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The 2011 Elections, Jega, and Conspiracy. By Leonard Karshima Shilgba, PhD In October, 2010 the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), headed by Professor Attahiru Jega, announced cancellation of its earlier released 2011 election timetable just about two weeks after its release. I responded in an article titled “INEC should stop this distraction.” On April 2, 2011, the day National Assembly (NASS) election was scheduled by INEC to hold, Nigerians trooped out in their millions to cast their votes. For hours they waited for accreditation in the hot sun. By about 1.00 pm, Professor Jega announced postponement of the election and moved it to Monday, April 4, 2011. Those two events portray INEC as an incompetent organization that lacks foresight and sagacity in planning and execution. Details
In the light of this background, we can then clearly see the standpoint of those calling for Jega’s head over the postponement of this weekend’s National Assembly elections due to logistic problems. Jega’s decision to postpone the election is, if anything, a confirmation of his avowed commitment to midwife a credible election that will be a pride not only to Nigeria but to Africa as a whole. It is also a declaration that the era of business as usual in elections management is over. His antagonists want INEC to go ahead with the elections in spite of the logistic problems so as to pave way for massive rigging which will take us back to the past that we are earnestly trying to run away from. Details
NITEL Privatisation: A Case of Capitalist Plunder. By Kola Ibrahim NITEL is in the bad news again. This time, it is the fraudulent sale of NITEL to an unknown telecom company, New Generation Nigeria. The company offer a $2.5 billion bid for the three NITEL parts – NITEL fixed wire telecom, NITEL mobile lines (MTEL) and the satellite facility. As usual, the sale has being tainted with controversy and corruption. Details
Sanusi's Question: Are We Truly Ready to Develop and Unite Nigeria? By Dele Ogun Being the scholar that he is, Sanusi cannot have failed to understand from Sharwood-Smith's account that it is misleading to say, as he claims, that "our grandfathers were able to transform to being Northerners". It is not strictly true because it was British policy to create One North and many Souths. Sharwood-Smith narrates in the book how he went about selling the agenda to the Emirs as the only way they could avoid domination by the (many) South. Whenever necessary he deposed and replaced any Emirs who refused to cooperate. Details
Goodluck Jonathan: Enough of the Abracadabra. By Tochukwu Ezukanma Adolf Hitler once told his newly appointed Army Chief of Staffs that he should never worry about what to tell the people because the people are gullible, and will believe whatever you tell them. And that the bigger the lie is the more believable it is to them. Goodluck Jonathan is not, in any way, reminiscent of that psychotic German mass murder. And Nigerians, in their lawless and bunglesome ways are not, at all, akin to the Germans with their ingrained sense of order and acclaimed efficiency. However, Goodluck Jonathan, deliberately or subliminally, must have borrowed from Adolf Hitler. He has taken to lying profusely to Nigerians, and they are, in their gullibility, believing him. Details
Presidential Debates In History. By Anthony Akinola Nigeria shall be a great nation and we as a people shall be where we deserve to be – in the comity of civilised peoples. Sadly, some of the leaders we have today – the so-called “His Excellencies" – have the natural dispositions of touts or thugs. Of what use would a political debate have been in a society where “new colonial masters” would decide on who and who not to canvass for political support in their “colonies”. These so-called leaders are the misfortunes of our society because they do not lead our peoples to behave appropriately and democratically. Can the new culture of political debates achieve much in a culture of “do or die” politics? We shall get to where we want to be even when the journey is still long. Details Notes on 2011 Presidential Debate. By Anthony A. Kila The ANPP candidate, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau was clearly the best performer during that debate; he came across as articulate, informed and persuasive. His best moments came when he spoke like a middle class professional that appreciates information and planning. He has gained some popularity overnight and with that comes more curiosity and scrutiny over his past, his party, his team and his vision for Nigeria. We shall see how he copes. Details
