Number 7 especially got me thinking. So he knew buhari is a tribal bigot since then and Atiku is a detribalized bridge builder. And he now wants his Yoruba people to vote for buhari.

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LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR'S VIEWS ON IRAQ, NATIONAL ELECTIONS, AND AGOA
Date:2003 February 21, 15:09 (Friday) Canonical ID:03LAGOS369_a
Original Classification:CONFIDENTIAL Current Classification:CONFIDENTIAL
Handling Restrictions-- Not Assigned --
Character Count:7193
Executive Order:-- Not Assigned -- Locator:TEXT ONLINE
TAGS:ETRD - Economic Affairs--Foreign Trade | NI - Nigeria | PGOV - Political Affairs--Government; Internal Governmental Affairs | PINR - Political Affairs--Intelligence | PINS - Political Affairs--Internal Security Concepts:-- Not Assigned --
Enclosure:-- Not Assigned -- Type:TE - Telegram (cable)
Office Origin:-- N/A or Blank --
Office Action:-- N/A or Blank -- Archive Status:-- Not Assigned --
From:Nigeria Lagos Markings:-- Not Assigned --
To:-- N/A or Blank --


1. (C) Begin summary. Lagos State Governor Tinubu told ConGen and DAS Bridgewater February 16 that he has asked the Lagos State Assembly to issue a resolution declaring that no new construction be permitted along "Embassy Row" on Victoria Island. Tinubu assured ConGen that he will do all he can to ensure protection of consular and diplomatic personnel in Lagos. He shared our view that the dispute with Iraq relates to weapons of mass destruction, not Islam, and he is
confident that most of his co-religionists share this view. Tinubu pledged to work closely with the legislators who will be elected or re-elected to the National Assembly to secure
passage of a customs bill, inaction on which has prevented Nigeria from benefiting from AGOA. Tinubu disclosed antipathy for President Obasanjo, but praised Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he has known for many years. End summary.


2. (C) During a luncheon for visiting DAS Pamela Bridgewater February 16, Lagos State Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu assured the DAS and accompanying ConGen that his office will do all it can to ensure protection of the Consulate in the event of war with Iraq. Tinubu added that he has asked the Lagos State Assembly to issue a resolution declaring that no new construction be permitted along "Embassy Row" on Victoria Island. With a view to the longer term, he will seek the Assembly's approval to designate the Walter Carrington Crescent a diplomatic zone. Such action would help ensure the safety and security of diplomatic missions remaining in
Lagos.


3. (C) Tinubu expressed concern about Al Queda's nominal designation of Nigeria among the countries that need to be liberated from the grasp of American imperialism. Tinubu
asserted that the vast majority of his fellow Muslims are neither sympathetic to Baghdad nor extremist Muslims. Nigeria's moderate Muslims have great sympathy for the United States, he said, and they know that the issue between Iraq and the United Nations relates to weapons of mass destruction, not Islam. The Governor said Al Queda's message was meant for agitators who might jeopardize Nigeria's unity and development.


4. (C) Regarding security in Nigeria, Tinubu said he expects that even if war breaks out few people will be incited to hold pro-Iraq or anti-US demonstrations in the southern
states, particularly Osun, Oyo and Lagos. He said the politicians do not want international politics to detract from their mobilization efforts for the spring elections. Tinubu (himself a Muslim) has been meeting with Muslim leaders who will not support anti-US activities. He promised that any agitators would be "checkmated". The situation is
different in northern Nigeria, he said, where it is politically expedient for moderate politicians to support Sharia. He expects violent demonstrations specifically in Kano, Kaduna and Jos.


5. (C) Tinubu senses that the United States has not maintained the momentum in its positive engagement of Islam that it had shown shortly after September 11, 2001. Lately, US media outlets have not shown enough concern for Muslims in the coverage of the impending conflict with Iraq. US coverage of the issue has been too intellectual when it is very emotional in the Muslim world. This fact has given Iraq a propaganda edge over the US. Tinubu perceives that the USG has not done a very good job explaining its cause to the Muslim world either. Most Muslims, he said, believe President Bush is "simply finishing his father's business." Even Tinubu, a staunch US supporter, doubt doubts thevalidity of the US argument.

6. (C) Turning to the presidential contest, Tinubu disclosed that he does not like President Obasanjo because he contributed to the end of democracy in Nigeria during his
tenure as a military president and is now benefiting from that history. That said, Tinubu admitted that he and his party, the Alliance for Democracy, must support Obasanjo. Southwest Nigeria is Yoruba land and the President is Yoruba. Tinubu"s party had no choice since it has not fielded a presidential candidate. Moreover, Obasanjo is the only
candidate who stands a chance of blocking his rival, General Muhammadu Buhari, whose ethnocentrism would jeopardize Nigeria"s national unity. Buhari and his ilk are agents of
destabilization who would be far worse than Obasanjo. Tinubu and many other governors are therefore implementing a strategy to re-elect Obasanjo, partly in an effort to prevent
Sharia from spreading. Tinubu predicted that the President will follow his own course, if re-elected, since he will not need as many friends the second time around.


