₦airaland Forum

Is that Senator-elect Kwankwaso I see there? Ah, it’s going to be a tough one for Saraki then! The PDP Senators are divided though, some are for Saraki and a few for Lawan so it’s still dicey -too close to call but if Gbaja gets it in the House on Tuesday, Saraki won’t fly. Let’s see which of the chambers seats first on Tuesday -wish they start seating at same time -the usual 10am.

People are being slaughtered, roasted and beheaded as the case maybe in the North East and someone who had no voters card and didn’t vote either APC or PDP will be spewing insult on Nairaland. Whatever your political leaning, speak with full knowledge that Nigeria is in a state of undeclared emergency so there should be more urgency on the part of this new government. If we expect too much too early, it’s because they promised too much!

dozymars:
You guys need to be patient.
.

My brother, we have been patient enough. We don’t expect miracles but we want the best for and out of our President. There are some key appointments that don’t need NASS confirmation. Let him at least set up a structure. NASS is mainly for Ministers. I hope it won’t be a case of over-promise and under-deliver?

yampoo:
What is the nature of Femi Adeshina's job? It's Shehu Garba that has been issuing statement on behalf of the presidency.

I really do miss Abati.

You dont get it my brother. There are 2 major power centres and managing them isnt easy -the 2 media guys should tell you whats up. Shehu is doing the job and has been doing it. I wish Femi well but he may just get his monthly salary or sign prepared releases/statements.

Raiders:
PDP sponsoring boko haram to destabilize this government

We have heard this kind of statement before that’s why we voted change and we hereby demand that change!. If it’s PDP, go and arrest them. Enough talking. The people being killed are not statistics. They are parents, children and breadwinners of some people.

For clarity, the President does not need ANY approval from the National Assembly to appoint an SGF, Head of Service or Chief of Staff. That only applies to Ministers and statutory bodies like CBN. That said, I see APC/Buhari still trying to share offices -a South Westerner and a Northerner as Media Adviser and Media Assistant respectively underpins a power dynamic –to manage 2 contributory but contradictory stakeholders in the APC project. The ongoing issue around NASS leadership is a pointer that sharing the spoils of office (or booty of electoral war as it were) is a challenge for the strange bedfellows that formed an emergency coalition and road on the back of popular angst against PDP to come to power. I am not a TANoid but please don’t come and tell me to "be patient". Kaduna State Governor El-Rufai of APC, named his key personal aides 24 hours before he was sworn in. In fact, some people even insulted him for being in “a hurry.” Many Governors have done so. The President will be airborne to Germany tomorrow and you are telling persons whose friends are being killed by insurgents to be patient, no fuel be patient, no light, be patient. I hope 4 years will not come and pass like that? Before you condemn and insult me because I know you will do that, note that I desperately want this new government to succeed, perhaps even more than you do. One way we can help them succeed, is to tell them the truth. The current conspiracy of silence is unjustified, unwarranted, unacceptable, inexplicable and unexpected of a team that knew all the issues, had all the answers ready-made and promised to hit the ground running. You can start insulting me now!

Babymama1:
[size=18pt]The last two northern presidents walked in with both feet and were carried out as corpses
Don't blame the man
His football age is 73
If it's 2 , 3 or 4 years he has remaining,he wants to live them out on his own terms[/size]

Ha ba. Abdulsalami walked in and out on his feet please!

lobinche101:
U jam me 4 bathroom u still dey ask wetin i dey do? Bros i dey f**k ur mama

Very dirty, defiling and disgusting.

ifeness:
Kumuyi now celebrates birthdays? Time has changed indeed. Tax collector.

He doesn’t celebrate his birthdays but his well-wishers are using the occasion to celebrate God's grace and goodness upon his life. This thread is captioned as if he is marking it with an event but he's not. He is busy winning souls and may be on an evangelistic campaign or crusade right now.

No fewer than fifteen members of the Benue State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a member from the Labour Party have fled Makurdi, the state capital over alleged threat to their life.

The lawmakers claimed they fled Markurdi over threat to their life and monetary inducement by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led State Government.

