NGF), which was chaired by the Governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu.


Saturday Independent reliably learnt from impeccable sources that there were heated arguments among the participants at the meeting, following a submission by the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, branches of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the content of which made Sokoto State Governor, Magatakarda Wamako and his Kwara State counterpart, Bukola Saraki, to storm out of the venue in anger.


The CAN presentation was entitled, "A Position Paper Presented by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Northern States - to the Northern Governors' Forum Meeting held on 7th May, 2009 at Gen. Hassan Katsina House, Kawo, Kaduna".


In the submission, CAN raised posers on the touted monolithic nature of the Northern region, which the Christian body argued, was built and sustained on a foundation of injustice, suppression and deceit by the Northern elite over the years.


In the words of the petition: "According to the tenets of Christianity and Islam, the heavens and the earth were created by the Almighty God, and no portion was created by a racial, tribal, ethnic, national or religious group.


"Are we not all settlers on this earth? Did Christians or Muslims create the geographical area called the Northern part of Nigeria?


[b]"Why are Christians and Muslims living peacefully in the Western part of the country[/b, and are focused on the common good of all, while we keep soaking ourselves in one another's blood? "Why do some people in the North feel that they are more 'Northern' than others? Are crises in the North truly religious or ethnic? Or are they as a result of bad governance?"


CAN argue that the above, among others, are the issues that should be addressed, if the Northern governors are sincerely committed to the development of the region.


"There is a very close link between peace, justice and development. Peace is only possible where there is justice, and where there is peace and justice, it is possible to have real development," CAN said.


The association then enumerated constraints faced by Christians in the northern part of the country as including refusal to allow the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) in government schools, refusal of certificate of occupancy (C of O) for the building of churches. Others are destruction of churches at the slightest provocation, none broadcast of Christian programmes in media houses, refusal to allow churches to be built in Federal institutions, provocative utterances by Muslims Imams in their preaching, abduction and forceful conversion of under-aged Christian girls, forcing Christian girls in government schools to don Hijab.
CAN also highlighted, state-by-state, ethnic minority groups that are being compelled to remain under the Emirate system, though they are predominantly Christians.


"If we have to live together in peace, we must work for justice. Let it be clear to all of us, that neither Christians nor Muslims alone, and on their own, can develop the North.


"If the North must know peace and develop, both groups have to work together on the basis of equality and justice. No group should see or treat the other as inferior," it concluded.


A discussion over the fate of the Christians in the North soon snowballed into a heated argument, leading to the walkout by Saraki and Wamako.

@Afaukwu

It is the thinking like this that we never move Nigeria forward. Its PDP as a party that started rotation in their leadership its never in Nigeria constitution if we fail to elect the best leader in the next election cause of where he/she is from then we can all say good night Nigeria.
Obasanjo is a Yoruba man, how many Yoruba town and cities benefit from his presidency? the only thing that he brought are sorrow, tear and blood.

This is a good development seen a northerner criticizing their leader. But the problem with Nigeria is everywhere both north and south.

Ekiti: Police Grill INEC Staff over N250m Bribe
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 05.08.2009