7. (C) Tinubu praised Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he has known for many years. Tinubu warned that former military
strongman Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and National Security Advisor Aliyu Mohamed will try to discredit Atiku. That effort will fail, Tinubu predicted, because Atiku has the
support of the governors and the National As Assembly. Elaborating on his knowledge of the VP, Tinubu said he has known and understood the VP even before his entry into politics. Atiku is a detribalized politician who knows where he is going and how to build bridges to get there. Tinubu expects Atiku will play a larger role in the next presidential administration, especially in economic affairs,
while Obasasanjo will concentrate on external relations. Atiku may also assume responsibility for other domestic portfolios in the next administration.


8. (C) Tinubu bemoaned the fact that Nigeria is not benefiting from the textile provisions of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, and claimed partial responsibility for this situation. He said he had not pressed his fellow governors to exert pressure on the national legislators for enactment of a customs bill mandating country-of-origin certification of inputs that might go into Nigerian textile
exports to the United States. Since Lagos State manufacturers could benefit substantially from the AGOA textile provisions, Tinubu plans to press for quick passage
of the customs bill. He believes the next legislature will passed it soon after it convenes in late spring 2003.


9. (C) Bio comment. Tinubu is direct, articulate, and a sharp analyst who understands accommodation. He acknowledges the imperative of political compromise in the game for power,
even with political actors whom he might be inclined to denigrate. Tinubu credits his going into politics to Atiku's personal encouragement. Tinubu's admiration of Atiku suggests that the Governor could be persuaded to play a national role in an Atiku administration if the VP were elected president four years hence.

10. (U) DAS Bridgewater did not clear this cable before her departure from post.
HINSON-JONES

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/03LAGOS369_a.html

agabusta:



Sincerely, an Atiku presidency will take us back.

Nothing can possibly go back beyond your outdated and fallacious thinking.

Nigerians have to settle on what kind of system you want. If you want a capitalist state, a welfare/socialist state or centrally planned economy like China.
I can tell you that human progress thus far is attributable to the word ‘capital’ as most human innovation has come from it. It is the basis of the west’s wealth. Government has no business in business, and when it does, they are run inefficiently. NNPC is a cesspool for rent seeking and inefficiency. Going private and running it like a business is the way to go in terms of efficiency and delivery.

I can tell you that the problems we have in Africa today are as a result of the statist political economy adopted post colonialism. The private sector ought to be the driver of any modern economy not the public sector. Such simplistic thinking you exhibited is why we are still a poor society. What has Govt owning NNPC done for Nigerian development?

CilicMarin:


Dangote With His Investments In Nigeria, Running Into Tens Of Billion of Dollars, Spanning Oil, Gas, Cement, Sugar, Transport, etc employ only about 30,000 Nigerians.

MTN With Investments Of Over 10Billion Dollars employ about 8,000 people.

First Bank, Zenith Bank and GTB with capital base of over 3Trillion Naira combined, employ about 35000 Nigerians...

Then a Crook, with hidden assets in rogue countries, who can only boast of a Fruit Juice and one elite University in dusty town of Adamawa State, claims that employs 100,000 People.

Does Atiku thinks the rest of Nigerians have limited and very low IQs like his brainless ipob pigs supporters?

Well why not research the issue instead of outright dismissal with no research and no evidence. Lets explore how many businesses Atiku runs and their respective industries.

1. Adama Beverages (Water & Beverages)
2. Intels (Oil and Gas Logistics) This is a billion dollar industry
3. Atiku Farms and Feeds (5000 Hectares, Agriculture)
4. Radio and TV Gotel (Communications)
5. Abti Security (Security Services)
6. Abti Schools (Primary and Secondary Education)
7. American University of Nigeria (Tertiary Education)
8. Chicken Cottage (Fast Food)
9. Orlean Invest (Real Estate and Property)
10. Active in the transport and downstream sectors

Not to mention his numerous shareholding in many companies approximated at 200+ companies. So just use your God-given logic and analyze how many people are drawing a salary.

Why can't Buhari simply request his certificate or attestation from the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES)?

WAEC HQ in Accra in 2015 said they couldn't find a record of 'mohammed Buhari' that graduated from Katsina Provincial Secondary School. Then in 2018 WAEC Nigeria gives attestation to Buhari. The issue is why not get it from the source and settle this issue. Why hire lawyers to defend you from a suit brought against you for not meeting the 'certificate' requirement?

This Cambridge master sheet could be a forgery for all I care. Don't give us master sheet, give us Cambridge attestation.

StOla:



I have attached the pictures so that you can always learn to restrain yourself before you end up embarrassing yourself, because you love fake news and misinformation that is beneficial to your propaganda.

Maybe Cambridge who set the exam is unaware of its own records. And all the students who wrote the exam in 1961 as evident on the Cambridge Result Master sheet, are imaginary Nigerians who also want to be President like Buhari?

This attachment from 2015, still remains on this official Cambridge website link till today.

http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/news/statement-in-response-to-nigerian-presidential-election-enquiries/

The University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), now known as Cambridge Assessment, has declined to authenticate the West African School Certificate (WASC) result recently issued to President Muhammadu Buhari by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Nigeria.

The attestation of result, which was delivered to Buhari last Friday sparked a fresh controversy with some Nigerians alleging fraud and demanding further proof from Cambridge Assessment, the original body that was in charge of conducting school certificate examinations across West Africa in the 1960s. In a response to one of the requests to authenticate the controversial certificate yesterday, Cambridge said on its website: “We can only confirm or verify results at the direct request of or with the permission of a candidate.