According to the legislators, they left Makurdi on Tuesday, after the 7th assembly was dissolved without inaugurating the 8th assembly.
In separate interviews with newsmen, the lawmakers said they had been offered money and car gifts to allow the APC with 14 members take leadership of the House.

They also lamented that their refusal to accept the offer put them at cross purpose with the APC government which began to threaten their lives, forcing them to run to safety.
Meanwhile, DAILY POST has gathered that Hon Terkimbi Kyange has emerged as the speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly. He is a member of the APC.
http://dailypost.ng/2015/06/05/15-pdp-lawmakers-flee-benue-as-apc-member-emerges-speaker/

As the battle for the leadership of the National Assembly enters very crucial stage ahead of next Tuesday’s inauguration of the federal legislature, the controversy over which state and geopolitical zone will produce the next Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker is heating up the polity. In the midst of all these however, are those who have expressed concern that since Nigeria’s independence, only very few states have occupied the seat of government at the federal level, Executive and Legislature. For instance, while the odds favour Lawan/Akume ticket for the Senate, observers are quick to point out that if that works out, it would be the fourth time a Benue State indigene would occupy the leadership of the Senate. Before now, Ameh Ebute, Iyorchia Ayu and David Mark were Senate Presidents. Indeed, Mark only left the seat Thursday, after an eight-year tenure, while some states have not produced even minority leader. In the same vein, from 1960 to date, 15 persons have led the country as either democratically elected leaders or military heads of state. Out of the 36 states of the federation, the number one position in the country has rotated between the 15 persons from only nine states. Of these states, the most favoured are: Ogun, Kano, Katsina and Niger. Each has produced the head of state twice or thrice. Other favoured states are Bauchi, Abia, Plateau, Sokoto, and Bayelsa. The first and only Prime Minister ever produced in the country, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is from the Bauchi and he ruled between 1960 and 1966 when he was killed during the first military coup in the country. His successor, late General Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi from Abia, was the first military Head of State and the only individual from the entire South-East zone to rule the country till date. However, his regime was short-lived as military officers from the North assassinated him barely six months after he ascended office. Late Aguiyi-Ironsi was succeeded by General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) from Plateau State, who ruled the country from 1966 to 1975. General Gowon is still holding the record as the only Christian Northern ‘minority’ that ever ruled the country out of nine ruler produced from the North. Late General Murtala Muhammed from Kano State, who was assassinated after less than one year in office on February 13, 1986, succeeded Gowon. Kano State produced another military Head of State in person of late General Sani Abacha, who coincidentally also died in office in very controversial circumstances. Ogun State holds the record as the only state in the country whose indigene ruled the country four times. General Olusegun Okikiola Obasanjo succeeded Murtala Muhammed in 1976 and handed over to a democratically elected government in 1979. Twenty years later Obasanjo bounced back in 1999, as civilian president and again in 2003 when he was re-elected for a second term. Apart from Obasanjo, another indigene of Ogun State that ruled the country is Chief Earnest Shonekan, who was the Head of a contraption called Transition government, which was put together by General Ibrahim Babangida after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Ogun narrowly missed producing the fifth leader in late Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola, who is believed to be the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Out of all the six states in the South-West, Ogun is the only state in the zone to produce the number one citizen. Sokoto State produced one elected president in person of Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari, who was in office between 1979 and 1983. Sokoto was denied the opportunity of having its indigene in office seamlessly for eight years as General Muhammadu Buhari toppled Shagari three months after he was re-elected for a second term. Buhari became the first indigene of Katsina State to rule Nigeria as military Head of State in 1983 after sacking the democratically elected government. Thirty years after General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida toppled Buhari, he came back to the presidential villa in May 2015. Apart from Buhari, Katsina State also produced another president in the person of late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Unfortunately, Yar’Adua died in office like Ramat Mohammed and Sani Abacha from neighbouring Kano State. Niger State, which has the slogan ‘the power state’, was to take its turn in the Presidential Villa in 1985 when Babangida sent Buhari packing from Doddan Barracks, Lagos. IBB, as Babangida is popularly called, was the one that effectively moved the seat of government to Abuja, which shares boundary with his home state. Niger State produced a second Head of State in the person of General Abdulsalami Abubakar who midwife the handover of power from military to democratically elected government in 1999. Immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan is the only president produced by the oil-rich South-South zone. However, Jonathan holds the record as the only Nigerian that every occupied the positions of Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice President, acting President and President. With the above scenario, states that have not been privileged to produce the President, Vice President, Senate President or Speaker are asking that they be given a chance this time around. The likelihood of this coming to past depends on the sharing formula to be adopted by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC at its meeting today with newly elected National Assembly members.
- See more at: http://nigerianpilot.com/revealed-nigerias-most-favoured-states-in-executive-legislative-offices/#sthash.kCBSEubB.dpuf

