"Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people." - Abraham Lincoln. "People despise the lust for power that originates from a craving for homage and for the attributes for power" - Konstantin Ushinsky. "As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy" - Abraham Lincoln. "Beware the naked man who offers you his shirt" - Harvey Mackay. "The best weapon of a dictatorship is secrecy; the best weapon of a democracy is openness" - Edward Teller. "Without a vision, a nation perishes" - The Bible, Proverbs 29:18.

Prima-facie qualifications for our next set of candidates in Nigeria should be:

(1) success in earlier identical, similar or other endeavors. For example, a qualified incumbent – that is, one not illegally seeking extension of term - should be able to defend his or her tenure fully and confidently. A vice-president or governor seeking higher office must be able to show with facts and figures what he did with the resources available to him in the lower office. A newcomer cannot be a failure as a businessman, a student, a civil servant and so forth, and then expect citizens to give him their support for high office.

(2) Existence of vision – the primary purpose for a candidate to seek an office is to "do something good" for those who elected him, not just power for power's sake, or because "it is the turn of my people." A people-centered government should lead to long-term, widespread improvement in the human condition of the people. The specification/implementation of means and strategies (legislation, policies, etc.) that will enable the mobilization and transformation of financial, material and human resources to provide services and products for the satisfaction of the physical and spiritual needs of citizens is paramount. A candidate must be able to share his unique vision for the new office.

(3) ability to verbally articulate the vision – this is in order to demonstrate originality and personal commitment to the vision outlined, and to assure the voters that the outlined vision is not simply a borrowed one.

(4) experience as a team player – this is in acknowledgement of the fact that these huge responsibilities of governance cannot be carried out alone, but must be in concert with others at various levels of executive, legislative and judicial capacity.

(5) ability to lead a team – an elected person automatically becomes a leader of some sort in society. Hence a candidate must have demonstrated ahead of time some leadership qualities commensurate with the position that he is seeking.

(6) transparency and openness – candidate must be prepared to anticipate and publicly answer all questions put to him or her about his finances and other assets, past political and personal life, and on all matters of conscience. He must be prepared to publicly DEBATE other candidates.

Wonders, they say; never ends. Admittance of President Obasanjo that his government has been unable to provide adequate infrastructures in the past seven years mimics extreme sincerity with which Bible writers penned their records - openly admitting own's faults. But one would at least be amazed that our self-praising president could openly "confess his sins". Barely three months after he sworn oath of office in 1999, he strongly displayed his determination to make NEPA works. Promise of tens of thousand of megawatts of electricity supply was made; the then MD of NEPA who reportedly has his every Friday's prayers in Saudi Arabia was sacked coupled with numerous restructuring exercises. Not long after this, Dollars and Naira in its Billions starts sinking into this "No Future Supply" (NFS) Parastatal.

Soon thereafter, it dawn on the obasanjo Governement, though in a miraculous dismay that Money which they say answered 98% of physical things, if not all things, gave no answer to NEPA problem. Rather, it raises questions as to weather there is a cabal who apply a sharing formular to this fund. However, another bid to resolve the electricity nightmare was reached - Let's change the name of this body to PHCN; may be NEPA is experiencing spiritual attacks; OBJ and his men may have reasoned. The result? Total Darkness and disconnection of some settlement from the National Grid.

Similarly, over 300 Billion was alleged to have been spent on Federal Roads in Nigeria by yesterday's Minister of Works. Yet, the Lagos - Abeokuta expressway leading to Ota Farms where OBJ himself lives and will still retired to is the worst. The irony of the Road Issue at present is that two Men who were supposed to be responsible for misappropriating Funds meant for Roads in the past Seven years are among the Chief - makers and Gubernatorial Gladiators comes 2007. Had it been that the 3RD Term Ventures succeds, we probably could not have known a humble and self - confessing President. OBJ, could you please apply the same sincerity that produce your "open confession" to brought to book, or in the interim get our voted Funds meant for Roads and Eletricity back from these two past Ministers of Works.