“This is in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulations, Data Protection Act 2018 and section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.”

However, the organization confirmed that according to the Regulations for 1961, African Language papers, including those for Hausa were set for the West African School Certificate while examination results were classed in grades by 1 to 9. “1,2,3,4,5 & 6 indicate a Pass with Credit; 7 & 8 indicate a Pass; 9 indicates a Failure. To pass the School Certificate, candidates had to pass examinations in a variety of groups.

It was compulsory to pass English Language, but not Maths, in order to gain the Certificate,,” the examination body said. Cambridge disclosed that a total of 152 candidates sat for the WASC Hausa examination in 1961 and that Hausa language was one of the subjects set in the Northern Region that year. It however failed to confirm if there was any Muhammadu Buhari among the candidates.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Secondary School Certificate has been a subject of controversy since 2015 when it was found missing in the forms he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the purpose of the presidential election. At that time, Buhari had through a sworn affidavit claimed that all his credentials were with the Secretary of the Military Board. Several lawyers filed suits in different courts challenging his claims and seeking his disqualification.

Many of these cases were stalled following several long adjournments where other plaintiffs were forced to withdraw their suits due to intense pressure from forces sympathetic to Buhari.

BabaRamota1980:


He is actually hitting at your man Atiku.

If you doubt me ask Atiku to invite US Consulate to the convocation ceremony of his American University in Yola....lets see if they will honor it.

These pics are of the former and current US ambassadors, Ambassador Entwistle and Ambassador Symington at AUN events. You have dead maggots for a brain.

FisifunKododada:
God forbid. Artiku-wetin? This man will sell Nigeria to the lowest bidder in less than a year!

Do you have any proof of that? Or are you just using your poo-filled brain to predict. Even if Atiku will carry everything in CBN and put in his house, I will vote for Atiku.

Yareema22:
I have observed recently how some people(who are mostly from the SE) keep creating threads with half-baked analysis on how Buhari will lose the forth coming elections especially in the North.Some even went as far as saying Buhari will lose in states like Kano,Katsina and Bauchi(these are states he's never lost an election since 2003)without backing their silly arguments with any fact.Everybody is entitled to his opinion and or belief.However,when it comes to matters like this,it is expected that one will be objective and keep sentiments aside...how can someone sitting in his fathers compound in Enugu or Abakaliki and has never set his feet outside his immidiate sorroundings confidently claim that Buhari will lose an Election in a core Northern state? Some of the reasons for their baseless claims are:
1.That the election is going to be between Atiku and Buhari.That both candidates are Fulani,Muslims and both come from the North.
If theres any one who's conversant with the politics of the North will know that an average Northener considers Atiku as a corrupt individual who is only interested in the presidency to further enrich himself and not for the interest of his people...Atiku may be popular among the elites but to the "Talakawas"he's the personification of corruption and is never an option
2.That Atiku has achieved alot during his stint as the VP.
Well,i dont even know where to start from...in terms of infrastructure,Atiku has not done anything whatsoever especially in the NE geopolitical zone where he comes from...If you have ever plied the road linking Gombe to Adamawa you will will know what iam saying.Atiku was not the president.Agreed.But he was a VP for eight years wihout nothing to show for it.He should have used his position to attract federal projects/presence to his zone or atleast to his home state but neither witnessed any meaningful projects.
3.That Atiku has created 50,000 jobs.
This is a lie from the pit of hell...people will just wake up and concoct figures without telling you where they got their data or stats from...the total number of work force in all of Atikus privately owned businesses(AUN, Faro,radio/tv Gotel,Rico Gado,etc) is not up to that figure flying around on social media...and lest i forget,most of these businesses are run on government resources
4.That Atiku has a strong war-chest.
There's no denying that Atiku is rich but you can only use that to campaign in the SS/SE region...despite Atiku Dollerizing the APC's presidential primaries in 2015 he came a distant third,behind even Kwankwaso who came second...Atiku's dollers have never won him any election in the North,and 2019 is not going to be an exception.
To set the records clear,from 2003-2015,Buhari has always won in virtually all the core Northern states with the exception of Adamawa and Taraba(wich has always been a PDP State) with very wide margings and the reason why he failed to win the presidential elections in previous contests wasbecause he was not massively voted for in other regions and not because the North did not vote for him
On a final note,those shouting that Atiku will floor Buhari in the North(especially the NE and NW)should save their MB and energy and use it to campaign for Atiku in other regions because here in the North,the deal to keep Buhari in Aso rock untill 2023 is alredy agreed and wraped up and will be made official come Feb2019 when he will officially sign his contract extention that will keep him in Aso rock for another four years.

I suggest you take your own advice and campaign for Buhari since you worship failure. Furthermore, Atiku will easily win Adamawa, Taraba like you pointed out but can equally win Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara. He'll win virtually all North Central states with possibly the exception of Niger. The core north alone cannot produce a president. That has been tried and tested!

Meanwhile, may I suggest you take the Buhari challenge; name 3 projects conceptualized, initiated and completed by Buhari in 3 years. OYA...

