₦airaland Forum

@marcdunu

You talked about Westminster system that operates a parliamentary systems where the party leader automatically becomes Prime minister.  There is no direct voting for the Prime minister - who ever gets the highest support from Members of Parliament (MP) in the house becomes the PM. You cannot compare that to the Nigeria system - that's just not right.

This is a right step - he should definitely be tried for treason - his statement was a treasonable offense.

Chimanet:
some times fear can be wisdom

It cannot be so for too long - let us know how far we can be pushed.  At worst this will break up the country or set a new standard . . come to think of it - whats the worst case possible? this might be the key to our freedom.

Chimanet:
pls bro Jona respect agreement,these northerners are so naive that they dont understand real democracy,if they start destroying properties is not going to affect ijaw people much it is igbo speaking people that it will affect.why cant we nigerians learn to wait for our turns (typical naijamans beheviour ).simple!!

How long do we have to live in fear?

marcdunu:
How old is the Nigerian constitution? it is still evolving and I don't know what will be added and what wont be.

The Nigerian constitution recognises the right of political parties to make its own house rules on election, selection or nomination. A subsisting court Judgement also recognises zoning in the PDP constitution and did not pronounce it as illegal.

If anything, if Jonathan wants to remain greedy and run; let him leave the PDP to implement its own house rules. Let Jonathan go and run on another party platform.

PDP has zoning in its constitution and Jonathan must respect it.

You can't have it both ways my friend ! ! in-house laws cannot be equated to National laws. When you are not satisfy with the party you quit, join another platform. The party rules you are alluding to is an in-house affair and PDP has officially permitted GEJ to run - that's a law-  How can Atiku equate PDP laws (if there is any) to Nigeria's. I think he should be arrested.

marcdunu:
The European countries you are talking about do not have 300 ethnic groups with 3 tribes that don't usually agree on anything. They don't have their country split halfway between Christains and Muslims like we have in Nigeria. Without zoning for now Nigeria will be another Rwanda or Somalia and anybody denying this fact lives in disneyland.

That  Mornachical system like UK and a Presidential system like US can both lay claim to democracy tells me that we too can define the limits of our own democracy. America's founding fathers adopted democracy from Europe but chose to do away with Monarchy; the blackman must learn to think outside the box and define for himself systems that suits his own needs.

Without zoning, and if we had a polity where all that matters is the numbers, given that who to vote in Nigeria are still driven by sentiments such as tribe, language or religion; I doubt Nigeria would have produced and Ijaw President and Idoma Senate President anytime in our first 50years of democracy.

So lets not knock zoning. While its easy to manage a post election where Buhari looses to Yar'adua, it may not be as easy to manage a post election where an Atiku looses to a Jonathan Goodluck especially when the Norrth has every right to think it is their turn.

Jonathan should thanks his stars and go back home and wait for the next turn of the South South, if his people choose him then good for him.

Jonathan should not destroy this country because of his blind ambtion. he is not even an inspiring candidate so what is the noise about? Nigeria is not missing anything by Jonathan going home. He has not given a good account of himself in the last 12 months.

His ambition must not destroy Nigeria.

Now there is a lot packed in there ! !

Why are you trying to manage a situation instead of fixing it - I personally like the whirl of events so far - yes, we need this kind of stuff to test how long we can be r.aped.  You made sense but it is not a long term solution - you are probably hitting your keyboard out of fear for destroying Nigeria  which could be exactly what we need to re-foci  

My point is, the constitution has to be respected. Gej and the zoning stuff is a PDP thing that shouldn't have gotten to the mainstream in the first place, when you have an issue with your party you quit, Atiku did that is 2007 when he left the platform for AC. Why make a party thing National and start threatening the peace of the Nation because of a conflict within a political party. Its like AC having an internal conflict and calling on violence. These PDP goons don't understand what a party conflict and National conflict is. I also blame the media for giving them the time to talk this party agreement nonsense on a National stage. That said, i thing Gej should contest but he is not my candidate- i support Ribadu

Tell me why should Gej resign? - because of the PDP agreement- no that's late now he already declared, oh because of the peril state of the country or because of a handful of northerners. Do you know what that would do for the country?

I think we are in the best position and Gej should contest, the worst we can get is the best we will get "a Paradigm shift"

9ijaMan:
Perhaps you'll need to explain federal character (and catchment areas) which is enshrined in the constitution. How can you accept Federal character on one hand and then claim zoning makes no sense. I personally hate the idea of zoning, 'cos it negates the most important quality "MERIT", but would certainly subscribe to it if that will bring peace and sustainable development.