NN24 Debate: Jonathan is Not Stupid. By Nosa James-Igbinadolor I expect Jonathan to do well in that debate. No I do not expect him to come across as the best spoken, nor do I expect him to come across as the wittiest nor as the one with the sharpest sound bite, but Jonathan will in his own way tell Nigerians why with the massive investments in the power sector over the last five years, the time to reap the rewards of these investments is at hand. He will tell Nigerians why and indeed how he has been able to hydrate the Nigerian economy with the basic fuel products which successive governments had found thorny and intricate to do. Details
Northerners In MEND: Discordant Tunes From the Creeks. By Senior Fyneface Is it not funny that those who yesterday masqueraded themselves as militants fighting for the interest of the Niger Delta now talks word-for-word and tone-for-tone like PDP chieftains. That is what living in As Rock and Government Houses and riding executive convoys for just few months can do in the lives of opportunists. It was unimaginable that some former militant leaders could open their mouth in the public in front of newsmen to accuse northern political elites and the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) of sponsoring and playing politics with the name of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to intimidate President Goodluck Jonathan. Details
It is my view that the devaluation of the Naira cannot be a wise option for a country like Nigeria now. Nigeria currently imports far much more than it produces and this will drive up the cost of imports which will ultimately translate to a higher cost of living and thus a poorer standard of life for most of its people. Even the incremental benefits that may accrue through the lower cost of exports may be exponentially wiped out by the inflation that will come once the currency is devalued. Details
Made in Lagos for Nigeria. By Anthony A. Kila The televised gubernatorial debate that took place in Lagos last week has forcefully placed Lagos state on a level that requires some considerations. In a year littered with uncertainty and doubts that things can really change for the better, one of the many things the event showed us is that a decent debate can be conducted in Nigeria and that if well-managed Nigerian politicians too can follow simple rules. Details
Agenda For Presidential Debate In Nigeria. By Okachikwu Dibia Nigeria needs to determine the appropriate mode of production for the country. Should Nigeria be a socialist or capitalist or communist state? If we consider some of the tenets of true federalism as hinted above, we shall have the country restructured into ethnic states. Details
Nigeria 2011: Is General Buhari the “Messiah?” By Zents Sowunmi Despite General Buhari past records and opinion of the youths and lack of compassion of the present politicians to poor and weak in Nigeria General Buhari philosophy may be the panacea required to clean the Augean table of corruption in Nigeria Details
As I Was Saying Before The NLC Convention. By Adewale Stephen The quadrennial NLC Convention that held in Abuja between March 1st and 3rd, 2011 might have come and gone but the legacy of the labors’ gathering will remain relevant for years to come. Having monitored the programme closely, I discovered that in the report that was presented to the delegates by the NEC, the NLC leadership aptly identified the problems of the country and also proffered what they felt would be a solution to the socio-economic and political crisis. Details
Should Igbo Lagosians Be Allowed to Govern Lagos? By Anthony Okosun A recent news report published in the Sun News, Online edition of March 2nd 2011, sparked an internet debate on the issue of whether Nigerians resident in states outside their biological states of origin can vote and be voted for in their adopted states of residence. Oh well, the issue was not really whether Nigerians can vote outside their states of origin, but whether Nigerians can be voted for, outside their states of origin. Details
Unfair Attacks On Ojukwu. By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye By now, the ACN would have become the party to beat. With Ali Ciroma beating his very loud drums up North and lining his ‘Chocolate Cream Soldiers’ behind Atiku, the ACN would have since completely shed every trace of exclusive Western colour and become a truly “national” party? And by now, the PDP would have been sweating under its armpits! Details