Buterflyle0:
ATIKU, THE PROVIDER OF LABOUR AND SERVICES? A BRIEF CASE STUDY OF AMERICA UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIAN WHICH HE BUILT USING $14M STOLEN WEALTH. (As revealed by the United States)

Why are you always led by the nose ? Can’t you do your independent reasoning? Just imagine Atiku telling you that he is a provider of labour and services through his various investments and you are now jumping all over the place repeating same. Can’t you ask what labour he has provided and who are the beneficiaries of the services defender. Can’t you ask how the “services” he has provided over the years, improved the life of the down trodden? What a shame. Let me help you. Atiku owns America University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State. Adamawa is his home state.
Constituting the Board are:

BOARD MEMBERS.

**1. Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Non-Nigerian
**2. Dr. John Campbell. Non-Nigerian
**3. Dr. Bamanga Tukur. Nigerian
**4. Dr. Louis Goodman. Non-Nigerian
**5. Mr. Gabriele Volpi. Non-Nigerian
**6. Alhaji Tajudeen Dantata. Nigeria
**7. H.E. Prof. Gilbert Bukenya. Non-Nigerian
**8. Prof. William Bertrand. Non-Nigerian
**9. Vice Admiral D. J. Ezeoba. Nigerian
**10.Bishop Matthew Kukah. Nigerian
**11. Dr. Anna Mokgokong. Non-Nigerian
**12. Alhaji Adamu Abubakar. Nigerian
**13. Chief (Dr.) Mike Adenuga. Nigerian
**14. Dr. Peter Lewis. Non-Nigerian
**15. Mr. Jon Freeman. Non-Nigerian
**16. Mr. Ike Chioke. Nigerian
**17. Mr. Akin Kekere-Ekun Nigerian
**18. Dr. Dawn Dekle. Non-Nigerian

Can you believe that 56% of the Board membership are non-Nigerians. Why would Atiku think that Nigerians cannot totally run his University.

LIST OF PRESIDENTS
Since inception of the University, there have been four Presidents which are equivalent to our Vice
Chancellors. They are

**1. David Huwiler. Non-Nigerian
**2. Michael Smith. Non-Nigerian
**3. Margee Ensign. Non- Nigerian
**4. Dawn Dekle. Non-Nigerian.

Why does Atiku think that Nigerians are good enough to Head his school? Not even one? I can only think out a reason: It is part of human behavior to see in other people what you are. If you are a fraud, you think everyone else is a fraud. To Atiku, all Nigerians are all fraud like him who should never be allowed to Head his institution lest they financially crumble the place.

WHAT BENEFIT DO PARENTS OF ADAMAWA KIDS DERIVE FROM THE SCHOOL?

For a First Degree, The fee is :
Tuition 1,590,000
Boarding 650,000
Meals. 678,300
Technology 70,000
Sports. 50,000
Student Activities 60,000
Health 20,000
e-Books 90,000

TOTAL. 3,208,300 (Three million, Two hundred and eight thousand, three hundred naira only). In
addition to this, a student that decides to take an extra course in a semester beyond the 15 credit units for that semester, pays extra N53,000 per credit unit. Note also that the feeding here is for only 42 meals the college would provide. You provide the rest 1050 meals for yourself. In simple term, a student spends over N4m per annum just to be student of Atikus Iniversity.

Adamawa is not a particularly rich state. Most people are peasant farmers. A permanent secretary in Adamawa State is on annual salary of about N2m. Such a Permanent Secretary would need a two year salary to pay one year school fees of one of his four children in AUN. What could be giving Atiku the picture that his people can afford such a fee?

Again we can see Atiku projecting his life style on
others. As a custom officer, Atiku became a multi billionaire from stealing public fund. He expects
other public officers to do same. As regards the peasant farmers, Atiku definitely believes they are simply not worthy of attending his school.

The chances are high that there may not be up to 20 Adamawa Children in AUN and definitely not a
single child of the honest civil Servant or Peasant.

WHAT TYPE OF CHILDREN IS ATIKU BREEDING?

Think of the kid from Atiku’s University that had spent over N60,000 monthly on accommodation and had been fed 42 times at the rate 16,000 per meal. Now academically endowed, he desires to improve his fatherland by taking up an accountant in Adamawa State Ministry of Finance where his entire annual salary is less than N500,000 to cater for his accommodation, feeding, clothing, transportation and with a view to bring up his own child in colleges not worse than the one he attended. Tell me what he would do?

Sure there is only one way open to him. It is to behave like Atiku and go straight for the treasury.


Atiku from all indications is an Elitist and does not care about the downtrodden or the poor. Its on record that he went to the North and told them and I quote " GOD DOES NOT ANSWER THE PRAYER OF THE POOR".

When a man speaks in such a manner then the handwriting is on the wall that he would rather frolick with the rich and entertain them rather than ensuring that the same God uses him to answer the prayer of the Poor.

I am running a fact based campaign so for the emotional ones reading this who feel I am mudslinging, On the contrary, I am only FACTUALLY SLINGING MUD.

Good morning

Mynd44 can we have more inputs

I think if you had gone to Atiku's school, you won't come on NL and spew such simple minded, ignorant and uneducated commentry. You just embarrass yourself.