More revelations emerged yesterday on the N250 million bribe rocking the Independent Natio-nal Electoral Commission (INEC) over the Ekiti State governorship rerun.
The 31 workers of the commission engaged as collation and presiding officers for the rerun made statements to the police yesterday.
THISDAY learnt last night that the police had written INEC, seeking to interrogate the officers over the bribe.
It was learnt that some of the electoral officers were engaged for Ido-Osi poll which result was highly contentious.
The rerun in 63 wards across 10 local governments was contested by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Segun Oni, and his Action Congress (AC) challenger, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Oni was declared winner of the election and had been sworn in. Fayemi has rejected the results.
But bribes were said to have been offered presiding and polling officers in respect of the controversial Government poll during the rerun.
Oni got the massive votes in Ido-Osi with which he wiped out Fayemi’s initial lead.
The bribe allegedly became a subject of police investigation when one of the presiding officers asked for his share of the money and in the process, a quarrel ensued following which the police stepped in.
The presiding officer who served in Idi-Osi had allegedly said a PDP chieftain addressed the collation and presiding officers informing them that the party would take care of them and that the money would be handed over to a top INEC official.
One of the confessional statements by one of the suspects alleged that a top INEC official collected money on behalf of the electoral officers deployed in Ido-Osi but refused to share the bribe.
But following a letter by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of INEC, J.B. Awelewa, dated May 4, 2009 with reference no CR.3000/B Dept/ INEC/Vol 1/25 and entitled “Investigation Activities,” the police asked the commission to release 31 members of its staff engaged as collation and presiding officers in Ido-Osi for interrogation.
The letter was addressed to INEC Secretary Abdullahi Kugama.
It read in parts, “I refer to my letter CB: 3000/B Dept/INEC/ Vol 1/43 dated April 30, 2009 and hereby request for the release of the under-mentioned collation and presiding officers who were deployed in Ido-Osi local government for the supplementary election of April 25, 2009.”
DCP Awelewa said in the letter that the “request has become necessary in order to complete investigation into an allegation of corrupt practice currently being handled by this unit. The officers are expected to report to the INEC Police Unit on Thursday, May 7th 2009.”
In his response, the INEC secretary directed the commission’s Director of Human Resources Management to release the affected officers for police interrogation.
Kugama directed the INEC Director of Human Resources Management thus: “Please inform the listed officers above to report as requested.”
The officers appeared at the police unit around 10am and made statements to the police.
Fayemi had mounted a spirited challenge against Oni’s victory on the basis of the April 14, 2007 poll, alleging that the election was characterised by massive irregularities until the Court of Appeal voided the poll and ordered a rerun in 10 local governments.
Initial results of the rerun last week from five of the 10 local governments had shown Oni and Fayemi running neck and neck until other results came from four more local governments including that of Ido-Osi to which Oni’s hometown of Ifaki-Ekiti belongs.
A huge row had broken out at the collation centre after the Ido-Osi result was announced. AC had contested the result in Ido-Osi which gave Oni a large margin of victory and effectively wiped out Fayemi’s initial lead.
The result is PDP, 15,939 and AC, 3,793.
As it turned out, the Ido-Osi result gave Oni the final victory.
According to Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commission-er Ayoka Adebayo, Oni polled 44,306 to beat Fayemi who polled 28,238 votes in the rerun in 10 councils.
In the results validated by the Court of Appeal, PDP got 65,743 and AC 78,091.
When added together, Oni polled 110,049 votes as against Fayemi’s 107,329 votes

@ONENAIJA

There is no need of you barking like a dog to attract tourist to Nigeria, tell madam re- branding to fix electricity, security of life and property, road, hospital etc. The tourist will come to Nigeria.

Culled from Guardian Newspaper


Govt regrets crisis that trailed Ekiti election
The Federal Government on Wednesday expressed regret at the political crisis that trailed the conduct of the governorship re-run election in Ekiti State, but said it is convinced that the seven executive bills on electoral reform presently before the National Assembly would help prevent future re occurrence of the situation in any part of the country. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua had last week sent the seven bills to the National Assembly, emphasising that they are "critical to the actualization of electoral reform and consolidation of our democratic process." Minister of Information and Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili, along with the Minister of State in the Ministry, Alhaji Inkra Bilbis told journalists during a question and answer session at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) that "the Federal Government regrets any loss of lives and properties and those injured in Ekiti State." She also expressed government's regret that an election meant to accelerate the pace of socio-economic and political development in the young state led to the loss of lives and avoidable destruction of properties. Said Prof Akunyili, "Now that Ekiti State governorship re-run has been concluded by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo, according to the dictates of her conscience and her spiritual conviction as a Christian, I call upon everybody to work together to accelerate the development of Ekiti State." The Minister also announced that the Federal Executive Council meeting, presided over by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, approved a draft bill for the repeal of the Immigration Act 1963 and also approved the Draft Immigration Bill 2008.

corruption kills more than swine flu

@Blacksta

You should be ashamed of your comment. Are you implying we should all maintain the status quot?

@Fhemmmy,

Being a govt TV does not mean you should not report fact about the country. Last time I check BBC is financed by taxpayer money and TV licence fee.

Do Anyone Really Watch Nta News At 9 O Clock?

"Nigeria Television Authority"

What about changing the AUTHORITY to SERVICE may be this can make them report the fact about Nigeria not all this propaganda.

@Asha80

I have tried not to

Any time I hear this man defend, indefensible corrupt politician I shout at my TV. How do this guy sleep at night? this guy is the worst AG ever in Nigeria history.

How would you describe this Anacoda of this poisonous snake?

Any word to describe FAILURE?

Friday, May 1, 2009  Printer Friendly Version

Fayose escapes police, SSS arrest

By Olusola Fabiyi and Adeola Balogun

A former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, narrowly escaped arrest by the combined team of police and State Security Service officials in Abuja on Thursday.

