₦airaland Forum

ALISMILE:
thee military itselve wields d AK 47 as well! Are u sayin d SSS wields beta rifles dan d milittary? Will check on d superioty of these weapons u mentioned! U comparing d DSS to d police is quite laughable! D DSS is supposed to be secretive in style of ops while d police are expected to be overt! This makes the police more vulnerable! I stand to be corrected that d challenges faced and dealt wit and d achievements by a single Police division, by mile surpasses, those of an entire state command of d dss!wat re their acheivments? Let's face it! How many cases ve they susessfully prosecuted in court? How many times ve dey gained convictions even in terrorism related cases! For me d dss is jus an empty and overrated org. And sure this admn re wiser to it! This is no longer d regime of sycophancy and high service! The is d time of practicability! For now let d dss be on their own and allow d Mintel and d SIB take charge of security if Aso rock!

Fully agreed that the DSS is supposed to be discrete and the Police overt but please note that the Police are not mandated or trained for Executive Protection or Close Protection (CP). The DSS are responsible for the inner and outer rings round VIPs whilst the Police take care of the outer ring and crowd control. The DSS may have had its excesses but you can’t scrap an agency outright or replace its statutory functions with another agency because of failings or issues with a particular set of its leadership. Are we going to seize the functions of the military because of allegations about its role in the Ekiti elections for instance, or bypass all the Armed Forces because of alleged partisanship of the service chiefs in postponement of the elections or their handling of the Boko Haram insurgency? Please note that the CSO to President Buhari is a DSS officer who has been with him for years and he has chosen to retain him. He can simply ask that one to help him talent spot, professionals and would-be loyalists within the DSS who can be deployed to serve him. He can also appoint a new leadership and management for the service. It shouldn’t appear petty as this report which in any case is media report, is portraying it. We need to build strong institutions not individuals. What if other agencies become partisan tomorrow?

pacino26:
You've spoken well. The service came into being when the SIB or Force Intelligence couldn't counter a coup. We shared same quarters with DSS operatives early in life and they were focused. The crop of them wielding the T21 dressed in suits today are no different from political thugs. It's a shame that I admire them so much. The president's decision I believe is borne out of organizational restructuring as the first step is to load them off the villa first. The secret police is no longer secret as they introduce themselves with the weapon they wield and the way they carry themselves in public functions busy enriching themselves and seeing the service as one place to earn SWAG. Soldiers die daily same as police officers but have you heard their wives protesting? During the Omabatse death in Nasarrawa these guys flare up in protest and demanded justice that was the height of it. The day you sign up in the military or paramilitary is the day you died. The remaining existence na jara.

I believe in time the service will be restored to glory but for now let the military and State intelligence Bureau take over the task.

So if the present leadership of the Traffic Wardens gets political or “unprofessional”, we should replace ALL traffic wardens from their duty posts with Civil Defence, Army or Naval personnel?

ALISMILE:
Again I disagree on dis! SSS didn't get their training frm heaven! D security of d President is not d monopoly of any security agency! U cannot rely on d Police but the NPF bfore and durin d jus concluded election exhibited more professionalism as dey resisted every attemp to be used by politicians (PDP) against their opponents!consequently, if u ask me btw d two which can b relied upon, in conditions dat require pathroitism and unbias, I ll go for d police!It was because of D police displayed of unapproachability that d IGP got sacked immediately after d elections! SSS in d recent election and electioneering displayed a high level of bias and unprofessionlism, standin side by side wit corrupt polictians to perpetrate political treachery and as such they cannot be trusted!

The Police that barred then Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and his supporters from gaining access to the National Assembly? Na wa. Nigerians can be very forgiving sha.

morscino:
Have u ever heard of the MIA(Military intelligence agency)? they're actually d ones who trains d DSS,so d military can prevent an attack without firing a shot.
For d shake up or comlete over-haul of d DSS,it wuld be done gradually,but d president needs to be protected for now by d ones he trusts.