Mandela839:
is really a pity that PDP will still have to be in the opposition for another four years because NO one will vote a thief

So he's corrupt but your APC cleared him to run for president on its platform in 2014?
He's corrupt but your lifeless leader collected campaign money from him in 2015?
He's corrupt but your lifeless oga gladly received his money, support and used his jet to move around and campaign in?

APC and HYPOCRISY are natural twins

Buterflyle0:


Bunch of liars.

I will always bust you guys and your lies with facts.

SO if they searched his house because of suspicion and didn't find anything, that makes him a criminal? If I tell the FBI that the money the caught me with was to bribe a buffoon like you, does that automatically make you a criminal? If there is a crime, why not charge him?

If there is evidence of corruption against him in Nigeria, why not just have the EFCC investigate him?? if found wanting, arrest him. To sit and be making noise is just that...pointless noise. ACT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING CONCRETE.

Buterflyle0:


Its clear my tag of zombie wailer on you is APT

FAKE NEWS

Many people find Dubai nicer and more exciting than the US. For starters, Dubai has been designed as a tourist city-state. Dubai is among the top 10 global destinations for tourism with well over 10 million visitors a year. Dubai is also a booming business, travel and financial hub. Atiku has the right to prefer Dubai to anywhere else and do his business there. I will finish all you clowns on NL. I actually feel sorry for you.

Buterflyle0:


Did Atiku not run from USA to Dubai with his family? Why did he run and sell his house in USA?

Did the FBI not raid his house in USA?

Allied countries are not usa. They are still sovereign nations.

Just this year June 24 to 26, Atiku was invited to the United States to speak at an event.

The event was a trade and investment gathering in Washington D.C. and Atiku’s name fell under ‘confirmed plenary speakers’ alongside Nigeria’s minister for Trade and Industry Okechukwu Enelamah; Chairman of the Board of Directors, Banco Sol Angola, Mr Coutinho Nobre Miguel; Deputy Director General of Trade and Investment in South Africa Ms Lerato Mataboge; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu; former US Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell; former Finance Minister Kalu Idika Kalu; Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and a host of other major players in the private and public sectors across Africa.

Others attended except Atiku. Others confirmed receipt of the invitation and confirmation of their slots but Atiku denied Knowledge of this invitation and that was why he claimed he could not attend

Go figure

Clown, It was not Atiku's house, it was a house he bought for his wife when she was living and studying in American University in DC. Jennifer Atiku mind you has a PhD in Law from the American University in DC. She completed her PhD and left the US. She then sold her house because she felt she had finished what took her to the US in the first place. Get it right. Stop posting ignorant rubbish. You people can be immensely ignorant it boggles the mind.

To any Ignorant Enemy of Nigeria and promoter of failure, here are a few facts;

1. All charges in the US are public records, you can easily obtain information regarding a criminal charge
2. If Atiku has committed a crime in the US, then the Justice Department will charge him with money laundering or similar crime
3. If he has been charged, the US can request extradition so he can face the criminal justice system and answer any and all charges
4. Till date, Atiku has not been charged and no extradition has been requested
5. The justice department and the US embassy in Nigeria have confirmed there is no charge. IF there is no charge, there is no crime
6. Even the document in OP says many accounts were opened and there were suspicious remittances. If so, investigate and charge
7. The US justice department knows there is no evidence a crime has been committed, that is why they have not charged him
8. Take this propaganda and shove it in your poo hole.

The United States Department of Justice has denied having any record that indicates that Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has a pending lawsuit in the US.

In an email to our correspondent on Friday, a spokesperson for the US DOJ, Peter Carr said, “Thank you for reaching out to us. I have checked the public court records, and they do not show cases filed against a defendant named Atiku Abubakar.”

This was stated as a response to SUNDAY PUNCH’s request for information on whether Abubakar is wanted in the US in connection with any issue of money laundering.

The mail also asked the department to confirm whether Abubakar has been banned from entering the US and if there is any court case against him concerning the Halliburton scandal which resulted in the conviction of a US lawmaker, William Jefferson.

Asked if it is true that the ex-vice president (now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress) was banned from entering the US, the American official said the issue was confidential.

He said, “Visa issues are confidential under section 222(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If your question is specifically about entry – not about visas per se – I would refer you to the US Customs and Border Protection.”

source: https://punchng.com/dont-criminal-case-atiku-us/

Nigerian Islamist militant group, Boko Haram today returned 105 girls kidnapped from a high school compound in Dapchi a few weeks ago. Sources tell Saharareporters that the militant group came with the girls in 9 vehicles same way they took them away.

There was confusion in the area as members of the community scampered into the bush as the terror group appeared in the area, first dropping off one the girls in a nearby village and then driving into the center of Dapchi town to drop off the rest of the girls. Five of the girls are dead according to our source. It is not clear if the Nigerian government paid any ransom to get the girls released.


http://saharareporters.com/2018/03/21/boko-haram-returns-kidnapped-school-girls-dapchi-five-dead

kahal29:
I have been observing the recent moves by a former Vice President of Nigeria Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is also a veteran aspirant for the office of the President. Atiku Abubakar has suddenly shifted from his subtle campaign for President to what seem to be like an almost direct campaign for the number one seat in the country. In the Social media, some sycophantic groups and individual with inspiration from their stomach have been making noise by endorsing the Turaki Adamawa-perhaps, with expectation of gratification “when the time comes”.