Ring True

with Yemi Adebowale, mail: yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com nos: 07013940521

It seems President Muhammadu Buhari doesn’t know that elections are over and it is time to start actualizing his promises. The first few days of a new President in office matter a great deal. Acting authoritatively within 24 hours of being sworn will send the right signal to all that he is ready to implement change. Buhari has already failed in this regard. He is supposed to hit the ground running considering the mirage of problems facing this nation. The new President simply hit the ground and sat down there. The cabal controlling Nigeria has already ringed him. He could not appoint a Secretary to the Federal Government, seven days after his inauguration. He could not even appoint a Chief of Staff. He is struggling with his list of ministers. So many interest groups within his ruling All Progressives Congress are holding him by the jugular. Ogbonnaya Onu and Rotimi Amaechi are battling for the position of SGF. Buhari should be reminded that a forward-looking leader like David Cameron of the United Kingdom announced his cabinet with 48 hours of emerging victorious.


Our dear Buhari could not even appoint a spokesman. He ended up appointing spokesmen. I have never heard of this in any sane society. He has Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu appointed as spokesmen just to satisfy diverse interest groups. Ever heard of leaders like Barack Obama or David Cameron operating with spokesmen? This is an agenda for chaos in the media management area.
I can’t understand why Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Barde and Army Chief, Kenneth Minimah are still in office. If we are talking about change and wiping out Boko Haram, the men in charge of the war’s Command and Control ought not to be in office by this time. Buhari obviously has no blueprint on how to handle Boko Haram. These bastards have killed over 300 people in the last seven days. The President has directed that the defence headquarters be moved to Maiduguri. There is clearly no sense in this. Buhari simply wants to jeopadise the Command and Control Centre. The United States did not move the Pentagon to the Gulf region during the Gulf war. Yet, they decapitated Iraqi forces. United Kingdom did not move its defence headquarters to the Falkland during the war with Argentina over the Falkland. Buhari’s directive is an archaic military strategy. This is obviously unnecessary in modern warfare. Obviously, our dear President has no blueprint for tackling the Boko Haram problem. All he did during the election was to excoriate Goodluck Jonathan’s security failure. He had no plans of his own.
The next thing the President did was to dash to Niger and Chad to talk to their leaders about curtailing Boko Haram. Yes, this would help in shortening trans-border terrorism. But how will this stop ongoing suicide bombings inside Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by the blood-thirsty Boko Haram? The suicide bombers are obviously not crossing into the country from the neighbouring countries. They are within the country, manufacturing and using Improvised Explosive Devices. They are using petrol and gas cylinders, all obtained within the country, for suicide bombings. Intelligence gathering and technology are key to detecting and curtailing the deadly activities of these suicide bombers. We need to put our internal security in order before running to Chad and Niger republics.
I am also surprised that heads of failed government departments and agencies that have done collateral damages to this country are still in office eight days after Buhari’s inauguration. How can the leadership of the Customs and Excise still be in office by this time? Why should the leadership of the NNPC and the NERC still be in office? The leadership of the FIRS is still in office, yet we are talking about change. Change in this direction should come within 24 hours. We are still waiting for our dear President to act.
Buhari response to the power crisis in his inauguration speech was also appalling. How can the President say that, “careful studies are under way during this transition to identify the quickest, safest and most cost-effective way to bring light and relief to Nigerians.” So, the President did not do a thorough study of the power crisis and the way forward before campaigning to take over from Jonathan? So, the President has no blueprint on how to tackle the power crisis? So, Buhari is just about assembling a team to decide on what to do? That should have been in his bag already. It is part of what is called hitting the ground running in governance. I hope we have not entered a one chance bus? I guess that was why Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo sent him his own blueprint on the power crisis. My humble suggestion is for Buhari to quickly go after Atiku Abubakar and collect his comprehensive blueprint on how to tackle crisis in virtually all the sectors of our economy. A better-prepared Atiku commissioned a very reliable team to do this during his campaign for Presidency. But the APC painfully denied him their Presidential ticket. It is a pity that a well-prepared Atiku may never become the President of this country because we always celebrate mediocrity.