I do not accept federal character - i just made a distinction because i think it is worth differentiating. Folks comparing Federal character (which is appointments and in the constitution) to zoning which is not in the constitution, a one party agreement, an elite scheme is totally rubbish.  Please don't compare them - the 50 wise men who wrote our constitution would have enshrined zoning if it made any sense.

marcdunu:
Absolute untruth, zoning does not negate the idea of democracy.[b] It may limit the pool of contestants [/b]but surely does not negate democracy.

Because at any point in time in this country, if you do a thorough search with the highest of standards you will find at any one time highly qualified Presidential candidates from all Geopolitical zones. So what if you decide that at anyone time let all the qualified candidates from one zone present themselves and let the Nation choose? What is wrong with that and how is that not democractic.

This is simply uniquely tayloring democracy to suit our needs as a country with specific challenges.

If democracy is only applicable when all are free to run, what do you say about the age limits which excludes some sections of the society to run for elections? why don't we also argue that it is undemocratic for any electoral process to exclude new born babies to run for office? Is'nt it the case that it is ok to excludes kids because they can not run a country? Is'nt this a practical case of defining the limits of democracy?

So why can't Nigeria practically define its own limits of democracy? we have a unique situation that could lead to post election violence if not for zoning. so why can't we taylor the limits of our own democracy to suit our needs? who wants open violence and blood on the streets every 4years in this country just because we have ethnic , religious and ethical differences?

Jonathan's ambition should not be allowed to destroy Nigeria, a word is enough for the wise.

In essence there is no such thing as democracy-  what you called democracy is "Eurocentric system of government" which is voting. If you get down to the logic of it and agree that democracy is a government for the people, then just any system be it totalitarian or monarch can be classified as democracy if the people endorses it- and if the people insist on monarch and you give them voting then it is not in agreement with or according to democratic doctrine of "popular rule". This is an essentially contested concept in the academic realm. In this case,  Democracy is measured by what majority want not (don't miss it up with voting system).

That said - lets get down to eurocentric idea of democracy which our system is modeled on, this calls for anyone within the age range accepted as matured enough in this case 40 be eligible to stand for the office of presidency AND any other agreed criteria MUST be enshrined in the constitution. There is no ethnic consideration in the Nigeria constitution with regards to this issue  - so how would a presidential candidate claim some zoning that Nigeria constitution doesn't recognize - and you call that democracy. That's madness

Nigeria's limit to democracy must be in the constitution - if its not there its nonsense - null and void.  If the constitution does not have an age limit then just any sane person below 40 can contest. The key word here is " the people's choice" which will be in the (and) "constitution". If the people have a change of mind, they talk with their representative and change the constitution. That's the document that guilds us and thats the way democracy works

9ijaMan:
Your statement above is certainly impossible. Following your logic would mean that you'll need to sack (at least ask them to resign) all the Federal civil servants too, 'cos they were employed based on another type of zoning, "Federal Character".

Same applies to GEJ and practically every single candidate particularly from PDP who's seeking any political office.

Its different from zoning. Federal character is enshrined in the constitution that's based on appointment. The issue with zoning if you get down to its implication - is that, it is in direct conflict with the sense or meaning of democracy/voting system which is exclusive to people's choice. In the case of zoning its not the people choosing but some elites .

And that's a folly remark. two weeks back he granted an interview saying he could win PDP primaries hands down, he claimed to have meet with  90 % of the delegates. now he reappear-ed with this drivel trying to take advantage of GEJ's shyness. The guy is just too desperate -

I think she did the right thing . We need more of Dora in our politics - and to think she ignored PDP, i like her for this.

He has my vote.

He is my uncle . . RIP

alj harem:
what is the meaning of this

does she not know about sharia law

You took that right from my mouth. It is not fair but if was aware of the law - i wounder why she made the wrong choice. Justice is contextual - shared understanding of a particular place and time- at least to an extent.

That said, Religion is captivity.

Becomrich?:
If Jonathan does not correct the injustice, Patient Goodluck should start packing all she has inside Aso Rock. If she can not talk to her husband to correct this injustice, she better start packing.

what is your point? what injustice?

Oh my God that video is an eyesore

Shock:
Nigerians, haba, always having one bad thing or the other to say about the government, na wa o.

Isn't it obvious[b] that the speaker was explicitly quoted out of context[/b]? and you all are so gullible to fall for rubbish Journalism?

sure he was

Our democracy as its currently configured is not sustainable - you don't need to be an expert to understand that.  Sanusi was spot on and i thought it was over 30 per cent. I think Sanusi echoed Obasanjo's assertion that the National Assembly is a burden to the Nation.

It is a shame those we should be looking up to - those with the drive, knowledge and information to place Nigeria in the right part are all waiting . . .  Its pathetic.