While I am not against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to exercise his right to aspire for the office of the President in 2019 or any office in Nigeria, I have the responsibility as a young man, a patriot and a youth leader in my own right to enlighten Nigerians and eligible voters about Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy (just like I would to any other aspirant for the office).

I shall give some reasons why Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is unfit to occupy the office he is aspiring for;

1. Lack of Integrity:

During the period when he was the Vice President of the country, Atiku was appointed to chair the Petroleum Technology Development Fund by the President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. As Chairman of Petroleum Training Development Fund(PTDF), Atiku lodged over $30million and $164 in Trans International Bank and Equatorial Trust Bank respectively from the account of PTDF according to EFCC’s forensive indictment in 2006. In fact, ‘loans’ that yielded interest as high as 15% to the banks were collected from the said banks by Atiku and his proteges AFTER PTDF millions of dollars has been lodged with the illegal account. It was all business! When the deal was busted in 2006, Atiku simply said that he ‘kept the monies for safe-keeping’ and even claimed that he deserves commendation. He brought back the PTDF “capital” that he put in private account and benefited hugely from it.

Atiku Abubakar was indicted by EFCC, Senate, and a Presidential Committee. He is yet to clear his name. As usual, a court that he went to never discussed whether he was innocent or guilty, but simply said the FG Committee lacks power to investigate and indict Atiku Abubakar because they weren’t courts.

You may look these for reference.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6402241.stm
www.saharareporters.com/2006/09/24/objatiku-scandal-what-efcc-failed-disclose-thenewssaharareporters
www.saharareporters.com/2007/02/28/breaking-news-ptdf-scandal-senate-indicts-obj-atiku-impeachment-motion-looms

It is a shame that we are in a country where we forget easily. Otherwise, how could sane Nigerians be asking for Atiku’s Presidency when Nigerians in unison were asking for him to come out clean as for back as 2006.

Apart from the PTDF, Nigerians are yet to understand how Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from a humble background became an extraordinary billionaire despite the fact that most of his productive adult life was spent in the Nigeria Custom Service.

There is also an indictment on Atiku in the USA, I am yet to see him take up the challenge to take a trip to the United States as requested by exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo in 2014.

2. Tribal Supremacism:

One of the challenge of President Buhari’s administration is that he is more aligned with his brothers in the north than with the rest of the country, though Buhari has never hidden where is primary loyalty lies (his north). While many think Atiku is detribalised (we can only be patriotic and not detribalised anyway), the bare truth is that Atiku is a northern supremacist that believe that his northerners should always align with their own. Unlike Buhari, Atiku is pretentious about his- but his sin shall find him out.

In 2010, in their bid to stop Goodluck Jonathan from seeking the ticket of PDP in the 2011 Presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, Aliyu Gusau, Gen IBB and Bukola Saraki(now Senate President) all submitted themselves to Adamu Ciroma led Northern Political Leaders Forum to come up with a a consensus NORTHERN candidate to upstage Southern Goodluck Jonathan. Atiku was eventually chosen as the eventual “northern candidate” over Saraki, who wasn’t considered “northern enough” by the Ciroma led Forum. Atiku led a campaign in the north that he christened “Naka Sai Naka” meaning “Northerners go for your own”.

The record is there for all to see http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-12193681

3. Insincerity And Deception:

Atiku is a very wealthy man no doubt, but of late we have seen a picture of him drinking sachet water aka pure water. When did Atiku start drinking such? Who is he trying to deceive? We won’t forget the N40 sacthet Milo/tea gimmicks that the Buhari campaign employed to deceive gullible Nigerians into believing that he was a “poor man”. We won’t forget the “akara” frying stunt of Mrs Aisha Buhari during the electioneering period in 2015. We should realise that when politicians are desperate, they take to any act just to impress and deceiving the gullible into giving them their votes. #NeverAgain should we be falling for such. It amounts to deception in the part of the elite to continue to use such gimmicks.

Also, Atiku has been making case for federalism and stuffs, but in ALL his years in Aso Rock as VeePee, he never initiated nor suggested such. In fact, Atiku was a very powerful VeePee between 1999 and 2003, as he was in charge of home-front while Obasanjo was travelling the world, yet he never thought of any pro-Federalism/restructuring policy. It is true that he fought against the third term agenda of Obasanjo, but we all know that he did it so that he can be able to succeed the president in 2007- he didn’t do it for Nigeria.

4. What Does He Have To Offer That He Can’t Suggest To Incumbents?

Atiku is part of the political system in Nigeria. In 1993 he ran for President, but lost to MKO Abiola in the Social Democratic Party primary election. In 2007, he ran for Presidency under Action Congress, but lost to Umaru Yaradua of PDP, and coming behing ANPP’s General Buhari. In 2011 he ran for Presidency and lost to Jonathan in the contest for PDP ticket. In 2014, he ran again but lost to Muhammadu Buhari in the APC primary, coming behind second placed Rabiu Kwankwaso. Now he is eyeing 2019! What is Atiku looking for after serving as Vice President for eight years? What did he forget in the villa that he wants to go back to get?