Buhari has also left many bemused by his refusal to make public his asset declaration. Garba Shehu said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If anyone is interested in knowing details of his asset worth, such a person can avail himself or herself of the use of Freedom of Information Act to seek the information from the bureau.” What an insult. One of Buhari’s key campaign promises was public declaration of assets and liabilities. How can he now do this to Nigerians? Late President Umaru Yar’Adua made public his asset declaration after submitting to the Code of Conduct Bureau. Clearly, Buhari has something to hide. The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Kayode Ajulo was right when he accused the President of failing to keep the covenant he had with Nigerians to publish his assets publicly. Ajulo said: “The promise on the declaration of assets made to Nigerians was to woo voters. Now, the voters have fulfilled their part of the agreement. It is left for Buhari to fulfill the other part, failure of which is a clear violation of the social contract he had with millions of Nigerians.”
Now, the President has approval for 15 Special Advisers. What does he want to do with all these men? These Special Advisers will also have a retinue of special assistants. They will also need to maintain offices and vehicles. So, where is the belt tightening which our President promised in this scenario? On removal of fuel subsidy, Buhari is still shivering, eight days after inauguration. May Allah help Nigeria.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/i-thought-buhari-would-hit-the-ground-running/211273/

Have you considered the messages you put out to the public with what you wear each time you step out from your house? You see some people wear wrong and unsuitable outfits to work places and occassions and you ask yourself—what is she/he thinking?

In the Nigerian setting, it would be pretty awkward to see a local pepper/crayfish seller wearing expensive designer’s suit sitting under the hot sun selling fresh pepper in the open Nigeria market. In that condition, her/his outfit is totally out of order. It would also be outrageous walking into a corporate establishment and seeing ladies in strippers attire or men wearing multicolored leggings with suits. Awwwchhhhhh....guys with multicolored leggings covered with Armani Suits? What a sight to behold huh? Those of them with ugly twisted legs will certainly swear for their establishment for allowing such outfits. So you see that what we wear daily matters a lot.



There are situations you walk into a particular shopping mall or grocery store and you see some female attendants dressed in ways that could make you throw up. I think those selling consumables should train their female attendants on suitable dress code suitable for their kind of job. Nothing is wrong with a female attendant wearing jeans but it must be a clean denim and not those dirty-washed-ripped jeans made for rock music stars on stage performance. The worst part is that the jeans will hardly cover the back side of the female attendants so you wonder what she is selling. Her backside or grocery? Still on female attendants, most of them are also seen wearing tops that showcase their breasts and ask them to pick some items for you and you will see things wobbling here and there. Quite an obscene outfit for people working in grocery stores. Same is applicable to females that work in restaurants and hotels. Word has it that men enjoy looking and talking to such women and this attracts customership to the outlets.

How about the male attendants that wears what we call ‘’sagging’’? Yea, you walk into an eatry/supermarket and you see young men sagging their jeans exposing their boxers. This is the worst dressing any young man can step out in stupidly thinking he is trendy. Trendy? When your whole moronic personality is at stake? What is attractive and trendy with a man exposing his boxers and walking like someone carrying injection malfunction on his buttocks. Very stupid dress code which every outlet no matter what you sell should not tolerate.