DapoBear:
This doesn't make sense until Nigeria gets serious about education. Otherwise their talents and abilities will be wasted. Nigeria right now is going through the motions, but not trying to compete for real, in my opinion.

You are waiting for a decent environment to stroll in at ease but the country you are today took people's guts and blood to create that decent environment. Who is Nigeria if not you and me . . when you say Nigeria is not ready it directly means we are not set and whose fault is that . . the govt?

Don't you think its a lazy argument to blame the govt or wait for the environment to be fixed before you take action? who are you waiting for by the way?

Men were not created equal so what gives one the impression that the justice can be fair . .

They should come home and help build our education system. How many western professors do we have in Nigeria? The good once of Africa has been bought by the west to add to their pile of scholars -

This is who you should compare with Sasha . . I no know if na force to wear gown

Where are the alternatives . . if you say something isn't good enough you've gotta point to an option.

Lets face it - we diasporic Nigerians have more of the blame than the locals - i think of Kobojunkie who has "i live in America" written all over him (or her, i doubt) and talks nonsense all day - foolishly trying  to appear American yet blaming Nigerians for their situation.

I think of Sagamite and cap28 who are obviously more intelligent than the average in my opinion and have the inherent capacity of mobilizing millions of Nigerians for a course (judging by their post)  I think of Tayo-D, Katsumoto, pres-elect, davidylan and many more healthy Nigerian who should be influencing millions but are busy contributing to betterment of other countries . . I don't think we love the Greenland enough.

jaygetta:
In a country full of cowards that are scared to take matters into their own hands, I hope the SenaThieves increase their pay to at least 99% of the country's annual budget! Afterall, people won't complain, therefore their excesses must not be affecting the common man,abi?

I agree and disagree with your statement at the same time. . I agree because you are right - it is the duty of the people to form the system this is the whole theory of "social construct". What the people get is directly what they bargained for - when the french bargained for freedom they got it, when Americans fought for independence they won it, when the Zulus and the rest of them fought against apartheid  they got equality - people died in each cause but they achieved what they wanted. It is rather better to die and leave a better world behind than lazily wear the worst situation and live with it . .

At the other hand- you are not in the moral position to make such that statement. You fall well into the category of those who joined a situation that has been sacrificed for a long time ago . .Patrick Henry and the rest of them fought for the country you currently live in - people died for America to be what it is today . . what have you done to make Nigeria better? You can seat there and whine about how bad Nigeria has turn out to be but if you go down to the logic of it, you are more guilty of it -  we need people like you who are well informed  to come home and make a difference - If you cannot sacrifice your own comfort in making Nigeria a better place you are a disgrace and you have no moral right to urge the locals to do so . . you are more of a failure than Nigerians in Nigeria because you have more access to information . A man that has been in the dark all through his life will not miss sunshine but not one who has tasted it. .

Horus:
Between 1804 and 1915[b], Haiti was one of the richest country in the western hemisphere before the American invasion and occupation of Haiti (1915-1934)[/b].  The Americans after killing more than 12.000 haitians liquidated the National Bank of Haiti, imposed forced labor on much of the population and prohibited Blacks from entering hotels and restaurants. With the pretext of protecting the Haitian gold reserves, they carried 100% of the gold off to strong boxes in New York. And you blame "The Black Gene" for this situation in Haiti?

You are badly informed.  Are you meant to tell me that Haiti was relatively developed before 1915? can you really say that?

I join the hypothesis that there could be something wrong with the black mind - this is not far fetched from the fact that a better part of our history was successfully erased - what we have now are patches of early events viewed through hybrid mindset. We are confused ain't we? we want to be Africans and westerners at the same time. Turn to religion - it is just as eurocentric as what we you were taught in school - even Nigeria schools. How can a mime be confident in his own skin when the original deal is out there. . .  Asians are doing just fine because they followed their own traditional ways of life, mode of development and in some occasions their own language - not trying to appear like Europeans or Americans. . . that is where the problem lies . .  we are trapped between two world hence confused.

"I Lack Administrative Experience," that got Jonathan written all over it. . and i do not think it was taking out of context. Why is Jonathan answerable to US Ambassador? If i am not mistaken the Ambassador is here to promote America's interest - i doubt if Obama knows Nigeria Ambassador's name. . This is my point " How can Jonathan be Intimidated to that extent? what sort of respect can he command in the face of Americans. . . This is a shame on the poar.

My real issue is the revealed Shell's grip on our government . . I expect Jonathan to address that . . we cannot pay deaf ears because we heard them.

This is obviously an ideological agenda backed with the spin of huge deficit . .

I wonder how someone would oppose the release of the documents . .   Nigeria government have to address this.