Very incorrect sir. The DSS are NOT trained by the DIA (Defence Intelligence Agency) and there is NOTHING like MIA. DSS are distinct and have 4 training institutions. It is also false to say the military can prevent an attack without firing a shot. It depends on the type of attack. Yes there are a few attacks that can be foiled without gunshots, there are others and in most cases even if it is to scare people, you must fire shot even if it is to scare away the assailants before evacuating the executive or VIP being protected. Be properly educated, informed and guided on this sir!

I am really not happy about the icy relationship between some Igbos and Yorubas. Many have friends and even spouses across the divide. Why so much hate. The 2015 elections have come and gone. I am not from the South but as a Nigerian I wish something will give. What's the gain when those politicians we are insulting each other for dont even know or care that we exist? This trend of acrimony should not be transferred to generations unborn. We appeal to all internet warriors and ethnic jingoists to stop this virulent cancer of resentment.

OrlandoOwoh:
I would have preferred Fashola being minister of FCT or Works.

That would have been my preference but trust me, FCT is "reserved" for Northerners and not just "any" Northerner!

He applied on 14th May. He just sent there today and they said it actually takes a long time. All those who applied for Netherland about same time with him haven’t gotten the visa too. However, those for Italian and others got theirs today. They have asked him to check back again by Monday. I reckon it could be ready sometime next week when it would be exactly or about a month.

Indeed, we must identify all the sponsors, accomplices, leaders and fighters of Boko Haram and bring them to justice for violating the human rights of those killed, the human rights of their families and dependants.

Indeed, we must identify all the sponsors, accomplices, leaders and fighters of Boko Haram and bring them to justice for violating the human rights of those killed, the human rights of their families and dependants.

chimchris247:
Rejoice bsitl, the bulls are back,expect megabull today.

Where are the bulls? Didnt see any from the report of today.

By Abba Mahmood

Eleven days after taking over as President, Buhari has appointed only some journalists as spokesmen of his administration. He did not appoint the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the engine room of the government; he did not appoint a substantive Chief of Staff to the Villa; he did not change the Service Chiefs to reflect the new era; he did not appoint new security chiefs; in fact, even his own National Security Adviser he has not appointed yet. Does it mean he has not made enough consultations since he was elected over two months ago to enable him hit the ground running?

Buhari’s constituency as president is the whole country. Every other government official is only representing a fraction of the entire country. It is therefore strange for Buhari to say that he does not care who emerges in the leadership of the National Assembly. Yes, as president he cannot interfere in the work of the Assembly but that does not remove the fact that they will approve his ministers, ambassadors, number of advisers, budget, and laws and even have the power to impeach him if he breaches the law. It is therefore the height of naivety for Buhari to be indifferent to who leads the National Assembly, as he has done. That is not providing leadership which he was elected to do.

It, therefore, did not come as a surprise when the discredited Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) orchestrated a well planned coup that saw the defeated party taking over the National Assembly leadership on June 9, 2015. Some renegade All Progressive Congress (APC) legislators led by the Mullah of Zamfara combined with the most corrupt elements of the PDP to effectively bring to an end the change mantra of this administration, by surreptitiously foisting Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively. From that day, the APC is no more a governing party but a gone party if the indicators are anything to go by.

By all means, there is need for the Southeast to be fairly represented in all organs of government but not by the flotsam and jetsam of that vibrant society who belong to the arrogant and corrupt past. For the APC, what becomes of party discipline if there is flagrant disregard of party directives by some of its leading members? For President Buhari, what becomes of his government now that the corrupt elements have taken over the country’s legislature? He should get ready to bribe through his nose for any of his executive Bills to be passed, and 85 percent of the Bills emanate from the executive. In short, he should get ready to pay the price of refusing to provide necessary leadership by being indifferent in the name of a so called “separation of powers”, as if even in America the president is not concerned about who leads the US Congress.