The Lure of Protest Politics. By Jideofor Adibe, Ph.D. Why do candidates who know they have absolutely no chance of winning an election insist on contesting? Why do some repeatedly choose to punch above their natural political weight? Chris Okotie, who became a music icon while a law student in the 1980s before he discovered Christ and abandoned secular music to become a pastor, will contest for the presidency in the April 2011 polls under the banner of Fresh Democratic Party. It will be his third attempt. Sarah Jibril, the only female candidate in the last PDP presidential primaries received a standing ovation when one vote, her own vote, was eventually announced to her name. She has been a perennial candidate since 1992. Details
Gadhafi: Ask Nigeria For Mercy And Asylum. By Farouk Martins Aresa Gadhafi, be careful what you pray for, Nigeria is still intact and you are in shambles. We can understand some Nigerians that still see Gadhafi in rebellious light against colonial and oppressive powers. But if everyone calls you a mad dog and then bark at everyone including using foreign mercenaries to kill your own people, help must come your way. Details
Nigeria And The Middle East Crisis. By Leonard Karshima Shilgba, PhD Where in all these does Nigeria fit in? People are asking, “Can these events we have been witnessing recently in North Africa and the Middle East happen in Nigeria; if so, will it be any soon?” I would like us to reason together about this question. I propose to examine some few conditions that have prepared and stirred the North Africans and Arab people to rise up at this time. Then we shall determine whether those premises or their parallels exist in Nigeria. Details
Underdevelopment: Private Sector’s Culpability. By Abdullah Musa Certain things are simply unthinkable! You cannot imagine a white American, walking the streets of New York, with a tray on his head, hawking raw meat. Could you conjure an image of a white woman, sitting in front of a gutter, with a baby on her arms, or sucking her breast, with a wood-fuelled fire in front of her, on which is a metal container, containing sizzling vegetable oil, roasting Akara or other food items? Details
Political Profile of Irrational Voters. By Anthony A. Kila In countries, where citizens are victims of acidic poverty (to use the words of a virtual villager) and where politicians dole out money and gifts as part of their campaign strategy, an irrational voter readily takes these gifts in return for votes. She does not bother to remember that nobody pays you to be at your service and that those politicians that give you their money today are investing and will be looking for ways to recoup and even make profit tomorrow. Details
Democracy In Nigeria And Nigerians. By Ado Musa Why is the Nigerian polity so over-heated, and yet, it is apparently resilient? Could the Nigerian condition make a quantum transition to a worse condition, or maybe to a better reality, or could Nigeria simply stagnate ad infinitum? Is there any need to change the status quo in contemporary Nigerian politics? Are the rules of engagement in Nigerian politics overdue for drastic changes? How do we minimize the resultant entropy in the Nigerian political system? What are the most optimal and workable short-term solutions that can assure long-term resolution of Nigeria’s political dysfunction? Details
OBJ
At 74 At this particular period, many Nigerians thought that Chief Obasanjo would die in prison just like his former deputy while he was the head of junta, General Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua, who was convicted and jailed for the same alleged coup. However, Chief Obasanjo not only emerged from prison alive, he became the overwhelming choice of a nation desperate for a strong, reliable, energetic and purposeful leadership. Details
Good Governance : A Security Strategy For West Africa. By Abubakar Mohammed Sambo The ECOWAS secretariat on its part seems too slow in responding to most of the challenges in the sub-region. A lot has been said on integration, good governance, common currency and single market, we are yet to realise tangibly all these laudable goals. A lot has to be done on their part, because they have the opportunity to transform the fortunes of the West African citizens positively. Details
Can Politics Deliver? By Abdullah Musa Are governments really rooted in the people? If yes, then who are the pillars, or more appropriately, the tap roots? These should be the ones that will ensure that governments live and thrive for the attainment of the principles which brought them into being. But what happens when no principle brought them into being? Governments will then simply run to satisfy a clique who somehow has the capacity to attain and hold power. In the Nigerian context, governments usually live to serve the powerful. Any goodies that descend on to the commoners do so out of sheer necessity not out of any altruistic motives. Details
