Bindow Thugs!!! Did anybody see them? Obvious the reporter is just making it look like the Governor has issues with Babachir Lawal. Information generated by Mischief makers to deceive unsuspecting Individuals..

So this man is serious with his Presidential Ambition. Well no right thinking individual will vote for David Mark, He knows this, and i feel he is out there to just soiled the chances of a particular aspirant from his Zone.. whatever the game he is playing, February 2019 Nigerians will decide who will be their President, which Political Party have a social scheme that has touch the common man.. Obviously we know its the APC..

I read comments on this thread, i just shake my head in dismay. This Trader moni is nom incentive for the coming Osun state election. Is just a coincidence that the Federal Government is lauching this initiative in Osun state close to the State election. Trader Moni was first launched in Lagos a month ago, and it will cut across all state of the Federation..

This shows that the PDP In Kwara is on the verge of explosion as a result of elements like Saraki who have come into the Party, with a mindset of always been incharge. 2019 will be very Difficult for Saraki to deliver to the PDP,

This is one of so many initiative, that the present Government has introduce to touch the common man in Nigeria, All Politics are local, and the people will definitely use their PVC this time around to support the present administration that has encourage Small business people like Garri sellers, okpa sellers, tomato and pepper with onions seller etc.

Having an assistant like Osinbajo is a blessing, the man works round the clock to make things happen, i could only but imagine the continuity of APC with him involved again. not some other party like Looters family.

This is what most haters of Buhari are failing to understand, Zuma has looter South African to Recession and leaving Rhamaphosa with a dead Economy, Same thing Goodluck Jonathan Did to Buhari Administration.. Thank God BUHARI and his team have been able to bring the nation out, to a recovery stage..

The Federal Government started this Trader Moni Programme, two months ago!! I do not understand why PDP is trying to make it look like the APC is bribing voters when essentially it is a programme that is part of the Social Investment programme that gives out loans to market women and men.. Lies and deceit will not win election for PDP, they should campaign with facts and not all this gibberish..

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has replied a presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, who criticised his stance on restructuring.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Osinbajo had spoken in the U.S. about restructuring not being Nigeria’s major problem.

“It is about managing resources properly and providing for the people properly, that is what it is all about,” the vice president said.

Mr Abubakar, also a former vice president, said Mr Osinbajo got it wrong.

“It is a surprise that the Vice President would take such a position and, in particular, fail to appreciate the connection between Nigeria’s defective structure and its underperformance,” he said.

The vice president has now replied Mr Abubakar.

Mr Osinbajo’s reply is contained in a letter to the editor he signed and sent to PREMIUM TIMES by his office.

Read the full letter below.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, PREMIUM TIMES

RE: OSINBAJO GOT IT WRONG ON RESTRUCTURING-ATIKU
Dear Editor,

Kindly permit me a response to a piece in your publication, titled “Osinbajo got it wrong on Restructuring,” written, we are told, by my illustrious predecessor in office, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

First, let me say that I really would have expected Alhaji Abubakar to at least get the full text of my comments before his public refutal of my views. But I understand; we are in that season where everything is seen as fair game! He quoted me as saying that “the problem with our country is not a matter of restructuring… and we must not allow ourselves to be drawn into the argument that our problems stem from some geographic re-structuring”.

Yes, I said so.

As the quote shows, I rejected the notion that geographical restructuring was a solution to our national problems. Geographical restructuring is either taking us back to regional governments or increasing the number of States that make up the Nigerian federation.

As we all may recall, the 2014 National Conference actually recommended the creation of 18 more States. And I argued that, with several States struggling or unable to pay salaries, any further tinkering with our geographical structure would not benefit us.

We should rather ask ourselves why the States are underperforming, revenue and development wise. I gave the example of the Western Region (comprising even more than what is now known as the South West Zone), where, without oil money, and using capitation tax and revenues from agriculture and mining, the government funded free education for over 800,000 pupils in 1955, built several roads, farm settlements, industrial estates, the first TV station in Africa, and the tallest building in Nigeria, while still giving up fifty percent of its earnings from mining and minerals for allocation to the Federal Government and other regions.

I then argued that what we required now was not geographical restructuring but good governance, honest management of public resources, deeper fiscal Federalism, and a clear vision for development.

On the issue of deeper fiscal Federalism or restructuring, I explained how the then Lagos State Government, led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, decided to fight for greater autonomy of States.

As Attorney-General at the time, it was my duty and privilege to lead the legal team against the then Federal government, in our arguments at the Supreme Court. I am sure that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would remember these cases on greater autonomy for States that I cite below, as he was Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the time.

At the Supreme Court, we won several landmark decisions on restructuring Nigeria through deeper fiscal federalism, some of which our late converts to the concept, now wish to score political points on.



