May he rot in hell!

Remember option A4? where you queue at the back of your candidate on election day. The House of Representative voted against it. I think this is a step backward in our polity, this method of voting can surely eradicate all the electoral malpractice in the country.

by Joel Olatunde Agoi

LAGOS-Nigeria's private pay TV station NN24 on Monday began a 24-hour news coverage service in a first for the west African country, its promoters said.

"Today is the realization of a dream which started about five years ago to launch a TV project that will metamorphose into 24-hour news bulletins, seven days a week and 365 days a year," NN24 boss Anthony Dara said in its stylishly furnished office in the Ikeja business district of Lagos.

"Our News on the Hour has started and we are grateful to God for this," he said.

Dara said he was motivated to begin the "ambitious project" because of his personal skills and experience, having worked with Bloomberg TV in London and Snell and Wilcox Limited, a world class TV broadcast equipment manufacturer.

"I am a broadcast engineer by training and I have to leverage on my skills to do something different which is what NN24 is all about," the 36-year-old told AFP, amid feverish preparation ahead of the midday transmission.

As he spoke, studio engineers, reporters and newscasters got ready to kick off the program on channel 414 on South African Digital Satellite DSTV.

Former CNN vice president and partner in the project, Kenneth Tiven, was seen by AFP giving instructions to studio engineers and broadcasters.

"We are counting down. From 12 midday today, viewers can hook on to NN24 on DSTV," Dara assured.

He said the Lagos-based channel had a content partnership deal with CNN International, distribution deal with South African DSTV and advertising arrangement with Nigerian firm MediaCom.

"We have a three-year plan to plant ourselves in the market, in the minds of the people. We want to establish our credentials, establish our unique position and build leadership from there," he said.

"We are aspiring to be the premium national TV news channel. In terms of branding if you talk about Sky, you think British, if you talk about CNN, you think about the United States of America. NN24 is an African concept with global reach," he said.

"We are working on a shoestring budget with the best hands capable because we see ourselves as trying to reinvent the industry in Africa," he said.

Dara said some eight million dollars had been spent on the project.

"Much of the spending is on operational and human costs, while around 2.8 million dollars go on broadcast equipment imported from the US, Britain, India and Japan," he said.

Some 100 journalists, engineers and other supporting staff were on the company's payroll.

"Most of our staff are professionals and are 100 percent Nigerians. But we have Kenneth Tiven, a former vice president of CNN here with us as both technical and financial partner," he said.

Dara said there was local input into the facilities at the sprawling office complex located within the premises of the country's independent Newswatch magazine.

The TV channel had a test run for a month from March 15 to the middle of last month, he said.

Dara said obtaining an operating license from the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) was very easy because of good planning.

"The NBC said our presentation had been the best so far. They said we had the content plan, the business plan, the financial plan, the technology plan as well as the personnel plan," he said.

"We had the five key elements taken care of before we made our presentation at the NBC," he said.

Three channels in South Africa -- eNews Channel, SABC News International and CNBC Africa -- also run a 24-hour news service.

1. All member of national assembly
2. IBB
3.OBJ
4.Bankole
5.Thief Alex Akinyele
6.Orji Kalu
7.Murice Iwu
8.Sanni Abacha
9.Ibori
10.Abdul Salam Abubakar
The list is endless in short Nigerians are corrupt.

In Nigeria, 4 Journalists Receive Death Threats Over Sacked INEC Chair, Maurice Iwu-CPJ PDF | Print | E-mail
Friday, 30 April 2010 15:18

New York, April 30, 2010—Four journalists who covered the recent dismissal of the electoral commission chairman received anonymous death threats via text message on Wednesday, according to CPJ interviews and news reports. The messages, sent from the same number, said the reporters would meet the fate of three slain Nigerian journalists. “We will deal with you soon. Remember Dele Giwa, Bayo Ohu, and Edo Ugbagwu?” the text messages said, invoking three unsolved Nigerian journalist murders, according to local reports. The reporters who received the message were: Yusuf Ali of The Nation, Olusola Fabiyi of The Punch, Chuks Okocha of ThisDay and Gbenga Aruleba of Africa Independent Television (AIT).

The journalists received identical messages after covering Acting President Jonathan Goodluck’s decision to remove the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Maurice Iwu.

Iwu denied any involvement in the threats, news reports said. Some local journalists suggested Iwu’s political enemies could have staged the threats in an attempt to smear him.