The current and growing speculations about who the successors to President Obasanjo should be come 2007 are absolutely detestable and disquieting. Many of the statements being made are not only premature, but palpably un-democratic. It is as if the Nigerian electorate does not matter. It is as if our votes do not count, rather that some mysterious elite "counts" vote in some smoke-filled chamber between certain selected candidates on our behalf, and that other Nigerians simply go through the motions of going to the polls in order to "seal" those selections.

More annoying are the arrogant claims that some people will not be "allowed" to succeed President Obasanjo, because he does not wish to make the same mistake as in 1979, when he handed over to Shagari, either because the president or his acolytes believe that those "disallowable undesirables" are corrupt, incompetent, or both. The critical question then is that if some one that "should not" succeed Obasanjo "miraculously" happens to do so – like what surprisingly happened in Palestine with the success of the Hamas Party - what will President Obasanjo or his acolytes do: cancel the elections like Babangida did with the Abiola election of June 12, 1993? Plan a military coup or interim national government – as Babangida did in 1993, bringing in Sonekan? Kill the successful candidate, as Abiola eventually was done in in 1998?

Or what? Are we ready for all that trouble again? Don't we ever learn from the repercussions of such careless talk or actions? Have we learnt anything from the third-term debacle? I believe that in the coming 2007 elections, the Nigerian people should make it clear once and for all: It is the PEOPLE of Nigeria who should – and will – determine the next President based FIRST on the assurance of free and fair elections, and SECONDLY from a slate of candidates, both worthy and possibly unworthy, from all nooks and crannies of the country.

So at this time, we should be talking about the CANDIDATES that Nigeria needs, not the President that Nigeria wants or needs, and certainly not those that the President want to succeed him. Even then, we should be fixated not just on the Presidency, but be concerned for ALL levels of elected office. In summary, the president and other elected officers that Nigeria wants in 2007 are the best that emerge from free and fair elections involving the entire slate of candidates

I read with dismay the admittance of OBJ to withdrawing the sum of $17.2m from the excess crude account with dismay and shocking embarrassment for the last population census exercise. Due process anyone? Wasn’t such request for such huge amount of funds supposed to go the Federal Legislatives in Nigeria? Did this revelation need an investigation before it came to daylight? I mean, this is democracy that we are talking about and someone blatantly ignores due protocol and withdraws such a large lump of legal tender as if it was from his private account? One thing quite prevalent in Nigeria from past to present is that schemes or exercises are put in place to facilitate money to be spent unwisely and people made millionaires in a twinkle of an eye.

To some, this poll of beings who actually are Nigerians matter more than the provision of very basic things that affect the common man and the entire populace in general. Misplaced priorities take precedence over the relevant and needy ones just to ensure that money is recklessly blown and a few cronies made happy. Now, no matter what OBJ says that he consulted with the State Governors and Local Government Chairmen over this withdrawal, the money belongs to all Nigerians and prudence coupled with honesty should be paramount before such monumental lavish expenditures are made. For the love of God, where is accountability and transparency in most of these questionable practices? I mean, it cannot always be like this. It just has to stop!

He further gives his reasons for this as fuelling, logistics and payment of 777,000 staff. If I may ask, where there no visibility studies before this all-important census? What emergency was so pertinent that not even the Lower or Upper Houses were informed of the need for extra funds? This event took place in March and nothing was said until now when it was being probed therefore, there is something fishy and dodgy about the manner of its financial extraction. Are we really sure that some of this funds was not used to fund the ill-fated third term ambition? Nigerians deserve a thorough investigation into this suspicious behaviour. Nigerians should demand a full inquest into why their money is being withdrawn under such circumstances and in secret. For a people who are starved of functional basic amenities, it is gross misconduct on the part of The Presidency. This is clear proof of the democracy tyranny exhibited in high places. I sincerely hope that we get to the bottom of this without delay.