Corruption In Nigeria: A Challenge Of Nigerian Diasporas. By Johnny A. Mez, Ph.D. The creation of EFCC is noble and quite timely, but its method employs the use of force, which has limited results. While EFCC is busy going to court and confiscating the assets of the unfortunate perpetrators of corruption, those at large who have not been apprehended are at work looting and hiding their loots overseas and in their backyards. In addition, nobody knows where the assets confiscated by EFCC go and what use they are put into. Details
Is Corruption Really the Problem? By Jideofor Adibe If we have been right about corruption and the way to fight it, why has our ranking in the corruption perception index by Transparency International continued to deteriorate despite the noise about EFCC and ICPC? For instance the list released by Transparency International on October 26, 2010 showed that we moved down from a ranking of 121 in 2008 to 130 in 2009 and to 134 in 2010. And by the way, what became of the previous contraptions and rhetoric used in fighting the ailment such as Obasanjo’s Jaji Declarations of the 1970s, Shagari’s Ethical Revolution, Buhari-Idiagbon’s War Against Indiscipline, Babangida’s MAMSER and Abacha’s dreaded Failed Bank Tribunals? Details
Where Are Our Leaders? By Leonard Karshima Shilgba, Ph.D. We do not need all the baloney about “new defence policy” announced few days ago by Jonathan’s security Adviser, Gen. Azazi as a response to the unprovoked massacre of the Nigerian people. That is gibberish. What we need is a new and re-assuring response by the government that controls national security. The response cannot be less than holding security officers directly or indirectly responsible for security break-down and breaches in their areas of operations. Details
How Nollywood is Killing Nigerian Television. By Uche Nworah It is the Nigerian TV viewing audience that have become the biggest losers in the Nollywood ‘madness’, that is for those who still bother to watch. Lovers of good old-fashioned family sitcoms, soaps and shows have now been condemned to watching third rate performances by some unemployed actors, actresses and ‘wannabe’ stars as they dish up ‘rubbish’ by way of some of the half-measure Nollywood films being rushed and produced overnight. Some end up being aired as fillers on the DSTV operated Africa Magic movie channels. Details
Enahoro’s “Brutuses”. By Okachikwu Dibia When Enahoro was alive, he put forward the idea that Nigeria should be politically restructured into ethnic states and that the peoples of Nigeria should be allowed to discuss how they wish to live together in a federal state. The sense in that restructuring was that the resources and allied occupations with which to develop Nigeria are domiciled in the ethnic groups. Details
Africa And The Ills Of Majoritarian Democracy. By Aminu F. Hamajoda Far from being a panacea for African unity and development, majoritarian democracy encourages ethnic, religious and regional conflicts as recent politics and conflicts in Nigeria and elections in other African countries had shown. Vote numbers is the cardinal basis of neoliberal democracy a form of government touted as the most humane form of rule in the world, an alternative to autocracy. While it surely works in the Western world, in Africa democratization appears to encourage divisiveness and post election violence. Details
Internal Democracy: Exit, Voice and Loyalty. By Anthony A. Kila Save for some exceptions here and there, the recently concluded primaries have been far from transparent and democratic, to get the much needed good governance, Nigerians need to pay more attention into internal democracy, till we get that right, our politicians have to exit, voice or remain loyal. We the voters too have our choices to make. Details
Bukola Saraki’s Moral Burden. By Jideofor Adibe One, there are many things going for Dr Bukola Saraki. At just 48, he is already completing a second term as Governor of Kwara State. Before becoming Governor of the State, he had been an Executive Director of Societe Generale Bank (1990-2000) and Special Assistant to the President on Budget (2000). Since 2007, he has been Chairman of the influential Governors’ Forum and many people believe that the body became more pro-active under his leadership. Details
Don’t Call An Ijaw Man Drunk Sailor Fisherman. By Farouk Martins Aresa The self styled Asiwaju Amoda Yekini Ogunlere called Tinubu heightened the insults by referring to President Ebele imprudent choice of words in the West as slighting our parents. Of course, it is all politics. We just have to ask most Nigerians who is more of a rascal by reputation between Asiwaju Amoda Yekini Ogunlere and Ebele Jonathan. The crook of “international proportion” is the obvious winner.
