GOD AKPAN:
GUY, RUGGEDITY IS FOOLISH! INTELLIGENT PAYS! HEROES ARE FOOLS!
YOUR LEVEL NO REACH TO COMPREHEND THAT YET, SO I EXPECT MORE INSULTS BUT YOU CAN NEVER GROW WISE IF YOU DONT LEARN FROM THE MASTER. HUMILITY IS THE KEY WORD COS PRIDE/ARROGANCE GOETH BEFORE A FALL.

The battle for 2015 in Akwa Ibom has assumed a deadly dimension.

An Akwa Ibom state senator, Aloysius Eyok, has accused the state governor, Godswill Akpabio, of threatening to assassinate him within a week for daring to insist on retaining his senatorial seat which Mr. Akpabio has declared interest for in 2015.[b]

The senator said at a news briefing weekend that Mr. Akpabio has unleashed his “hit squad” on him, with threatening text messages advising him to renounce his ambition for another term, or be targeted in seven days.

“I want the governor to tell Nigerians and the international community if there is anything wrong in any man aspiring to contest for an office,” Mr. Etok asked.

“Is that enough for the governor to instruct the council chairmen to say that if I don’t withdraw from the contest, that they will recall me? He asked the state of assembly to pass resolution that they will recall me, to the extent that members of the house of assembly came on television to insult and malign me.”

“Not only that, the governor has now loosen his hit squad, including what I have on this phone some text messages that if I don’t retract the statement that I will contest election, after seven days, I will see what they will do.”

He said the governor also instructed “different groups that if I don’t retract the statement within seven days, I will either be dead to stop me or alive to retract the statement.”[/b]




Mr. Akpabio dismissed the allegations as “paranoid, deceitful, baseless and mere hallucinations that serves no purpose whatsoever.”

A statement by the state commissioner for information, Anieka Umanah, said Mr. Akpabio is a “God fearing and peace loving man, and has never and will never contemplate evil against anyone let alone, his brother and friend, Senator Aloysius Etok”.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Akpabio has no hit squad and has never been after the life of any citizen of the state,”Mr. Umanah said.

Mr. Etok came to limelight weeks ago after the embattled governor openly confessed to rigging party polls to allow Mr. Etok emerge as the winner for the senatorial seat, sparking national outrage.

Mr. Etok denied the claim, and said he emerged through a transparent process. In subsequent media interviews, Mr. Akpabio, claimed he was misquoted and that the media frenzy over the story, first published by PREMIUM TIMES, was politically motivated.

The governor later declared his interest to assume a senatorial seat after his term in 2015, a seat currently occupied by Mr. Etok, in what appears to be the actual motive for his video declaration.

Mr. Etok said while the controversy over the claimed rigging had been resolved, the governor repeatedly told fellow senators that they were his future colleagues; and on one occasion, he mockingly said Mr. Etok will serve as his campaign manager to the senate.
[b]
The senator said he only responded at an interview recently by saying the governor never consulted him on his ambition, and that he will never relinquish same.

“The producer then asked what I want to do now that the governor wants to take my position. I told him that the governor has not consulted me,” he said referring to an interview he granted in Akwa Ibom state. “However, if am sitting on a seat and somebody is coming to remove me without consultation, I will hold on to the seat even if the seat want to break.”

Since making the comments, a faction of the state House of Assembly passed a resolution deriding Mr. Etok, and warning him that only an Akpabio candidature to the senate will be supported tin 2015.

“I want the Nigerian public to say which of these statement was an insult to the governor that he and his people said I have dared the governor for saying I will contest election.”

“That if what happened during my second term struggle that as soon as they knew I was going to contest, my wife was kidnapped. After the release of my wife, my mother in law was kidnapped.

“When she was released, she died because of the torture she received in the hands of the kidnappers. As a result of that my father in law died out the heart break. Therefore, I also want Nigerians to ask Governor Akpabio what I have done to him. I have not done anything to him. I want all of you, like I am going to send a petition to the President, to ask Governor Akpabio to let me be. That his hit squad which he has resurrected should let me live. If anything happens to me, I want the world to know that Governor Akpabio is after my life.”
[/b]
Editor’s note: The original story has been updated to reflect the Akwa Ibom state government’s response.

manny4life:

[s]Here come the resident ret.ard, please I will pass on you.. No time for foolish, endless, and futile arguments with u.[/s]

Texas.Cowgirl:


Texas is not in Nigeria.

Why won't I?

You think I have a hidden agenda towards Lagos? ah ahnn

Nnkan to n ro dun mi gan o.