Atiku is already 70, he will be 73 in 2019, he is not an outsider of the system (like the American Trump), what does he have to offer that he couldn’t offer as VeePee? What stops him from sharing his “developmental” ideas to the incumbents since 1999 (considering that he was always in the incumbent parties)? What stops Alhaji Atiku from grooming younger, smarter and intelligent politician for the plum job?

Like I said earlier in my first paragraph, I am not against the right of Atiku to seek office, but I am against the idea of him becoming President. Nigeria cannot afford to continue to rotate failures and grannies. We need generational shift in leadership, we need to retire the system elite and bring him visionaries in 2019.

Nigeria has to be great for our own good, and we must make it great!

https://omojuwa.com/2016/11/4-reasons-nigerians-cannot-afford-atiku-aso-rock-tonye-barcanista/

Are they still valid today?

1. Lack of integrity? unless he has been charged to court for a crime, shut up with your speculation
2. Tribal Supremacy? He is married to a Yoruba woman (first wife) and an Igbo woman (third and last wife)
3. Deception? As VP he oversaw privatization, he privatized the telecoms, that is the mark of a leader with a mind for business. This is what we need. He wants to restructure because the times call for it just like how the times called for liberalization then.
4. Suggestion? They don't listen to him and the current government is incompetent and directionless.

ATIKULATE 2019

Another bold face Lie. Let us examine his relationship with just ministers.
Minister of Education- Was his PA when he was PTF chairman
Minister of Water resources- Minister's father was once married to his elder sister
Minister of state Trade- is the daughter in-law of his nephew Mamman Daura
Minister of FCT- is the Son of Mamman Daura's close friend
Minister of Environment (former)- Amina was a founder of Afri projects consortium which executed all PTF projects and headed by Aisha Buhari's cousin, Salihijo Ahmed.
Head of Service- Was accountant at PTF
Minister of state Natl Planning- daughter of former perm sec Yahaya Hamza who was a buhari associate.
Minister of Justice- Was his lawyer when he was challenging his numerous electoral losses, Malami did not charge Buhari legal fees.
Minister of Aviation- his older brother, Abubakar Sirika was one of Buhari's closest friends, In fact, Buhari lived in their house for some time.
Minister of state, foreign affairs- Buhari's chief of staff, Abba Kyari lived in her father's house while a student at Cambridge. She's the daughter of politician Waziri Ibrahim.
His political associates before he became president include ministers of interior, sports, solid minerals, labor, transport, power/works/housing(including state minister), information.

So what is he talking about?

Almustapha was just appointed human rights ambassador by the international human rights commission.

omonnakoda:
Why do Fulani maintain Sarki Fulani of Lagos State distinct from Sarki Hausawa of Lagos state

That's simply symbolic...besides no one is saying there aren't fulani people, in the north east which is not a hausa enclave, there are fulani people in adamawa but also hausa speaking, same applies to bauchi and gombe and even Taraba! Politically and culturally, Hausas and Fulanis are one unit!! Most Fulanis speak hausa as a first language!
The problem is that southerners have very very limited understanding of the north. In terms of culture, geography and politics of the region. Your question is very indicative of the fact that you guys simply don't understand the north, northerners do a better job at understanding the south.

QuotaSystem:
Karka biye musu mutumina, son suke sukawo rashin hadin kai tsakaninmu @kaura5000

Hahahaha which is impossible no matter how hard they try....talk about exercise in futility! How can you divide the heads of people that have been intermarrying over several centuries to the point that their identities have fused together! There's hardly any pure this or the other left in the northwest! So good luck to all those that want to divide and conquer on nairaland!

kindly list the highest paying government parastatals and private companies in Nigeria. I know NLNG is one of the highest but what about others?

obasanjo said it.....GEJ wants to do a gbagbo. Oya do it.....jail is waiting for him and shepopotamus

Next in line....Patience Ebele Jonathan for 30 years.

Ivory Coast's former first lady, Simone Gbagbo, has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for her role in the violence that followed the 2010 elections. Gbagbo, 65, had been charged with undermining state security. Her husband, former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, is awaiting trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). More than 3,000 people died in the violence that followed the presidential poll after the ex-leader refused to accept defeat to Alassane Ouattara. She and her husband were arrested in 2011 after troops stormed a bunker where the pair had taken refuge in the main city, Abidjan. And it was in the same city where Gbagbo - once called the "Iron Lady" and known for her fiery speeches - faced trial. She was also accused of disturbing public order and organising armed gangs.

'Ashamed of Ivorian justice'
She denied witness accounts that accused her of personally distributing arms to the death squads that operated in Abidjan during the five-month conflict. The court unanimously sentenced her to 20 years, which is the sentence for undermining state security.
The prosecution had only asked for 10 years - but this had only been for the charge of disturbing public order. The BBC's Ali Bamba in Abidjan says the verdict was delivered in the early hours of Tuesday morning after eight hours of deliberation by the jury.The former first lady remained calm, as she had been throughout the trial, almost as if she knew what was coming, he says
Her daughter from a previous marriage, Marie Antoinette Singleton, told the BBC's Newsday programme that the sentence was unfair and a sign of "political justice".