Instead of turning this into ethnic bashing as usual, Nigerians have to be careful so that politicians do not play on our emotions for fun and power to loot the treasury. Some party members have been trying to milk blood out of this unfortunate choice of words by Ebele and the more he tries to get out of it, the more his opponents suck it to him. If the choice of words is going to determine this election, Asiwaju just goof big time also. Details
Buhari’s Choice of Bakare as Running Mate. By Jideofor Adibe The word ‘hypocrisy’ will cry out loud if hung on the neck of Muhammadu Buhari. Even his most ardent critics concede that he is honest, disciplined and non-corrupt. As military Head of State, he was credited with one of the most patriotic sentiments ever uttered by any Nigerian leader, when, on coming to power on December 31, 1983, via a military coup, he declared that “this generation of Nigerians and indeed future generations have no other country than Nigeria. We shall remain here and salvage it together. Details
Professor Jega: To Resign Or Not To Resign? By Aonduna Tondu Professor Jega’s reported denial that he threatened to resign if the PDP-led federal government of President Jonathan were to put undue pressure on him and the INEC cannot be reassuring to Nigerians. The INEC chairman’s statement that he will remain in his position and bear the consequences of any failure on his part is no consolation at all if, at the end of the day, the INEC really inflicts yet another electoral debacle on the nation. Professor Jega ought to be told that in the final analysis, the matter of delivering credible elections is beyond the ambit of individual egos. Details
Jega Election 2011 May Be A Lavish Wedding At Any Price. By Farouk Martins Aresa Kai! Nobody said democracy is cheap, all these billions for election hurt our heads. Some of us kept mute for fear of anti-democracy label. We dare not ask why any contract of substance in Nigeria has to be foreign in implementation or manufacture. The billions approved for INEC Attahiru Jega is so huge but because it is for democracy, we accepted it. On top of that is the salary of those elected. Demon-crazy can’t be practiced in poor countries, we tell you. Details
Segun Aganga: Ten Months After. By Jideofor Adibe Five, with due respect, I disagree with the Finance Minister that expressing what I will regard as robust concerns about the direction of the economy amounts to deliberately talking down the economy. I am uncomfortable with some of the language used by the Minister in replying to critics, including his use of innuendo to suggest that Professor Chukwuma Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank, should be in jail- apparently for his rather ill-advised harsh criticisms of the direction of the economy in the media. Details
Jos Plateau Crises; Where Everybody is a Loser. By Ndiameeh Babrik All honest persons who want peace to return to Jos should call for the full implement of all the reports of all the commissions of enquiry into the protracted crises from 1994 to date. Anything short of that is wastage of time and resources. What happened to the report of the peace conference held under the 2004 state of emergency? Only insincere persons with hidden agenda will be calling for state of emergency on the Plateau. Details
Political Arithmetic Of 2011. By Abubakar Abba Tahir The basis of the zoning imperative was the unfairness done to Nigeria in general and the Yoruba race in particular by annulling the freest presidential election in which Chief Moshood Abiola was almost declared winner. The north felt that the only step that would guarantee national stability was to appease the Yoruba by conceding the presidency to them for two consecutive terms, after which the rotation pentagon would start rolling around the nation again for each region to take its own turn. Ahead of that historic decision there were cries for a sovereign national conference championed by pro-democracy groups and activists, from all parts of southern Nigeria, especially the South- west. Details
Mandela Should Have Been Flown To Nigeria For Treatment. By Farouk Martins Aresa Thank God Mandela is not a Nigerian. He is the most respected and revered African alive today and he must stay alive. We are also very proud of the medical tertiary care he received in South Africa otherwise Mandela could have been flown to some foreign Country where they would install some microchips in him so that all state and personal secrets would be revealed. Nobody does that in Nigeria so let Surgeon General Vejaynad Ramlakan of South Africa know that there are hospitals in Nigeria that can treat world leaders in confidence. Details
Jonathan, Jega And Juveniles. By Danlami Alhaji Wushishi We are living witnesses to political impasse in Cote De voire, Tunisia, and Sudan, God forbid if we allow Nigeria to degenerate to such unfortunate level, these would have adverse effect on Africa, in view of pivotal role Nigeria often plays in restoring peace to various sovereign states. In fact, the role currently played by President Goodluck Jonathan allays the fears that he might sit tight assuming the unexpected occurs. Details