I see any adult male sagging his jeans as very irresponsible and parents that allow their boys to wear such outfits and leave the house should be questioned about their parental duties. These males actually feel on top of the world sagging their trousers when in the real sense, they are destroying their entire personality. Totally!!

There has been this controversy that some churches allow female worshippers wear hot minis to church and the worst part is that such ladies go straight to the front seats to seat. Distracting the pastor who i also see as not doing their jobs by allowing such ladies wear such outfits to church in the first place. Sure, a good church will warn women who wear such outfits because such outfits are inappropriate for churches. How can you wear hot mini skirts and dresses to church and all the time, all you do is to cross and recross your legs, adjust and re-adjust your legs trying to cover your inner self? Why are you so uncomfortable while sitting down wearing such dresses? Did you not see that the dress was short before you put it on or did someone forced the dress on you? Arrant nonesense if you ask me!!! Does this really make sense when you are aware you are wearing a hot mini dress and you keep pulling the dress down to cover up as if the dress will instantly become longer. Meanwhile, some of these ladies spent days dreaming of wearing such dresses to church to show off. In this case, such outfit tears your personality and drags your entire personality to the mud. These so –called happening chicks/babes think by wearing such slutty wears to church, they will be adored and seen as trendy. Trendy? Fashionista...whatever they call them...you actually lost your entire body image and self respect if this is your style of dressing.

Ok..slow down jacqui...slow down....sure slow down but for what? You all are aware of these things i am exposing here but no one cares to address them when necessary huh? Take the case of the pastors not warning and banning ladies with slutty dressing from entering the church. Yes, ban them outright and if they really care to worship God, they will change their dress attitude. I am fully aware that God does not focus on our outward dressing but i do not think that God also smiles at a woman walking into his house almost naked where one can see her underwears when she sits down.

For offices and outlets that purposely ask female attendants to dress half naked to attract male clients and patrons, this actually sends a wrong signal to your customers but you know Nigerians will see wrong things happening and will keep sealed lips. Your customers will dwindle but you might know why you are losing customers because they will not complain to you.

Some local pepper soup joints actually sell their pepper soups and drinks alongside female attendants. The owners of such places will plan with male patrons who are willing to choose any female attendant they likes. This expalins why you go to some outlets and you see female attendants with drag-queen makeups and slutty outfits that expose their bodies. Why must a half naked female attendant serve you open foods to eat? Have you even thought about their total body hygiene? Most of these women have very bad –unkept body hygiene which is very dangerous to health.

I applaud women like Mrs.Chinwe. Ndidi. Ndubuisi, owner of Afrik Wears collections wuse2 Abuja, who uses her creative Male /Female African/Arabian/Turkish wears collections to educate our African women and men on decent and suitable dressings that boost their personality and protect their image. She believes that Women should wear outfits that covers their body very well and preserving their womanhood. What you wear says a lot about your entire Body/Personality Image. Wear what suits you and preserves your self dignity!!

Jacqui IWU is a BodyImage/ Life/ Career Coach

A Stress Management Expert &Conference Speaker

Media Relations Personnel

BLOG: http://bluntjacqui..com

FACEBOOK: Beautifulwoman.column

TWITTER: @JacquiWORLD

http://weekend.peoplesdailyng.com/index.php/lifestyle/lifestyle/6180-your-dressing-says-a-lot-about-your-personal-image
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Hi everyone. Any Nairalander resident in, knowledgeable about or being to Comoros in the Indian ocean off Southern Africa? Can you or any forum member please share information about security in Comoros and its offshore areas? Many thanks.