This is not a wake-up call for Buhari and his administration but it is a challenge which he has to confront. Otherwise it will consume him. Buhari was elected to bring about change. In other words, we thought he was going to be decisive and hit the ground running. And, after being in politics for over a decade, we thought he is going to be politically sophisticated. We even thought that there would be at least one hundred days of honeymoon, away from criticism. Now, we know, at the rate we are going there is no honey, and there is no moon. Our loyalty is to Nigeria and not to any party after all, so we have the duty to tell the truth and criticise any wrong doing by any government, regardless of which party is controlling that government.

President Buhari was elected by the majority of Nigerian voters because he promised to change the country for the better, and fight corruption. It is a pity now that the change will be very difficult and fighting corruption may even be impossible as it stands now, with the current National Assembly leadership. Buhari as president is expected to provide leadership and being the commander in chief, and there is no deputy commander in chief, the Constitution is very clear that he is the Head of State. He should therefore stop assuming that it is a government of three- in- one with every arm of government working independently. It is one government serving the entire people of Nigeria, which he has sworn to head as president.

With the alliance of corruption that brought the new National Assembly leadership, the legitimacy of the anti – corruption program of this government is now in doubt. The ICPC and the EFCC are creations of the National Assembly, which has the power to control. These anti – corruption agencies will never function again, if at all they survive, since the corrupt elements in the Assembly will make sure they are frustrated. If Buhari cannot fight corruption, is frustrated by the legislature and rendered important by the very corruption he promised to fight, then where is the change? The APC as a party has mismanaged its victory. In fact, with what happened in the Assembly last Tuesday, the PDP, has the last laugh. The promised change is over as the PDP has the ultimate victory.

With the APC squandering its goodwill so fast and dampening the morale of the entire nation and with a cloned and hybrid government that is neither APC nor PDP at the centre, there is no tunnel for us to see the light. The agents of change have been short changed. It reminds me of what the Second World War British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill once said: “this is not the end; it is not even the beginning of the end; but, perhaps it is the end of the beginning.” History is on the side of the oppressed.
http://leadership.ng/columns/439820/the-end-of-the-beginning

Following the demise of Borno Central Senator, late Ahmad Khalifa Zannah of the All Progressives Congress, leadership of the party, DAILY POST gathered has been planning to impose a sole candidate on the party at the detriment of others, a situation which has resulted to open challenge of the leaders on Thursday. Those challenging the alleged imposition have argued that level playing field was the only way to make peace among party members.

Party stakeholders who addressed a press conference on Thursday, said they were not going to bow to pressure from any quota, and would not anoint a particular candidate even if the State governor has ordered so. They stated that, the ongoing crisis at the National Assembly was a pointer that the party would lose grip of power due to selfish and undemocratic ways of its leadership.

A communique issued at the end of a well attended Borno central stakeholder meeting of the party at Barwee Hotel, Maiduguri, said, scores of party chieftains have shown interest in the seat, but the leaders of APC in the state including the governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima were said to be considering anointing a candidate.
We call on our national leaders to sustain internal democracy for which the party is known for, by ensuring level playing ground to all aspirants in the party in the upcoming Borno central senatorial primary election. We call on our state party leader, Governor Shettima to avoid imposition of any aspirant on party members. We have all seen the level of damage imposition can do in the just concluded leadership elections of the National Assembly.” The Communique reads.

Members at the stakeholders meeting insisted that the party leaders should know that if an unpopular candidate emerges the torch bearer, the party may lose in the election proper to the opposition.
http://dailypost.ng/2015/06/12/borno-apc-in-disarray-over-late-senator-zannahs-replacement/

Fellow Nigerians, I appeal to us to respect the office and person of our President. Actually, I am one of those appalled at the insults GEJ received whilst in office but retaliating or transferring it to PMB isn’t the best. Let’s leave the past and pray for this man to succeed. He has his limitations and shortcomings but he comes across as meaning well. Even if you are skeptical, just pray that he disappoints your skepticism. That way, it would be a good prayer. If he fails, we don’t gain. I just hope his advisers can polish him up and help him translate his passion into productivity and performance.