An American Terrorist in Tucson Arizona. By Paul I. Adujie An all American terrorist shot six persons to death, this terrorist, this monster, this animal was allowed to purchase an automatic 9 millimeter weapon with which he assassinated a federal judge, Judge Roll and five others, while seriously wounding a sitting Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords. But soon after the murderous carnage and massacre by this terrorist, too many American political figures and the American media, have insistently badgered the American public with the fact that the terrorist is certifiably a lunatic. Details
The Good Old Days. By Toyeen Ojo Back in the glorious years of old, education was something every Nigerian looked forward to and could afford. Though the schools were fewer than what presently obtains, everything was done to encourage enrolment and delivery of qualitative education to the citizens. This included the grant of bursary. Government at that time approved the bursary for almost every child especially for indigent from poor background. The grant usually covered the school fees and some change as pocket money to take care of some personal expenses of the child. In those old days, attention was also given to the academic requirement of the students in addition to their personal welfare. Books were always made available for free. Details
Nigeria and the Burden of Security Challenges. By Yakubu Muhammad Rigasa Protection of lives and properties of citizens is the paramount function of every responsible government in every nation. This may be the reason why some politicians cunningly but sometimes deceptively adopt the campaign strategy of making pledge to provide adequate security to the citizenry if elected. Details
Our Profligate National Debt Plan. By Senator Nimi Baregha-Amange “It is important that we take the loan, because I look at it as a dash. We have a grace of 10 years. There is no way you develop a nation with what we have. We should encourage the executive to take the loan.” Details
Party Delegates and Posterity. By Joshua Ocheja In advanced democracies, though one cannot rule out the role of money, but fundamentally, issues and blueprint for development come as a first. This afford electorates the opportunity to gauge aspirants and what they propose if elected into office, and then of course, the money aspect, but usually not in exchange for votes. This is not the case in Nigeria. Ours is usually dependent on the ‘spending’ dexterity of aspirants regardless. Details
Our Brand of Democracy. By Hamisu Gumel For a good decade now, democracy has been for sale in Nigeria. It has been for sale as development, as freedom, as political liberty and as human rights, but never has it been proffered as insecurity, dictatorship, human rights abuse, impunity, political rascality and failure of leadership. Details
Taking The Devil Out Of Plateau. By Ibrahim Sheme Jos is hellish today because the Devil is there. Jos is almost no longer fit for human habitation. It is a war zone in a jungle, where people live in fear. Human life no longer has any sanctity. Death stalks the city, even in the interludes of peace, like the promise of acid rain. Today, even policemen and soldiers, on whom the civilian population depends for protection, are afraid to serve there. Details
Atiku On Jonathan’s 2011 Budget: Politics Aside. By Ifeanyi Izeze It is very insulting on the sensibilities of informed Nigerians for the Finance Minister Olusegun Aganga to say that the Nigerian economy is doing very well and that “Atiku misrepresented facts on the state of the economy to score cheap political points.” This same minister days ago could not even agree with his subordinate- the CBN Governor, over the authenticity of the figures used in budgetary calculations. Truth be told, the Nigerian economy is doing well only in the imagination of the recently repatriated finance minister who is fast turning into government’s chief propagandist using voodoo statistics to confuse not only his boss but the entire nation. Details
So, You Pass Your Neighbour? By Zulfikar Aliyu Adamu If you are one of those who strive to surpass their neighbour with a generator, well, I have news for you and most of it is bad: you may actually end up passing your neighbour but on your way to the great beyond - the land of no return. Details
Is Military Victory Possible in the Niger-Delta Conflict? By W. Ernest Etim-Bassey It is rather too monocausal for comfort to think that the non-state actors perpetuating anarchy and conflict in the Niger-delta region can be wished away through unsustainable treaties and ambiguous amnesty declarations. And this historical reality is uncontestable. Details
Police Rape Case: Can Maimuna Get Justice? By Hamisu Gumel
In the same vain, the National
Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other related Matters (NAPTIP),
the National Human Rights Commission and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs
and Social Development, which this particular incidence fall within their
responsibilities, are also giving surprised silence on the issue. Of course, it
is surprising, considering the fact that these are the same agencies which were
at the forefront in the effort to punish Senator Yarima when the controversy
over his marriage with an allegedly under age girl was still raging, using the
excuse that the girl’s rights had been abused.