The threats come just days after three journalists were killed in two separate incidents. Unknown gunmen shot private daily Nation reporter Edo Sule Ugbagwu at his home outside Lagos on Saturday, local journalists told CPJ. The same day, rioters killed two journalists working for a local Christian newspaper The Light Bearer, Deputy Editor Nathan Dabak and reporter Sunday Gyang Bwede, in the restive city of Jos, Plateau State.

“The text messages mention of Giwa, Ohu and Ugbagwu is an ugly reminder that journalists have been murdered in Nigeria with impunity,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes. “With three Nigerian journalists killed recently, police must take no chances and provide full security to these journalists.”

Aruleba, a presenter on the political talk show “Focus Nigeria” for AIT, received a warning Monday evening from a government contact that his name was on a hit list, he told CPJ. Aruleba had produced several programs critical of Iwu’s handling of the state elections.

National Police Spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu told CPJ that they are aware of the threats and are investigating. In the Ugbagwu murder, Ojukwu said, police have detained some suspects.



CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.

http://www.saharareporters.com/news/5947-in-nigeria-4-journalists-receive-death-threats-over-sacked-inec-chair-maurice-iwu-cpj.html

He has just made a big mistake.

Mistake for what? If a man is not power hungry, why qiuting a party that has no developmental vision is a mistake to you? If I may get you right Atiku is your hero.

Yaradua is a good man nd may God almighty grant him full recovery.

Show me or tell me something that this man has done to benefit Nigerians. Yaradua being a good man is something I can not understand, all I knows is that this man and his family are selfish to the core.

Is Jonathan serious about Nigeria electoral reform?

Nigerians are celebrating the sacking of their despised elections chief

By Caroline Duffield
BBC News, Lagos


Cheeks are still flushed and wine glasses still raised at the dumping of Maurice Iwu, Nigeria's criticised elections chief.

Accused of presiding over five years of massive electoral fraud, he is widely despised.

Elections are barely a year away in this pulsing, oil-rich nation, and Mr Iwu's removal is raising big questions - and big hopes - for democracy.

"Don't replace a dog with a monkey. In the end, both are animals with a tail," says barrister Chief Emeke Ngigi, quoting a proverb from his village.

"What does it mean? We don't want another Iwu. Nigerians will not stand for it."

Whoever is the next election chief will carry the hope of a 150 million people, robbed of their votes in every election since the end of military rule in 1999.

Nigerians know Mr Iwu's removal alone is merely a tremor - far from the earthquake of reform many pray for.

Gateway to power

In Nigeria, when the bodies of voters pile up on the campaign trail, you know the election fight is in full swing.



Many think the acting president has a special opportunity to right past wrongs
Political office here is access to massive oil wealth: a gateway to power and patronage.

And so people are familiar with the organised, mass falsification of voting registers; wearily, they shake their heads at ballot boxes, mysteriously stuffed by 0900 hours on polling day.

A new note was struck in March, when acting President Goodluck Jonathan visited the US.

"Elections in Nigeria will, from now onwards, will be free and fair," he promised.

It is almost a battle-cry.

Shredding the rule-book - a beautiful ambition - would be a strenuous fight.

Stench of corruption

It is a fight Mr Jonathan appears to want.

"He has a special opportunity," observes Auwal Rafsanjani, Chairman of the Zero Corruption Coalition.

"He has the chance to correct the past. People will throng to him, to support sincerity."



Goodluck Jonathan appears to be willing to fight for electoral reform
But correcting the sins of the past will not be easy.

At every election, Nigeria's electoral sickness re-appears, in the shape of hungry, barefoot private armies - the "hired political thugs".

In the pay of wealthy candidates, these youths - almost children - are employed to threaten, harass and intimidate voters.

And beyond the behaviour of power-hungry politicians, real change requires the basics:

safe custody of election materials
rigorous prosecution of electoral offences
judges that rule with integrity on disputed results
impartial security for every voter from police and military
and preventing the all-powerful electoral officers from abusing their positions.
The system reeks of money and corruption, with individuals milking it at every level.

Fork in the road

They are likely to fight to resist change.

The question is: will Mr Jonathan take them on? "The critical point is, we need to know whether Goodluck Jonathan himself is standing," insists Mr Rafsanjani.


Changing the rules as the umpire - and then competing yourself - destroys your credibility

Political insider
That question at present is unanswered.

Shiny billboards appeared in Abuja last week - "Goodluck is the Positive Hope for Nigeria," they breathed, raising intense speculation.