Texas.Cowgirl:


I'll try to retrace my steps for the pictures source tomorrow.

kingoflag:

Are you saying there are no similarly filthy places anywhere in Lagos?

Texas.Cowgirl:


You don't care about eyesores in Lagos yet you want me to believe that you care about Lagos/Lagosians?

The pictures I posted ARE from Lagos. You cannot, with 100% certainty, tell me that you've memorized every square inch of Lagos.

I even doubt you walk through the slums to really see how the people you care about survives.

Texas.Cowgirl:
LOL @ eko ilee, do you know every square inch of Lagos by heart?

Sisi_Kill:



Doncha think you are taking this your Defender of Lagos schtick a bit far?

Texas.Cowgirl:
Lagos......Ladipo

Texas.Cowgirl:
*faints*

Welcome to Lagos

[img]http://2.bp..com/_h0koahvR4gw/S_PQwJOEcxI/AAAAAAAAAGY/qxzWRcuFrH4/s1600/cownigeria.jpg[/img]

ig.chuka:

Pls enlighten me since you know it all.

CyberG: When will Nigerians support a man like Fashola for president? Or would you all rather die as slaves to PDP, the retardeen and paid hacks on NL, cutting off your noses to spite your ugly faces?? I don't need a re-write of his speech but here he is giving facts and figures saying exactly how many roads are in Lagos, and owned by FG, SG and LG...such details. Did the retardeen care for such details as governor and now as president?? Why would he, when he doesn't give a damn! Imagine Nigeria having a president who will tell you how many roads are in your town and villages, the one that belong to the FG and what and when they will be upgraded, fixed, etc?

If Nigerians don't support Fashola, I can bet he can not suffer for food or material things. Neither would I for I am so far away and have everything I need and much more! However, I am confident that 99% of Nigerians are the ones who will suffer after they have been brainwashed by some little change and a lot of propaganda from the PDP. As you lay your bed, so will you lie on it!

GOD AKPAN: "maybe naija dey inside rivers state" 48 laws of power-never fight your master especially when he is in power. a word is enuff for the arrogant surbodinate.

manny4life:

Haha, me work for GEJ? How can I work for him when I'm 5,000+ miles away from Aso Rock?

No I'm not related to none of his ministers, what I had expressed is the truth.

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, at the weekend in the United States of America advocated a truer federal system of government for Nigeria saying it would free the potentials of the federating states and local governments to utilize the diverse capacities inherent in their domains for economic prosperity.

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola

Governor Fashola, who spoke to an audience comprising faculty members, students and academics at the School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University, Washington said though the realization of such a federalism, on its own, may not necessarily catapult the nation to an all-time economic prosperity, without it emancipation from poverty and want would be hard to attain.
[b]
Speaking on the topic, “Liberating and Coordinating Diversity”, Governor Fashola said as a result of the current lopsided federal system of government in the country which has concentrated all powers in the Centre, the federating states and local governments are unable to fully utilize the potentials inherent in them for development.

The Governor, who gave examples of the lopsided federal arrangement in the country including control of all economic resources by the Centre, declared, “The 36 state governors are demanding a truer federal system in terms of fiscal and political federalism. I associate myself with this demand in its entirety”.

“The realization of these demands on their own may not necessarily leapfrog us into El Dorado, but without them the journey will be tortuous. If they materialize, they liberate the possibilities that lie inherent in the diverse capacities that the Nigerian states and local governments are blessed with”, Governor Fashola said adding, “In that event, the Federal Government will not be without authority or responsibility but, in my view, it will be better able to co-ordinate the diversities for mutual prosperity”.

Describing the period before the Military interregnum in the country as the nation’s Golden Age, Governor Fashola said although the post-colonial era when Nigeria practiced Parliamentary Democracy with three semi-autonomous regions was not without its problems, the economy was stable as each region kept the bulk of its resources and contributed to the central government to enable it to carry out its national responsibilities.

“The system was not without its problems. But we had stable electricity. We had more food – enough to eat and enough to export. Illiteracy levels were higher but there was evidence to show that it was being addressed. Our universities had more learning in them and acquired a respectable reputation”, the Governor said.

According to the Governor, things began to fall apart for the country when the Military intervened in governance. “We quickly began to lose our lustre. The military came in and unified the regions and things have never been quite the same since”.

“Although we have a “Federal Government” the constitution was written by the Military. So we have state courts where judges are picked by the Federal Government. We have state legislators but no state police to enforce the laws they make. There are no state prisons so we rely on Federal officers to police our states and keep convicted persons away from law abiding citizens. We have Federal Traffic Safety Officers to issue Driver’s Licenses to drivers in the state and also seek to regulate municipal traffic inside the states”, the Governor explained.