Is Goodluck Jonathan A Flip-Flopper? By Max Gbanite Any reader, after reading both messages, will agreed with the conclusion, that truly, it is “Ideas that build nations and not luck”. Then I decided to look further into this ‘Luck theory’; and why being elected a president should be based on luck, and not on experience or capability. Details
Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Fund: Prospects And Tips For Getting It Right. By Shafii Ndanusa The decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to establish a National Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSWF) is by far one of the most significant economic policy decisions taken in recent times. Contrary to expectations, the significance of this decision is not in terms of the monetary implications of the decision. But rather, in terms of what it says about the level of economic and fiscal discipline that the Governments at all levels in Nigeria wish to bring to bear on the process of sovereign resource management. Details
My Problem With Nigerians. By Leonard Karshima Shilgba, PhD. When President Obasanjo came on the scene in 1999, Nigerians hailed him, while some scorned him. Before he left office in 2007, he had freed Nigeria of her sovereign debts; ushered in an era of telecommunications revolution with attendant job creation; rehabilitated federal medical centres and teaching hospitals in the nation; embarked on the then largest electricity power project (the National Integrated Power Scheme) in the world and laid the foundation for the electricity power sector reform with the passage of the NESPR bill in March, 2005, which is still being seen through under the leadership of Professor Nnaji; saved about 20 billion USD in the Excess crude account and about 60 billion USD in our foreign reserves; established a credible fight against corruption with the setting up of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), whose founding chairman is being praised for fighting corruption (but Obasanjo is hardly mentioned by Nigerians as being the lynchpin for the success. Details
‘Auntie’ Dora: The Resignation of a Minister. By Jideofor Adibe On the other hand, if truly DA felt like leaving and the presidency was unable to convince her to hang on for a little while, why was she not fired to blunt any political damage such an announcement will do to the government? The truth is that by announcing her resignation so close to the primaries, DA – whether seen as an opportunist or a woman of courage – seems to have passed a strong, two-in-one vote of no confidence on both the government of President Jonathan and his party. Details
Time To Scrap Information Ministry. By Abdulazeez Abdullahi Of what relevance is the information ministry in this day and age? I may be wrong but I just cannot think of any critical role the ministry is playing in national development. All its so called functions, as far as I am concerned, can be effectively carried out by agencies under it if they are fully empowered to carry out their statutory functions without undue meddling by the so called supervising ministry. Details
Zoning Or No Zoning, The Exalted Seat Is Ours For Take! By Salisu Ahmed Koki By calculatingly creating and harnessing division in poverty-stricken and hope lacking group of men, women and children along the precipices of religion, race, political affiliation or ethnic designations, many avaricious and equally self-interested men and women in positions of authority have ruled ruthlessly and looted government coffers recklessly, little wonder the creation and popularization of the infamous notion- divide and rule! Details
Thoughts On Fighting Corruption. By Saadu Jijji A 2010 PEW study found 87% of Nigerians (Christians – 80%, Muslims -93%) saying ‘Religion is very important to our lives’. In practice, many Nigerians tend to treat God in the same way we treat a First Aid Box – ‘Get it when in trouble, otherwise hang for display’. When faced with the prospect of corruption, many Nigerians simply wonder whether it is rational to remain honest in a country where others are enjoying the benefits of corruption unhindered? Details
APRIL 2011: Between Voter’s Flight, Voter’s Might and Voter’s Rights. By Salisu Ahmed Koki Nigerian masses lacked choice and voice in today’s power dynamics, hence the proliferation of dirty politicians, warts and quacks brandishing themselves as leaders from top to bottom, left, right and centre; powerful men and women in the corridors of power that are tightening their grips on the Nigerian system through greed-driven political machinations. Details
Ojukwu The President Nigeria Never Had. By Farouk Martins Aresa As we pray for the recovery of Ikemba for the good old days just before the war, the man is a leader amongst equals in and outside the military. It has been said and written many times that we should not wait until a man is dying before rushing them abroad for treatment when we can provide a suitable hospital in each of the six geopolitical zones of the Country specializing in different areas. The wear and tie of taking them abroad only make their situations worse since they must have some stability to make the journey. Let us hope this is not a goodbye as others. Details
Côte d'Ivoire: Defending Democracy and Restoring the Rule of Law. By Omoba Oladele Osinuga. For want of belabouring the point, history often repeats itself and for Africans who have throughout their lifetime witnessed or heard about armed violent conflicts on their doorsteps or neighbouring countries, the words of Winston Churchill when he said, “Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it” resonates loudly to the African ears. Words and talk are cheap particularly when dreadful events, which occurred in 1994 in Rwanda, are slowly being replayed on the West African coast in Côte d'Ivoire. Details
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