President-general, Trade Union Congress, TUC, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama has reiterated the resolve of the union to reject calls for fuel subsidy removal in the interest of Nigerians. Speaking to newsmen in Jalingo yesterday, Kaigama disclosed that the most important thing at the moment was to tackle the pervasive corruption that had characterised the subsidy regime over the years. TUC, according to the president-general, will resist attempt aimed at fuel subsidy removal because Nigerians deserve some subsidy on the oil that is produced in the country. According to him, “The most important thing to do at the moment is to identify the cabal that hijacked the process of subsidy payment and punish them for holding the nation to ransom over the years.” On the issue of Boko Haram, Kaigama informed that the union was in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to relocate the command centre to Maiduguri until the insurgents were subdued, saying “there is no need to pretend that the nation is not at war.” “We totally support Buhari’s decision to relocate the command centre to Maiduguri until the insurgents are subdued. The insurgents are at war with Nigeria and there is need to take the war to them where ever they are in the country,” he said. The labour leader appealed to the president and state governors to reduce the cost of governance by reducing the number of political appointees and making their salaries and allowances public for Nigerians to know and trust them at all times. While urging the federal and state governments to revamp agricultural and industrial sectors in order to boost the economy, Kaigama lamented that the economy of the country was getting worse and that would be the way of addressing it.
- See more at: http://nigerianpilot.com/well-resist-fuel-subsidy-removal-tuc/#sthash.2zVgBE49.dpuf

Its good to know history but our priority now is to end BH and all terrorists in Nigeria including those yet to be discovered. Several religious extremists are in our country and some of them feature online, possibly discernable even from their posts on Facebook and Nairaland etc.

How about Donald Duke?

He isnt bad but I prefer Donald Duke

Newly sworn-in Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has yesterday dissolved all inherited political appointees, boards of all parastatals and agencies in the state. In a statement signed by Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna, also affected are the sole administrators of all the 23 local government areas, secretaries of development areas, special advisers and assistants appointed by his predecessor, former Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero. According to the statement, “The Kaduna State government hereby reiterates that the boards of all parastatals and agencies stand dissolved. “Similarly, all political appointees, including chief executives that are not civil servants, have also been relieved of their appointments with immediate effect. “This includes the sole administrators of all the 23 local government areas, and the secretaries of the development areas appointed by previous administrations. Special advisers and assistants are also affected by this directive. “Government directs full compliance with this directive. The most senior officials of all parastatals and agencies should take charge until further instructions are issued. “Security agents and all public servants have been advised to treat any of the affected persons who purport to still be in office as a trespasser, indulging unauthorised entry,” the statement read.
- See more at: http://nigerianpilot.com/el-rufai-sacks-yeros-appointees/#sthash.6yzbW6Bb.dpuf

President Muhammadu Buhari gave a clear picture of what to expect from his administration when he declared, ‘I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody’. Nigerians and indeed the world believe he is a man of his words. For a man who did not come back to power on a platter of gold, there is every reason to take him by his words. Buhari has shown that he is not one to be forced unto a path he does not want to pursue. When the All Progressives Congress [APC] governor’s forum paid him a courtesy visit prior to inauguration, he flatly rejected their ministerial list. Reports had it that he told them to mind their states since he did not have a say in the appointment of their commissioners. Many Nigerians received that news with glee. The president has also become his own man in the appointment of his aides and we give him credit. His Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, many may not know , did not get the job because he is Yoruba or to appease the South- West big wigs of the APC. The relationship between the President and his new spokesman predates APC and the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan years. When Professor Tam David West, one of the closest persons to President Buhari, launched his book on the retired general in 2009, at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs[NIIA] , Adesina was the Master of Ceremo ny.

Among dignitaries that graced the occasion were Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Gen. Zamani Lekwot. Nigerians look forward to more such appointments based on personal recognition , merit and efficiency. It is also likely that the need to do a thorough screening has kept Aso Villa waiting for more appointments of personal aides and other top officers to run the new government. However, there is one disturbing appointment. Ordinarily, the president has all the freedom in the world to choose his Aide-de- Camp. He could also decide to ask for advise from the military since the ADC must be an officer of the Armed Forces. Having left the army unceremoniously in 1985, Buhari does not know any officer below the rank of general in the military today. The President could have asked for input from a few close aides who have military background.