The acting president dissociated himself from them.

But, conspicuously, has still not ruled out running.

Some observers believe if he does stand, electoral reform will remain a dream.

They believe the moment he declares his candidacy, the corruption machine - his party bureaucracy, the security services, the election commission - will swing behind him, wanted or not.

They are an unstoppable force.

"Changing the rules as the umpire - and then competing yourself - destroys your credibility," points out another veteran political insider.

"It erodes credibility as a leader; it erodes the credibility of the changes he is trying to make."

It seems Mr Jonathan - the quiet man, who was never supposed to be president - stands at a fork in the road.

"He is the wild card. He has a choice," says Mr Rafsanjani.

"He could run for office. But if he sacrifices that opportunity, he can impose his reforms.

"Then, he will be remembered as a hero, who organised free and fair elections."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8653751.stm

I can wait till May29 2011. As long as the VP can act for him witout complaining

And you think he should also be able to claim all the benefit of being president till May 2011 and beyond.

Just want to know from Nigerians. How long can we wait for Yaradua on his sick bed?

Place the picture of Director NNPC PHRC, Engr Suleiman Bashir Abdullahi . It is very important, I see is picture. It is very very very very very very very very very very urgently important that i see the picture now.

On close observation I found out that this is your first post. I am curious to know, how can this be your first post on this forum?

Tell me why i won't be suspicious of your request? Hope you won't do the man any arm.

Why do Nigeria leaders always find it convenient to grant interview to foreign media rather than our own? Even NTA has not conduct any interview with Goodluck since his assumption of office as acting president. Just under one week, information starved Nigerians knows what they suppose to have known from BBC and CNN.

@Poster
I believe that's done in government offices around the world, but may not be a rule. Nigerians hang it in private offices too, I believe.

I can see that you resides in USA, do they hang Obama pictures in offices over there?

Why do we hang pictures of our president and governors in offices and government buildings as if Nigeria is being ruled by Gaddaffi?

I can not blame some of you that are cynical about this man plans for Nigeria. It has to do with years of empty promises from our politicians.

Da Grin

That man legalise corruption in Nigeria. Corrupt old crook.
www.againstbabangida.com

Evil genius is at it again. This man suppose to be irrelevant in Nigeria politics. I wonder why people still take him serious.
www.againstbabangida.com

“The essence of reactivating the electronic voting machine is to lessen the time that will be spent on voting on each of the 39 constitutional amendment bills,” Mr. Mark said.

This man must be a Dump What about transparency and accountability?

Emmanuel Ogala
March 28, 2010 12:38AM
 

Eleven years after the Senate’s electronic voting system was abandoned for inaccuracy, the Senate has reactivated the voting machines in preparation for the vote on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

Few minutes before the Tuesday plenary, the Senators were informed that they could not use their desk microphones like they did last week. David Mark, the Senate President informed them that before they could use their microphones, they would need an electronic swipe card to get it functional.

Shortly after, the senators were given some customised electronic swipe cards and taught how to operate the new voting system. The senators were visibly excited as they tested the viability of the cards with each senator having two spare cards.

To vote on a matter which the senate president wishes be done electronically, a senator will be required to first slot in the card and just push a yes or no button in the audio control panel on his front desk. The votes are then registered on two display boards placed where every senator can see, and also on a smaller panel on the senate president’s desk.

According to Mr. Mark, a hard copy of the votes indicating how the senators voted can also be printed out for authentication.

“The essence of reactivating the electronic voting machine is to lessen the time that will be spent on voting on each of the 39 constitutional amendment bills,” Mr. Mark said.

Late last month, when the senators voted on amendment of sections 145 and 190 of the 1999 constitution, the senate spent three hours voting on the bill because every senator stood to say their names and how they vote on the bills. This latest innovation is meant to minimize time spent on voting on crucial bills.

In less important bills or motions, the Senate use other voting methods like voice vote in which the senate president uses his judgement to decide which chorus was louder. Sometimes it is difficult for him to deliver empirically sound judgment based on the voices alone.

In some other cases, the senate divides the house in such a way that those in favour of a particular issue sit on one side of the aisle and then they are counted.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5546619-146/11_years_after_senate_reactivates_voting.csp

The usual practise is to get them screen first and then assign portfolios later, most likely, at the point of swearing in.

The senators would get them screened irrespective of portfolio to be assigned to them as anyone can be assigned any
portfolio, though not always the best.