Hi Bagoma,
Thanks for your reasoned response. I accept the submissions. Like you and I am sure, most people, all I want is a Nigeria that we can all be proud of. The Nigeria that nurtured us is not the Nigeria that we have today. Let's hope that by engaging in this sort of discourse, we can truly sensitise the already well informed global Nigerian populace. I must confess to an underlying mischievous aim to my initial article. That being the generation of responses which would plug gaps in my own knowledge while opening up a stimulating debate.

I am aware that there have been allegations of a lack of even handedness in the war on corruption and in particular the indictment (or not) of characters like Bode George and Chris Uba and am like you, quite disappointed that they have gone unaddressed. However, I am thankful that a number of cases have highlighted the willingness of this administration to deal with clear cases. I realise as a Criminal law practitioner that that there is not an awful lot that can be done with conjecture and supposition and the absence of clear and unequivocal evidence is a recipe for failed prosecutions. While it may be in the public interest to seek to bring alleged criminals to court, the fact that the evidence will not guarantee a conviction makes any such prosecution futile and ironically, contrary to that self- same public interest.

I have also heard of the introduction of a long overdue system based on due process that fails to deliver when the time comes to pay for fulfilled projects. Similarly, it saddens me to see the decaying state of our Universities, so severely starved of funds while politicians are ostensibly being paid a kings ransom to back the 3rd term agenda. I even heard that in spite of the monetisation scheme, politicians are still provided with luxury cars under a separate vote, once again as an inducement to support the the failed agenda. It may surprise you to hear that rather than see this as a purely despicable act, I try to hazard a guess as to why this man and his supporters so desperately want to hang on for a further four years. It cannot simply be to administer the coutry's largesse to politicians.

Perhaps there is some method to this madness, like trying to safeguard stability. The political structure as provided, means that the President's aims are pie in the sky without the backing of the legislature. We all have anecdotal evidence of states spending all of its term debating bills rather than passing any. A relatively economically fulfilled legislature is more likely to be a help than a hindrance to progress. Getting to that stage can be a painstaking and long process. I am conscious that a lot of other matters tie into this debate and make apologies now for any matters teased out in this piece without in depth analysis.

No one is saying that Obasanjo has not tried or made some achievement, but let's face it, all of his achievements have not translated into alleviating poverty in Nigeria, nor has it led to better infrastructure, nor to a better health system, nor to a better power system etc etc. If Obasanjo wants us to acclaim his achievements of paying off the Paris club, fighting a war on corruption (albeit a highly selective one), increasing the foreign reserve, why wont the President be man enough to allow us to deny him a third term or at least to criticise him for the many failures of his administration. How can he want to enjoy the praises of the good but not the responsibility for all the bad within the past 7 years?

I am sure that the writer of the article referred to above (Ladi Lapite) who is based in the U.K has relations back in Nigeria perhaps he may wish to contact them to find out whether their lives have been made any better by any of Obasanjo's "achievements" to merit his being made life President. More to the point, the glaring question which all pro third termers have failed to answer is that after the constitution is changed to accommodate the almighty-supreme-there is no one else like you-Obasanjo, what happens when he leaves office after an additional 4 years? The amended constitution will now allow the next person to serve 12 years (possibly) as well. And if that person turns out to be a thief or rouge like Abacha or IBB, they will have more than ample time to dismantle whatever Obasanjo and his supporters may feel that he has achieved.

I was very proud of the Senate on the day that they, despite the bribery and the coercion that Obasanjo's camp perpetrated, confined the self serving, inglorious, counter productive, ill informed, ill thought of, ill conceived, out dated third term agenda to the bins of history. To argue that in a population of 120 million, only one man loves the country enough and is honest enough to lead is the height of intellectual paucity and 419 logic gone absolutely crazy. If Obasanjo were thinking straight he would have been grooming a successor (The Soludos, The Okonjo Iwelas, the Nuhu Ribadus) to succeeed him rather the yeye man wants to be life President. Does he not know the history of Nigeria or has the opulent life of Aso Rock befuddled his thinking? Nigerians may allow buffoons, thieves, rogues etc as rulers, but what we are yet to allow (thank God) are sit tight life presidents, and Obasanjo failed woefully to achieve this and so he should.