It is important to point out that since the return of democracy in 1999, no President picked his ADC from his geo- political zone, in his first tenure. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian from the South-West, went for Lt. Col Solomon Giwa-Amu [now late], from Edo state, in the South- South zone. Alhaji Umaru Musa Yaradua picked Lt.Col Mustapha Dennis Onoyiveta from Delta state. When Yar’adua died and Dr. Jonathan became acting president, he retained his police ADC, Chief Superintendent of Police [CSP], Moses Jituboh, the same officer who stood behind him as Vice President. In the Second Republic, Vice President Alex Ekwueme, like President Shehu Shagari ,had a military ADC, the only difference was that the president’s was an army officer while the Vice President’s was a naval officer. That arrangement changed from 1999 when Vice President Abubakar Atiku got a police ADC. The moment Dr. Jonathan became substantive president in 2010, his police ADC had to step down for a military officer. That was how Lt. Col Ojogbane Adegbe stepped in. However, Jonathan decided to keep the giant police officer in his team as Special Assistant, Personal Security.

Adegbe is Igala, from the North-Central Political zone. Buhari’s ADC, who emerged on May 29, is Lt. Col Mohammed Lawal Abubakar, from Kano state, same geo –political zone as Mr. President. There are reports that many Northerners, especially retired military generals, who believe in the President’s pan- Nigerian outlook are not comfortable with the development. Their fears are hinged on the fact that a particular retired service chief from the region, who is also eyeing a key position in the new administration, recommended Lt.Col Abubakar.

The same general, was accused of favouring cadets from his state Kano while at the Nigeria Defence Academy [NDA], at the time Buhari’s ADC gained admission as member of the 44 Regular course. As Army chief, there were allegations that he also recruited more soldiers from a particular part of the country. This is not good for the new government especially for a President who does not have room for tribe or tongue. We believe that it is too early for such parochial tendencies to manifest in a government that promises change. President Buhari must not allow overzealous aides to scuttle his ambition of moving the country away from the problems of the past. The President is still taking his time in other appointments. We allow him the freedom to choose his team.

This power belongs to him. And as a man who has friends all over Nigeria, it is expected that Nigeria remains his constituency. Tilting appointments towards the North or East or even the West, will send the wrong signal. While he respects the rights of trusted aides to offer ideas, the overall interest of the nation comes first. President Buhari has promised not to witchhunt anyone. He sees the road to victory as part of the march to greatness. Nigerians salute his statesmanship. Those who do not want to see the change in Mr. President could as well be blown off by the wind of change.
http://newtelegraphonline.com/no-to-northernisation-of-buhari/

People, please let’s put inter-ethnic and personal hatred behind us. The elections have gone. Winners have emerged. The process was not perfect neither is it very likely to be next time but there has been improvement. Let’s join hands and move this nation forward together. There are so many inter-marriages now and we have too short a time on earth to handover poison to our children.

Good work, great start. Meanwhile, another massive explosion reported in Maiduguri, Borno State. This thing is something else jor!

All these exchange of insults are unnecessary and unholy to start with. The key thing is, have you repented of your own sin and given your life to Christ? Are you living by God's grace in readiness for the judgment day? People, eternity is near. No time to play church or religion. Get real!

NobleG1:
Nobody deserved to be jailed more than David Mark.

I hope the APC Senators including those aspiring to be Senate President and Deputy were either absent, abstained from voting or staged a walk out? Or hope they raised their voices very loudly to be recognized as being pro-change and opposed to this? Hope they have also opposed the jumbo severance package and exotic cars to be awarded to them. They must be progressive not only in profession and politicking but also when it comes to legislation and their salaries/allowances.

KingAdeOluomo1:
David Mad

I hope the APC Senators including those aspiring to be Senate President and Deputy were either absent, abstained from voting or staged a walk out? Or hope they raised their voices very loudly to be recognized as being pro-change and opposed to this? Hope they have also opposed the jumbo severance package and exotic cars to be awarded to them. They must be progressive not only in profession and politicking but also when it comes to legislation and their salaries/allowances.

PDPmamapiss:
Davis mark is destroying this country. How can u check the integrity of 15 people in 24 hours?

They didnt approve any individuals sir! They approved numbers -that is, that he can appoint 15 Advisers. Advisers are not subject to screening in the Nigerian Senate please.