It was our counter-claims alongside those of other littoral States, that first addressed so comprehensively the issue of resource control. We agreed with the oil producing States that they had a right to control their resources. We argued, though unsuccessfully, that the Ports of Lagos were also a resource, which should enable Lagos State, in the worst case, to be paid the derivation percentage for proceeds of its natural resources. Years later, we also filed an action at the Supreme Court arguing that the Value Added Tax, being a consumption tax, should exclusively belong to the States.
On the issue of who, between the Federal and State governments, should have authority to grant building permits and other development control permits, the Supreme Court, by a slim majority, ruled in our favour. It held that, even with respect to federal land, States had exclusive authority to grant building or other developments control permits.

In 2004, we created 37 new local governments in Lagos State. We believed that we had a Constitutional right to do so and that in any event, a State should have a right to create its own administrative units. Several other States joined us and created theirs.

The Federal government’s response was to seize the funds meant for our local governments, thus strangulating States like Lagos, which had created new local governments. We challenged this at the Supreme Court. The court held that the President had no right under the Constitution to withhold or seize funds meant for the States. The allocations were not a gift of the Federal Government to the States. They were the Constitutional right of the States and local governments.

The court also agreed that States had a Constitutional right to create local governments, pursuant to section 8 of the Constitution, but that the creation remained inchoate until the National Assembly, by resolution, amended the existing list of local governments to capture the newly created LGs.

In response, we created by State Law, Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), to accommodate the newly created Local Government Councils until such a time as the National Assembly would complete the process. But the Lagos State Government took up the challenge to re-engineer its revenue service, making it autonomous. With innovative management, tax collection in Lagos became more efficient, and tax revenues continued to grow geometrically. Today, the State earns more IGR than 30 States of Nigeria put together!

Further, we contested the attempts of the then Federal Government to create supervisory authority over the Finances of Local Governments by the signing into law of the Monitoring of Revenue Allocation to Local Governments Act, 2005. The Supreme Court also ruled in our favour, striking down many provisions of the law that sought to give the Federal government control over local government funding.

I have been an advocate, both in court and outside, of fiscal Federalism and stronger State Governments. I have argued in favour of State Police, for the simple reason that policing is a local function. You simply cannot effectively police Nigeria from Abuja. Only recently, in my speech at the Anniversary of the Lagos State House of Assembly, I made the point that stronger, more autonomous States would more efficiently eradicate poverty. So I do not believe that geographical restructuring is an answer to Nigeria’s socio economic circumstances. That would only result in greater administrative costs. But there can be no doubt that we need deeper fiscal Federalism and good governance.

Alhaji Atiku’s concept of restructuring is understandably vague, because he seeks to cover every aspect of human existence in that definition. He says it means a “cultural revolution”. Of course, he does not bother to unravel this concept. He says we need a structure that gives everyone an opportunity to work, a private sector driven economy. Yes, I agree. These are critical pillars of our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), including our Ease of Doing Business Programme.

If, however, this is what he describes as restructuring, then it is clear that he has mixed up all the issues of good governance and diversification of the economy with the argument on restructuring.

Good governance involves, inter alia, transparency and prudence in public finance. It involves social justice, investing in the poor, and jobs for young people; which explains our School Feeding Programme, providing a meal a day to over 9 million public school children in 25 States as of today. Our NPower is now employing 500,000 graduates; our TraderMoni that will be giving microcredit to 2 million petty traders; our Conditional Cash Transfers giving monthly grants to over 400,000 of the poorest in Nigeria. The plan is to cover a million households
Surprisingly, Alhaji Atiku leaves out the elephant in the room – corruption. And how grand corruption, fueled by a rentier economic structure that benefits those who can use political positions or access to either loot the treasury or get favorable concessions to enrich themselves. This was a main part of my presentations the Minnesota Town Hall meeting.
In arguing for good governance, I made the point that our greatest problem was corruption. I pointed out that grand corruption, namely the unbelievable looting of the treasury by simply making huge cash withdrawals in local and foreign currency, was the first travesty that President Buhari stopped.

I showed the OPEC figures from oil revenues since 1990. In four years from 2010 to 2014 the PDP government earned the highest oil revenues in Nigeria’s history, USD381.9billion. By contrast the Buhari Administration has earned USD121 billion from May 2015 to June 2018, less than 1/3 of what Jonathan Administration earned at the same period in that administration’s life. Despite earning so much less, we are still able to invest more in infrastructure than any government in Nigeria’s history. The difference is good governance, and fiscal prudence.

In the final analysis, restructuring in whatever shape or form, will not mean much if our political leaders see public resources as an extension of their bank accounts. This, I believe, is the real issue.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/282431-restructuring-osinbajo-replies-atiku-explains-stance.html

If this news is true, that means David Mark is just bluffing, There is no way we can vote a man that asserted that GSM is not for the Poor. David mark should focus on how to make Benue state soar in governance.