May present Gbajabiamila as House Leader

* Saraki consolidates, gains more Senators



The All Progressives Party (APC) is launching a new offensive to regain control of the two chambers of the National Assembly, the Daily Times has learnt.

The new plans are to enable the governing party make up for the loss it suffered in the lawmaking arm against to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which saw APC candidates losing in the bid for Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker despite having majority legislators.

Daily Times can report that a caucus of APC officials, chaired by APC’s National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun rose from a meeting yesterday (Thursday) with a resolve to regain the leadership of both legislative chambers.

Senator Bukola Saraki who was backed by the PDP emerged as Senate President while the opposition party’s member Ike Ekweremadu became Deputy Senate President in what could be described as a democratic coup.

Also, Yakubu Dogara who was supported by the PDP trounced APC’s preferred candidate for House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.

At yesterday’s meeting, the APC leaders resolved to ensure that Gbajabiamila emerges as House Leader, the party being in the majority.

Although it is not certain who among the APC Senators the party will present to contest the Senate’s leadership position, indications are rife that the leadership was already in touch with President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue.

Party officials in separate chats with our correspondents disclosed that having fallen flat to intrigues during contest for the National Assembly’s top positions, the APC is now learning to tread cautiously on parliamentary issues.

This is coming against the background that the Senate President made some political gains over the past few hours as more Senators, hitherto in opposition to his leadership had crossed to his side.

It was learnt last night that at a meeting of APC top shots after the results of the National Assembly leadership contests were announced, party top shots admitted some lapses and pledged to make amends.

The most aggrieved party in APC on the situation in the National Assembly is that of Senator Bola Tinubu, believed to have been the source of strength of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Gbajabiamila, both of whom lost out in power game in the lawmaking arm of government.

The anti-Tinubu sentiment in APC is said to have been responsible for the losses suffered by Lawan and Gbajabiamila in the race for National Assembly leadership.

More APC members, in particular, supporters of General Buhari and those of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were resolute that Tinubu should be caught to size in his alleged desire to control the National Assembly, since he allegedly has the structure of the party and the Vice Presidency of Nigeria under control.

Tinubu is believed to have installed most of the top officials of APC, while more party members are believe that he was attempting to use the party to also gain a hold on the National Assembly.

A Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani expressed worry on the delicate power balance in the National Assembly with Senators from the PDP being the ultimate beneficiary.

He said the nature of power composition in the Senate had shown clearly that the APC had not been able to put its house in order.

According to him, the turn of events in the National Assembly is a clear reflection of deep-seated crises within APC.

He said APC slipped by allowing the opposition to gain foothold in the power game in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The PDP, he averred, never deserved such a huge consideration and privilege.

According to him, all through the 16 years of the PDP being at the helm, it never deemed it fit to concede an inch of opportunity for the opposition to share power with it at any level of governance.

Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Obot Akpabio, now a Senator, echoed the comfort of the PDP in the Senate when he told newsmen in Abuja on Thursday that PDP his party would henceforth endeavour to make the chamber more comfortable for APC members.

He said PDP had only proved that it had the mastery of politics and had only shown the APC a little of it.

The former Governor added that the PDP would make things easy for the APC in the Senate in the interest of peace and good governance.

Akpabio lauded President Buhari for accepting the leadership of Saraki and Dogara, stressing that the action had shown that the President is truly a leader.

However, Senator Shehu Sani who said APC had suddenly found itself in a delicate condition with the PDP’s influence, would look up to the President for solution.

The President, according to him, has the option of embracing Saraki’s leadership and committing Senators of APC to working with him in harmony, or calling a meeting of the party to start a process of restrategising on regaining the grounds lost to the opposition party

http://dailytimes.com.ng/apc-plans-fresh-offensive-to-regain-control-of-national-assembly/

denko:
CoS Col. Hamid Ali
PPS Adamu Adamu
NSA General Dambazau

Yeah. Up "North"! Change!!