I hope the APC Senators including those aspiring to be Senate President and Deputy were either absent, abstained from voting or staged a walk out? Or hope they raised their voices very loudly to be recognized as being pro-change and opposed to this? Hope they have also opposed the jumbo severance package and exotic cars to be awarded to them. They must be progressive not only in profession and politicking but also when it comes to legislation and their salaries/allowances.

It cannot and must not be business as usual. Let all men and women of goodwill intensify prayers. Lets all repent of our own sins then pray that Nigeria MUST be delivered.

The writer forgot to add that even The Speaker may emerge from the North. Actually, the NSA, Chief of Staff and some others including "the traditional" FCT Minister position may go the North. Some in the North are also hoping that the Ministry of Agriculture which "Jonathan took away" would return to the North.
Can a Southerner or Northern minority get FCT Minister –at least since Jerry Useni? That would be a big change oh! Change has many dimensions sha.

Good people,
The French and Belgian Enbassy in Lagos and Abuja respectively used to issue Schengen visa on behalf of the Dutch Embassy for short stay visit visas to the Netherlands. This arrangement ended on Sunday, 31st May with no communication about who will now be issuing the Visas. A friend’s wife got to the French (VFS) centre yesterday and was told this after flying into Lagos with children from Port Harcourt. All efforts to contact the Dutch Embassy or Consulate have failed including google (so no need to refer me there!). I am about doing same visa for my family but at Abuja. We have sent emails and tried to call the Dutch Embassy via the contact listed on their website. I am told they just have a small administrative office in Abuja and someone was there yesterday but couldn’t access them. Anyone with heads up on this?

The event of Saturday, May 23 in which some All Progressives Congress, APC, Senators-elect abandoned the retreat organised for them by their party in Abuja to announce the adoption of two northern Senators as President and Deputy Senate President is a big goof. The action of the Senate Unity Forum, as the group is called, is strange, insensitive, overtly reprehensible, and bereft of a sound sense of history.

While it has always been the norm to give every part of the country a sense of belonging right from the days of the nation’s founding fathers to the present era, this Senate ‘Unity’ Forum believes key offices in the three arms of government could be occupied as follows: President Muhammadu Buhari (North West), Senate President Ahmed Lawan (North East), Deputy Senate President George Akume (North Central), Deputy Speaker (North West), Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmoud Mohammed (North East), President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, ( North East), and Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Auta (North Central). Simply put, they are proposing a Federal Government of Northern Nigeria. This is thoughtless and obscene.

Moreover, the APC must be reminded that it is gambling away its goodwill so fast and its lack of sense of justice and equity could be the straw that might break its back.

Even with all of its excesses, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, never ever went this far. In 2011 when the party did not do well at all in the National Assembly elections in the South West, the party still zoned the House Speakership to them. Although that plan did not materialize, it at least tried to give the people a sense of belonging.

Concerning the Senate in particular, I am deeply surprised that the APC leaders are playing the ostrich, burying their heads in the sand of greed and power-grab instead of taking a realistic evaluation of the situation. One, APC is inheriting a highly fragmented country flowing from 2015 general election. More than anything, it needs to show some sense of sacrifice to be able to weld the whole country together.

Two, with 59 Senators (that, minus late Senator Zanna) against PDP’s 49, the APC cannot just do what it likes with the Senate because it does not enjoy the kind of majority PDP used to enjoy.

Therefore, I thought a party that genuinely cares for Nigeria beyond merely grabbing the levers of power, a party that wants stability in the National Assembly would have looked the way of the PDP in the South-East or South-South in its search for a Deputy Senate President.

Some would wonder if the PDP itself could have been that magnanimous. One can’t be too sure, but that is the reasonable thing to do in this circumstance. That is also why Nigerians elected APC- to change the way we do things.
Adebayo writes from Ibadan.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/a-capital-no-to-an-all-north-senate-presidency/#sthash.vRbSHxRF.dpuf

Who keeps circulating this unconfirmed gist? Some others claim that Onu's reported appointment is a propaganda against Amaechi? Anyone with insight, hindsight or foresight?