The odds are Against Saraki, when it is up to PDP delegate to give Saraki the nod and if they do, they have successfully Given Buhari a free ride to his second term..

The Buhari that people in the East Hate so much is the Buhari that have successfully start the East/west road, and 2nd Niger Bridge after years of failed promises from PDP..

Spreading Lies in the media. Mischief makers are used to spreading Lies all over, so as to make it look like The APC is fighting among themselves. Normally Tinubu is not a NEC member. and can not attend their meeting, he knows this and will not attend their meeting. if he wants to lobby, he has access to all this states Governors to always do it privately.

Demoralizing the Army with different degrading Information and comment, will not help us as a Nation, iread some individuals comment on this forum, and i feel they are not Nigerians, because if you wish for Boko haram to overrun the Military, certainly even you as an individual is not even safe..God bless Nigeria!!!

gurunlocker:
They've started again.... Is it not the same one sided corruption fight they've been fighting for the past 3 years?


I won't be surprised if the panel chairman is even corrupt himself...

One sided corruption fight, yet Orji Uzor Kalu visit court and his corruption case has not end. Joushua Dariye a serving Senator with the APC Was sentenced to 14 years in prison for corrupt practices, If the APC led Federal Government do not have political will to fight corruption nothing would have made that case see the light of the day..

Whoever thinks 2019, Will not be Difficult for PDP in Akwa Ibom, that person does not know that Nigeria Politics and Election is grounded on the Grassroots and this is where Politicians like Akpabio have an edge.

Truth be told, the way PDP will explode after the Primaries, i do not think it will be able to put its house together, before the General election, People like Markafi, Dankwanbo, Shakarau and Lamido are not really happy with the influx of Kwankwaso, Saraki and Atiku.. Because they where the ones that hold forth. when Ali Modu Sherrif was about destroying the Party. They feel that the Party structures have been hijacked from them.

Joke of the century!!!!

Real Nigeria Electorates do not even owned a twitter account. my greatest surprised is the way PDP have successfully sold the Propaganda that Buhari is a jihadist, with Islamic agenda, yet they are about to Bring out Kwakwanso. who is a Muslim with same tendency. Instead of Kwakwanso, Buhari should continue his tenure. and hand over to a southerner in 2023, than Kwakwanso, who will definitely wants to stay in Power for 8 years.

Some people will still think Buhari is the Problem of South East, with all this Infrastructural development ongoing in the region, No doubt Buhari Infrastructure development is all inclusive.

The headline is suppose to be, some aggrieved members of the APC Fails to hold Meeting. Not coining headlines to mislead people..

Another Fulani man, disguising as Yoruba to contest for the Presidency of Nigeria. this time a more selfish person, that only adored is interest ahead of anybody or group..It is better for Buhari to continue than Saraki ..

The most Honourable thing to do, as someone coming out for President to do, is to resign as Senate President , because no place in the world where minority party in the house is the Senate President..

Somebody should congratulate Saraki declaration and the truth of the matter is that Saraki will win the PDP Primaries, that is when he will know that Nigerians that vote. not social media influencers, real Nigerians especially the Bulk which are the semi-literate and illiterate do not even know Saraki..

Secondus is a good politician no doubt, but he keep mixing it up, If you want to criticize, it should be base on fact, not on some talks that is based on hate . Dont we know that in this country, bread winners of homes died as a result of diversion of funds made to procure arms..

North West -Buhari
North East-Buhari
North central-55 % Buhari
south West- Buhari
South South-35% Buhari
South East- 25% Buhari

Buhari will still win because of the large chunk of vote. coming out from the 3 Ks in North west..

That is why i find it difficult on why Tambuwal defected to the PDP, because Sokoto state is APC and APC will still win the State.Tambuwal made a Political miscalculation that may hurt him for a very long time.

Dogara is just scared to formally join the PDP, but he is a PDP member as he worked for PDP suring the last senatorial election in Bauchi..Dogara know his fate if he join the opposition, the PDP..

Good investment in Nigeria by the British authorities, one thing is certain on why Lagos state keep attracting investors, is that Lagos state is the only State that has never experience PDP tsunami of looting..

Critical times, calls for critical measures, the APC has to put its house together in preparation for the up coming Presidential primary election.

that is it, when the Government start beating drums that they could not dance to, they switched to other genres of song..God save Nigeria with such mentality, igbos are been marginalized yet 69 FG projects on road is ongoing, 2nd Niger bridge has started, the Onistha port is also on construction.. Haba lets tell ourselves some truth..

After ganging up to remove Goodluck Jonathan, they are now claiming that Buhari is not good enough, Selfish politicians decamping because of juicy appointment, Buhari go continue like that instead of this bunch of greedy politicians, Nigeria Problem is a system dysfunction and not any President..