He further explained that many states cannot control their sources of finance such as local taxes on consumption, lotteries and hotels, the equivalents of city and state taxes for drinks in a state like New York in the United States , adding, “The Federal Government holds on to these at worst; or encroaches upon them at the best”.

Governor Fashola said the Federal Government, in order to maintain its financial hold on the federating states, keeps 52 percent of the nation’s resources leaving the 36 federating states with 26 percent while 774 local governments share only 20 percent of the resource among them monthly.

“The debate, therefore, is not only about the cost of such a large government but also about its effectiveness. The Primary Health Care Centres, where newborn babies get vaccinated and immunized against disease, are not in the capital but within the 774 (plus 37) local governments. The primary schools, which are the foundations of early learning, are also in these local governments. (In Lagos there are 1,001 of such primary schools)”, the Governor said.

He wondered how the money held in large supply at the Centre could reach the grassroots for the purchase of vaccines in time and in good quantity for the immunization of the children before they die and how quickly and efficiently the primary schools can be funded from the Centre before the children get tired of waiting, drop out and become child labourers.

On the effect of a “behemoth Federal Government” on the transport system especially in Lagos, Governor Fashola declared, “In Lagos the Local Governments have 6,415 roads, the state government has 3,028 and the Federal Government has only 117.Yet the Local Governments have only their share of 20.2% (shared with 717 others) and the states have only their share of 26% (shared with 35 other states) of national revenues to fix these roads”.

Noting that even with the least number of roads to manage, the Federal Government keeps the lion’s share of the Federal resources, Governor Fashola again wondered how efficiently the Nigerian Governmental system could provide “roads that are so critical to prosperity for her people”.
“These are the structural challenges of Government that we must overcome. They sum up the demand for a truer federal union that is being demanded by the 36 state governors in terms of fiscal and political federalism”, the Governor said.

Governor Fashola expressed joy that Lagos State has been able to liberate itself from the problems associated with the nation’s lopsided federal system as aforementioned especially the dependence on monthly Federal Allocations saying this has been achieved largely through effective tax reforms which have resulted in more taxpayers in the State.

“While these challenges exist, we are not folding our arms and twiddling our thumbs. On the contrary, we have become more determined in Lagos and more resourceful”, Governor Fashola said adding that aside the tax reforms and more taxpayers, his administration has focused on life saving infrastructure like the 10 Maternal and Childcare Centres each with a 100 bed capacity with two theatres to address infants and maternal mortality. Noting that the two specialists’ centres hitherto in existence in Lagos could not cope with 21 million people, the Governor said the administration has finished seven, six are operational, one is already being staffed for operation while one is uner construction.

In addition, the Governor said his administration in partnership with the third tier of government has taken a major step to further invigorate primary health care by selecting one PHC centre in each of the 57 LGAs and LCDAs for rebuilding into a 24 hour flagship Primary Health Care centre with two centres already commissioned while 10 will be up and running this year and others wrapped-up next year.

Still on life improving infrastructure, the Governor gave insights into the current massive housing development programme of the administration under the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Owner Scheme. According to the Governor, on road rehabilitation, an average of five hundred roads are being rehabilitated every year by the Public Works Bureau while setting up asphalt plants on divisional basis instead of the centralized asphalt plant and the Local Government Areas to tap into the availability of the major input in road construction in their respective areas.

The Governor said whilst his administration contends with these challenges and struggle to build infrastructure, its most enduring infrastructure would be the one it builds in people’s minds, especially the next generation.

“This is why we have committed time and resources to rebuild our education. We are seeing results in the right direction but the journey is still long”, the Governor said adding, however, that one of the “delightful pit stops” by which the “long journey” has been punctuated was that Lagos State University (LASU), the State’s only university, has been ranked 11th amongst all the universities in Nigeria.

Explaining that the University is currently the only state owned university in this ranking, Governor Fashola declared, “This is significant because it shows rewards for our efforts. It validates the far-sighted but tough decisions we took to re-position the university”.

“It puts a fine egg on the faces of those who sought to make political capital of a decision so fundamentally critical to our human development index. But this is not our destination. Our destination in the short term is to be the best in Nigeria, in the medium term to be the best in Africa and in the long term to be the best in the world”, he said, adding, “That process has already started. We are already building affiliations for LASU across the world. Nothing would please me more than to establish such an affiliation with this school and the John Hopkins University. It would have made this trip really worth making”.[/b]

Governor Fashola said with an annual growth rate of 5 percent, Lagos has surpassed the combined population of London and New York within a period of 40 years, rising from mere two million people in the 1970’s to 21 million in 2013 as against the populations of New York (7.8 million in the 70s to 8.1 million in 2013) and London from 7.4 million to 8.2 million within the same period.