"Why would you want to double it? It's not about justice; it's about getting rid of political adversaries."If we say that something wrong happened, it happened on both sides. Nobody looked into bringing all responsible parties to trial," she said. Simone Gbagbo's lawyer said they would appeal."I was expecting Simone to be acquitted," Rodrigue Dadje told the BBC French service."There is no proof of her involvement at a personal level… I am ashamed for the Ivorian justice system."

'Humiliations'
The former first lady was on trial with 82 other supporters of her husband - 15 of whom were acquitted.Two former military allies also received 20-year jail terms: Gen Bruno Dogbo Ble, once head of the Republic Guard, and the ex-navy chief Adm Vagba Faussignaux. The other accused got lesser sentences. Before her sentencing, Simone Gbagbo had said that she forgave the prosecution, despite the humiliation she had suffered during the trial. "I forgive because, if we don't forgive, this country will burn," she said. Both sides were accused of atrocities in the conflict that followed the 2010 poll. But our correspondent says despite a promise from President Alassane Ouattara that both sides would face justice, no-one in the president's camp has been charged. Laurent Gbagbo, is facing four charges at the ICC in The Hague, including murder, rape and persecution.The ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Simone Gbagbo too, but this was dismissed by the Ivorian government.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31809073

changes1:
Thunder wey go fire her still dey chop food for mami market.

see them killing themselves just to show GEJ is clueless... Na who go lose?

When obj said those chibok girls won't come back he had a reason to say so..

If they use terrorism to cripple the present administration just so they can climb the seat and chop oil money, what makes them think militants will allow that?... They should visit President Yar'adua's grave and ask him how far.

Big idio.t infact you're a sorry human being with no thinking faculty.

eddie1:


Tribalism and superiority complex in display. I don't really care who rules, but when I see how angry they are knowing a christian southerner is president, it only makes me want to vote for GEJ.

One like for my post, is a vote for GEJ

You idio.t you're nothing but a degraded and toxic human being that has a soak away for a brain! Continue peddling sentiments for a clearly incompetent leader while your country is destroyed you buffoon. In 1993 northerners voted for mko over tofa. Even in Kano where tofa is from, mko won. Now you'll say the southerner has to be Christian for northerners to despise. Big fool...Nigerians deserve the kind of leaders you get coz you're a cursed people

Many observers have negative perceptions about Islam in relation to intellectual discovery and the quest for knowledge albeit ignorantly. They believe Islam is all about rote learning where adherents of the faith sit and memorize texts of the holy book. After which, they proceed on a slaughtering frenzy. Firstly, there are 1.2 billion Muslims on Earth today. If the Islam was not a peaceful religion, I dare say the world would not exist today. 1.2 billion people can cause quite the ruckus. Historically speaking, the west has borrowed a great deal of 'intellectual property' from Arabs and Muslims in general. The numerical system, 1,2,3 is of Arab roots first developed by Persian and Arab mathematicians based in India. furthermore, in mathematics, algebra, in its most standard form was created by a Muslim scholar by the name Muhammad Ibn Musa AlKhawarizmi in Baghdad around 820 AD in his book 'Hisab "AL JABR wal Muqabala. Algebra is actually "AL JABR" from the title of his book which simply means 'the book on calculation by completion and balancing'. Similarly, algorithm is a corruption of the learned man's name "Alkhawarizmi" called as
"algoritmi" He was a well known scholar in the Abbasid caliphate of Baghdad among many other renowned scholars. In spanish and Portuguese, his name is the word for digit i.e. guarismo. Ibn Sin was known to have conducted the first successful colic surgery. And Ibn Nafis performed the first successful eye surgery. The contributions to scientific discovery by the various Islamic caliphates is profound and one need only conduct a little research to find out how extensive it is and how much of what we currently attribute to western ingenuity is actually rooted in the old tradition of Islamic scholarship. I can write about contributions to Medicine, Astronomy, Mathematics, Geography, Philosophy, History, Chemistry (Also derived from an arabic word 'al-kimiya') But I know very well nairalanders will be too lazy to read it.

SporaD8: You seem not to get the Op question.
Is Arabic Nigeria official Language?
Were we colonized by Arabs?
Do any indigenous tribe in Nigeria speak Arabic?
Do the Army get it's uniform, weapons, or training from Arabs?
Then what is the use or significance of an Arabic inscription on Nigeria Army(significant federal institution) Logo?

Arabic alphabets were used to write a Nigerian language...Hausa language long before Europeans came to Africa. The Arabic you see denotes Hausa language not Arabic. Even the Arabic on naira notes, an arab man will not make any sense of it because it is Hausa being spelled with Arabic alphabets. Like how we now spell Yoruba with English(Latin) alphabets. So the whole thing is tradition and cultural not religious! Some other languages that use Arabic alphabets to write include Farsi or Persian in Iran, Urdu in Pakistan, Pashto, Kurdish, Malay, Uighur and numerous others covering 30% of this earth in terms of area span. Besides, there is an arab ethnic group in Nigeria called the shuwa Arabs and there are a number of northerners that have arab blood or roots. This is one of many legacies of the Islamic penetration into west Africa. Another interesting legacy would be the Babban Riga or agbada....yes we got that from Arabs!

This is just a question.....please explain why African countries have never gone beyond quarter finals in World Cup history.