Meanwhile, aides of the Clerk of the National Assembly, CNA, have denied receiving any communication from President Muhammadu Buhari to delay the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly. Sources in the CNA claimed that there was neither official letter, nor SMS message from the Presidency directing the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, to delay the inauguration. The source who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to make any official statement on the matter said: “There was no official communication through memo from the Presidency, not even text messages or phone calls. “Anybody that has any form of evidence like that, I challenge the person to make it public. Even if there was anything like that, it was not enough to stop the proclamation because it is a constitutional ritual that happens every four years. “The proclamation letter from the President directed that the inauguration should take place by 10 am. Having done the proclamation, you cannot create a distance in time.” The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu was quoted as saying that a message was sent to the CNA to inform him of the President’s meeting with the APC National Assembly members and the need to delay the inauguration. Yesterday, one of the supporters of Senator Lawan, Senator Kabiru Marafa from Zamfara state wondered why the CNA should proceed with the inauguration of the 8th Senate with only 57 Senators that were present as at the time the election of the Senate President was conducted. “Why was he in a hurry when he knew that only 57 Senators were in the chamber for the legislative exercise, what would he have lost if he had delayed it in obedience to the presidential directive. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/nass-saraki-lawans-men-close-ranks/#sthash.KXoxVavY.dpuf

Meanwhile, aides of the Clerk of the National Assembly, CNA, have denied receiving any communication from President Muhammadu Buhari to delay the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly. Sources in the CNA claimed that there was neither official letter, nor SMS message from the Presidency directing the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, to delay the inauguration. The source who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to make any official statement on the matter said: “There was no official communication through memo from the Presidency, not even text messages or phone calls. “Anybody that has any form of evidence like that, I challenge the person to make it public. Even if there was anything like that, it was not enough to stop the proclamation because it is a constitutional ritual that happens every four years. “The proclamation letter from the President directed that the inauguration should take place by 10 am. Having done the proclamation, you cannot create a distance in time.” The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu was quoted as saying that a message was sent to the CNA to inform him of the President’s meeting with the APC National Assembly members and the need to delay the inauguration. Yesterday, one of the supporters of Senator Lawan, Senator Kabiru Marafa from Zamfara state wondered why the CNA should proceed with the inauguration of the 8th Senate with only 57 Senators that were present as at the time the election of the Senate President was conducted. “Why was he in a hurry when he knew that only 57 Senators were in the chamber for the legislative exercise, what would he have lost if he had delayed it in obedience to the presidential directive. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/nass-saraki-lawans-men-close-ranks/#sthash.KXoxVavY.dpuf

Indeed everyone has different angle but the angle that I can assure you of is that some of the Senators will be busy now lobbying to get committee appointment in the Senate while people are on Nairaland trading personal, ethnic and so-called political insults.

The dust raised over the National Assembly leadership contests was, yesterday, settling as some antagonists of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara have commenced peace moves with some now eyeing juicy committee positions. The peace moves nonetheless, the two major political parties were unceasing in their own acrimony. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, warned the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, not to intimidate or harass the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and the National Assembly Service Commission for performing their statutory functions during the inauguration of the National Assembly. Meanwhile, the threat of sanctions against Senator Saraki and Speaker Dogara pledged by the APC was as at, yesterday, yet to be communicated to the two men or their leading associates.
Sources told Vanguard, yesterday, that a number of APC senators who had expressed opposition to the emergence of Senator Saraki have now started making peace and coming over to pledge allegiance to Saraki. “I cannot believe what these politicians can do for committee positions,” a source privy to the development said. “See the way they are betraying Senator Ahmad Lawan because they want juicy committees,” he said in reference to the entreaties from some former supporters of Senator Lawan who have reportedly sought accommodation in the camp of Senator Saraki. Also in the House of Representatives, several state caucuses including legislators from Kano and Jigawa, who were in the front of the battle to stop the emergence of Dogara as speaker, came to make peace yesterday. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/nass-saraki-lawans-men-close-ranks/#sthash.KXoxVavY.dpuf

popoyemega:
Pls frnds I need ur advice am planing to the US but I don't knw were is better to book an appointment Lagos or Abuja.... and what mar rita status do I use? Singel OR married!