The security agents had laid in ambush for Fayose on the premises of the Africa Independent Television where he had earlier appeared on a political programme, ''Focus on Nigeria''.

Fayose had criticised the Peoples Democratic Party for what he called, its desperate attempt to win the rerun governorship election in Ekiti State.

Also on the programme were Senator Ayo Arise, Mr. Emeka Ngige (SAN) and a man who claimed to have observed the rerun election.

While Fayose castigated the PDP and Arise for allegedly being in possession of thugs who were arrested by the police and in whose possession charms were found, Arise wondered why Fayose, whom he said, had been declared a man without character, could still be talking on such a programme.

At a point, Arise had threatened to walk out of the live programme if Fayose was not called to order.

A source at the Padoma Hill, Asokoro, where the station is located, said some members of staff of the organisation started noticing unusual movements of some people who came in three different vehicles.

The vehicles were Peugeot Expert, Chevrolet and Peugeot 406.

Sensing that they had come for Fayose, who was still on the programme, the former governor was alerted.

The source said, "We had to alert him so that it would not be as if we lured him here to be arrested.

"We then asked him to either prepare to be arrested or escape, if he had any means."

Fayose, it was gathered, had to escape through a bush path and abandoned his vehicle at the station.

The vehicle, which was parked in front of the station, was still there when our correspondent visited about 2.57pm.

During the interview, Arise said he came under attack because he was seen as a stumbling block against the governorship ambition of the Action Congress' candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

He said he was disappointed that a broadcasting house, Adaba FM, operating in Akure misinformed Nigerians that he was held by the police for about four days.

But Fayose said it was true that Arise was arrested but that he bought his freedom.

During the programme, Niger Delta activist, Mujaheed Asari-Dokubo insisted on an apology by Arise who had called him a 'thug.'

www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200905012392845

British Govt begs people to join Army and police. You see advert on tv, radio and online everyday. My brother, if u really want to join army apply to join British army as a commonwealth applicant you can even get your British passport in 5 years only if you survived being send to Afghanistan.
www.army.mod.uk

blacksta:
Welcome Daddy shokey, welcome ,Welcome Daddy shokey, welcome

I have already sign up

Thinking about recent arrest of some thugs in Ekiti state. I begin to ask myself, are this guys going to be prosecuted? to send a message to others that are planning the same in the future, that Nigeria will not tolerate incident like this. But I quickly realise that this is Nigeria.

Please Don't start that Revolution Without Me.

The best thing this woman should have done first, is to call a press conference and tell Nigerian why she is resigning. But still, kudos to you.

This man is really dying slowly.

It is so sad that we have to result to picking candidate to run for highest office in the land by looking at what part of the country the person is from. I am a Yoruba man, I challenge ordinary yoruba citizen that benefited from Obasanjo presidency. We need competent man for the job no matter where this person comes from in Nigeria.

As for me, I know which party deserve my vote. Either the vote count or not.

@stoik
Are you really seriously thinking of voting in PDP government in to power again?

Absolutely not. How can you justify a soldier living like a royal? How much is his salary during his career for him to own a private jet? the list goes on and on.

All I hope for now is that the rogue leaders in Africa should support the judgement of the ICC.

Nigeria has been in economic crisis since when? God knows. We as a country have being in perpetual economy crisis for long.

I made lots of effort to contact the lady that represent my constituency, even my mail never replied. I want nairalander to contact their various Reps and Senators to see how effective they are representing your interest. http://www.nassnig.org/

@Bishopking
Thanks for the correction.

No, he is not. You know the reason. CNN, BBC and other foreign media don't like Nigeria. Sometimes I read comment of Nigerians on different blog about foreign media don't like us most especially CNN. I got some news for you we have being brainwashed by our corrupt elite making us believe that the foreign media don't like  Nigeria becuase this people dont have reason to cover all the ill that have happen to us as a country.

Any breaking news in Nigeria today, the same people that believe that the foreign media is against us will be the first to visit CNN or BBC website to get accurate information about what really happen.

Nigerians think!

While all the goverment of serious country all over the world are slashing their interest rate to 1% sometimes 0%. The cabal that runs the Nigeria banks and central bank still maintain this clueless economy sense. Yaradua thinks by reducing the salary of the political office holder will improve Nigeria economy situation as if this people really depend on their salary to survive . How can any nation that have the interest of her citizen at heart justify 30% interest rate?

Discuss,