Noting that the first major challenge of his administration was the population boom; rapid urbanization, which brought with them the challenges of infrastructure deficiency, inadequate transportation system and security, Governor Fashola expressed delight that these problems have been taken on with determination, resourceful and partnership with the people over the years.

Thanking the institution for the honour accorded him to speak to the multi-racial student population consisting of over 50 nations, Governor Fashola declared, “Speaking to young people, especially in universities, has become, for me, a passion. I feel that here I am using the privileges of my office in a positive way to connect young people to the future that they have to deal with – in a way better than I connected to that world”.

The lecture which, was coordinated by Director, African Studies of The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Associate Peter M. Lewis, was followed by a robust question and answer session. The lecture was attended by a cross-section of the University Community including Nigerian Students, the founder of Accender Africa, Mathias Chika Mordi, the Chairman of The Nation newspaper’s Editorial Board, Sam Omatseye, and some members of the State Executive Council including the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ben Akabueze, his Finance; Commerce and Industry counterparts, Tokunbo Abiru and Olusola Oworu as well as the Special Adviser on Rural Development, Babatunde Hunpe.

andresia:

That was how sentiments were whipped up for the scumbag in 2011. U re now repeatin d same tin by callin amaechi a performer, meanin you may route and vote for him should he contest come 2015. Pray, tell us amaechi's performance in Rivers state takin into cognizance the money accruing to that state. Simple!

Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink



"Governance, let alone democracy, faces grievous, structural challenges in Nigeria," says Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Senior Fellow and Former Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell in his new book Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink.


"The federal government has failed to provide basic security for its citizens and has lost its monopoly on violence, two basic attributes of a sovereign state."


http://www.cfr.org/nigeria/nigeria-dancing-brink/p22833

andresia:
Io
Stop being silly and sentimental. Will you iidiots repeat d same mistake u made in 2011, saddling us wit dis slowpoke called GEJ, by voting for amaechi should he choose to contest in 2015? U called amaechi a performer, and the question is: list his achievements as a governor so far. Stop groping around blindly

TRUTHTELA:

Hey, learn how to read and understand, stop being a hood rat. This article is written by a an Int'l organization and all they made was an OBJECTIVE observation of a corrupt man wasting public funds in a poverty stricken country, just like ur president have been wasting. The same way ur pastors rip off their members and buy jets, claiming that it's for "god's work", yet the Vatican, doesn't have any jet for the Pope. Woe unto you all. You'll leave with your HYPOCRISY. When it's done by a certain Governor, it's fine, but when it's done by another, its an abomination.

TRUTHTELA:

GEJ, is a DISGRACE no doubt. I dislike him, PDP and their cohorts. However, you've proven to me that you're a BIGGER DISGRACE by calling Amechi a "performer". You have misused the word "PERFORMER", better apologize ASAP. Amechi is a ROGUE and a FAILURE, just like GEJ. If you can, tell me or list the things that made amechi, a "performer in ur eyes.

TRUTHTELA:

I'm miffed at how some gullible folks on NL, sees amaechi, as a better option, without asking questions about his PERFORMANCE and if his INTEREST is for the MASSES or for the same OLD GUARD?

TRUTHTELA: Read and give your OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT.

Fyi, this article was written by a FOREIGN BASED ORGANIZATION with no INTEREST whatsoever, just like myself.

Eziachi:
In summary, not 1999 but 100% 2003, if I am wrong, who did you give your vote?

Eziachi:
No problem and send my fee to the salvation army near you. You voted OLU FALEA 1999 when you WERE spoiled for choice with two Yoruba candidates as OBJ you can't stand was the other alternative.
In 2003, with no Yoruba in the race except OBJ, you have no choice that than to sacrifice everything for him to win including AD governors, except a wise Bola Tinubu then. Next question.

Eziachi:
Really, who did you voter for Buhari/Okadigbo?

Eziachi:
Remember your own 99% vote dividend for OBJ in 2003, .

Gov Fashola Delivers Special Lecture at John Hopkins University, Washington

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) being welcomed by the Associate Professor and Director, African Studies Program, Mr Peter Lewis to deliver his Special Lecture on the theme,’’ Liberating and Co-ordinating Diversity’’ at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced and International Studies, African Studies Program, John Hopkins University, Washington DC, United States on Friday , 26 April, 2013