The question is, what are the screening is going to based on? I expect the minister to go in to national assembly with portfolio attached to them, this can help us all to know how competent the minister can manage the ministry if assigned.

Why sending list of minister to National Assembly without attach there portfolios? How are the senator and the Nigerian public going to screen them? not know which ministry each one of them are going to be assigned to.

There are things to be done to the bad leadership we are experiencing in the country,” he said.

Just wish I can ask him for any sugestions.

Exactly how a Northerner thinks of Nigeria.

Written by Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna
Monday, 08 March 2010 20:10


The national president of the Arewa Youths Forum (AYF), Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, yesterday accused some members of the civil societies of causing tension that could truncate the nation’s democracy.


He said he made the call following moves by some groups to stage a demonstration to the Executive Council of the Federation to ask the members to declare the ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua incapacitated.

In an interview with LEADERSHIP, Gujungu decried the plan and other pressures being mounted on both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.

“I am telling you my mind; most of these antics are not good for the country; rather they are putting democracy in danger. Promotion of democracy and good governance does not mean you should heat up the polity and create an atmosphere which could bring anarchy. The President is sick and the National Assembly has since passed a resolution empowering the Vice-President and things had picked up .So bringing sentiments and hiding under the guise of democracy to cause tension should be discarded.

“They think they are exhibiting patriotism but they are putting the country at risk. The drama by presidential handlers has been defeated with the National Assembly’s action and we should stop doing what could let us down. There are things to be done to the bad leadership we are experiencing in the country,” he said.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

@poster

ever since you removed him - i stopped watching the program . may be i will tune back now / so what happens when yar adua comes back?

same here.

Thank God that Jonathan did not inform those vultures, the decision to remove anaconda would have being impossible. Nice move Jonathan.

which replaced the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mike Aondoakaa with the Minister of Labour & Productivity, Chief Kayode Adetokunbo came to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a surprise as the party was not consulted.

THISDAY reliably gathered that even when the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by its National Chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor visited the Acting President on Tuesday night to pay a solidarity visit, the matter was not discussed.
Ogbulafor had on Tuesday night led members of the NWC of the party to pay homage to the Acting President at the Vice Presidential Lodge.

A source told THISDAY: "Throughout our stay with the Acting President, no mention of the minor cabinet reshuffle was mentioned.
The source said that the party was not also consulted before the minor cabinet reshuffle which eventually saw Aondoakaa moving to Special Duties portfolio and Kayode Adetokunbo taking over his former position.

"As I told you, we were with the Acting President, but the members of the NWC were not told. It came to us a surprise. This can be verified from some of the calls, which some of us made to you members of the media, trying to ascertain whether what we heard is true,” he said.

"It is not that the party is against what the Acting President has done, but in the past, the party was always in the know. He is the Acting President and Commander-in-Chief; the buck ends on his table. We certainly will not control him on how he does his things. He is in charge, but it is fair to let us known, at least for an input," the PDP source said.

As if the party is in total darkness of the visit of three governors who left the country on Wednesday to brief President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the source said that PDP was not aware of the visit by Governors Isa Yuguda, Gabriel Suswam and Ibrahim Shema to Saudi Arabia .

According to him: "The NWC is not aware of the visit, unless the National Chairman was briefed. What is happening is all the initiatives of the Nigeria Governors Forum. We are not aware. The source further lamented that with the developments in the party, that it seems that the PDP Governors have cornered the
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=166337

Does Tinubu still thinks he is the GOV of Lagos state? 'cause I don't see reason why this man is always in the picture whenever Fashola is commissioning many of his laudable projects.

Yes I have

It happened between 2003- 2004 when i fell in love with my friend's Niece, she was just finishing from University of Ibadan then i was already working . We both love one another so dearly.
We started dating and my friend was very cool with it because before then I had been a very good friend to the entire family and they all love me.

When i proposed to her, she told me to do my genotype test and i had to do it just to discover that I am AS. When i told her, she was very silent and told her mum cos she was very confused.

I had to do the test 3 times and really beleived God that it would change. But it never did !

She did not accept my proposal because she grew up with another uncle of hers who is SS, so she grew up seeing alot of SS crisis and i didnt blame her at all

We both parted and a i prayed for her that God will give her a man of her dreams. We both cried cos we were both disappointed even though we were both beleivers.

Guess what? I later met about 4 lovely good damsels that i would have married but all of them were also AS

Well, am happily married now to a very wonderful lady with a lovely son and i still pray for her to get a good man for a husband.
My wife is AA.

Na wa oh!