Pls I need ur honest opinion

You state your marital status as it is of course! Are you single or married? You know the answer.

freedom96:
Hmm.The same pdp guys that were shouting Northerners have born to rule ideology are now happy that these same northerners occupy three out of four topmost governmental positions.And all of them muslims also.

If something goes wrong,dont come back to shout islamization,na una islamise the country,thinking that you'll get tinubu angry

As for me,I no send.

GMB all the way

Which are those positions sir? Both the Vice President and the newly elected Speaker who are Nos 2 and 4 on the hierarchy are Christians and the Deputy Senate President is a Christian.

Your observation is very valid. I spoke with a friend who is due in Netherlands just yesterday. He applied since at VFS Abuja (Belgium Embassy) as advised by the Dutch Embassy. The VFS told him that about 1000 applications are pending at the Dutch Embassy. They are really sluggish and inefficient. Unfortunately, that’s the approved route to get Schengen visa if you are visiting Netherlands or if it is your first port of arrival before going to another Schengen country. Someone needs to talk to them. Their Embassy numbers don’t go and they don’t reply emails -or at least, their response is severely delayed.

Jesusloveyou:
it is unconstitutional for non inaugurated or unregister members to elect a senate president, it is also against d standing rule of forming a quorum

Eeyah my dear brother. I am too far from you. I would have loved to get a copy of the Constitution and standing rule of the Senate for you. But for the records, the first business of the Senate is to elect a President and the quorum needed for that is 1/3. Do your mathematic or arithmetic sir. What is 1/3 of 109? Note that the full Senate for now is 108 not even 109 because a Senator-elect from Borno State died.

It is unfortunate the way things are going. Hope we won’t leave hate and mutual suspicion for our children? I've always maintained that insulting Jonathan, Buhari and ourselves doesn’t help us in anyway. Besides, most of our politicians are just different factions of the same ruling class. Some ex-PDP people who could have been lynched recently, have joined APC and are today being celebrated as progressives and champion democrats including people who massively rigged election and probably looted their previous office. Same thing also some PDP people we are hailing are people even in our conscience we know are election riggers and treasury looters. Ask anyone with inside knowledge of the workings of the National Assembly and he will tell you that when it comes to money, there is no APC or PDP, conservative or progressive, Southerner or Northerner. As we speak, some of them have focused their attention on 2019 already.

I can neither confirm nor refute this report and wont jump to conclusions but the reasons proferred for the VP’s absence from these meetings are not simply not tenable. And to the guy who asked if Sambo attended security meetings under Jonathan, yes he did attend several and chaired once or twice when Jonathan was away. This has nothing to do with political party. I wish the new government well and please don’t insult them or wish them bad because it is in our interest that they succeed. Also let’s not insult each other. We don’t have all the information on this Boko Haram thing. I suspect there is something really amiss about this whole matter.

Jesusloveyou:
Lawan would have be d senate president,if d 17 pdp had voted for lawan, that is why saraki must step down, for d full house to conduct d election.

Good suggestion but on the basis of which Court ruling, Constitution or Senate standing rule should he step down sir?

FBN Holdings: Perpetual underachiever
http://nairametrics.com/analysis-fbn-holdings-perpetual-underachiever/

zendi:
Wouldn't wish even my enemy to be outside of skye and uba when their Q2 results are released, come july.

Thanks bro but UBA isnt "cash dividend friendly" and the sky isnt looking it for Skye?

jamace:
FBNH looks a hot BUY.

Keep on investing.

Why so sir?

makzeze:
no. do they have orthodontist

Really dont know but they have good and affordable dental clinic -you can make further inquiries please.

But why did only 28 walk out? Where are the others? Have they recognised Saraki? Are they negotiating for chairmanship or other prinicpal officer's position while we are discussing and debating amongst ourselves on Nairaland?