Being a very vindictive and vengeful person, I have no doubt what so ever that Obasanjo will seek to exact revenge from all the patriotic Senators and House of Assembly members who voted against his third term agenda. Apart from the EFCC, there will be other instruments of intimidation and harassment that will be unleashed between now and the next general election. The 2007 election also will be heavily rigged in such a way as to punish any of those who served the cause of the nation in derailing the third term agenda should they present themselves for election or reelection, Thus there is still a great need to be alert and vigilant since in his war of retribution OBJ will not care for the conflagration that his actions may cause, on that mission also, he should fail.

Obasanjo, mark my words, will not go quietly, having fallen in esteem and grace, he may feel that he has nothing more to lose and Nigerians should not allow the wounded strongman of Aso Rock to turn the nation into an arena of war and attrition in the coming months. God bless Nigeria.

Just like many like me rejoiced at the failed approval by the senate, some don't and I don't think I will be far from the truth by saying that you belong to the latter group. To remind you of the honest definition of democracy, it is "Government of the people, by the people and for the people"! So, if OBJ had no interest whatsoever in the extending his tenure, why were anti-third term campaigners brutalised and hounded? Why didn't OBJ not come out publicly to dissociate himself from the those who were masquerading his name? Why tamper with the constitution with the intention of an elongation when immunity laws protecting corrupt officers in Government remain untouched?

EFCC has been a welcome development in the indices of transparency and accountability but what is not welcome is the selective persecution of a few real and imaginary enemies while those close to Aso Rock remain untouchable. A typical example is the case of Chief Lamidi Adedibu aka the strongman of Ibadan politics and Olabode George inspite of glaring implications and open admissions. Are they above EFCC? Then you mention the Niger Delta crisis but you forget that some years ago, the OBJ regime virtually used a sledge hammer in dealing with the uprising in those areas. I am not absolving their corrupt Governors and leaders from any blame but the Federal Government also bears the brunt.

What would you prefer. Providing something as basic as electricity by building enough power stations and maximising idle gas turbines or paying back a large chunk of our debts? I know what my obvious choice would be. I am not saying that there are no merits of the OBJ reign but they are also a lot of demerits that should not be ignored. To say that none of the impending presidential contestants are no better is to say that change in itself should not exist. In your words of being careful what Nigerians wish for, may I also advice you to be careful what you propagate in the name of democracy. Nigerians deserve to see the genuine fruits of democracy and therefore the disrupting of AIT live anti-third term documentary is the height of undemocratic principles.

The best advert for a product is the product itself. Nigeria is still very far from parading itself with pride in the international eyes as just Abacha's money is being returned gradually, more is being looted abroad. It is plain silly to expect the British Government to harass the looters when the Federal Government should rise to its responsibility. Oyo State is in Nigeria and charity should begin at home,

bagoma, please forward your comments so we can discuss the issue further.

I join all well-meaning Nigerians in rejoicing at the death of the PDP's irresponsible 3rd term plot. This day, I feel very proud to be a Nigerian as our democracy seems to finally be yielding dividend. Personally, I have never held the Nigerian senate in high esteem and I still do not. However, those senators who took a stand for democracy despite pressure from obvious quarters are worthy of commendation. One of the first to speak out openly against the 3rd term plot was Udoma Udo Udoma, a senator from Akwa Ibom State. I found his comments to be a breath of fresh air amidst all the nonsense that was going on. He stated firmly; "I am opposed to 3rd term. This is no news. But I like to say that the sit-tight attitude of African leaders is responsible for the crisis in the continent. Nigerians are saying no to crises". I couldn't agree more with the honourable gentleman.

Looking over President Obasanjo's tenure, some will argue that there are certain things for which he deserves a bit of credit, and I agree. However, in my opinion his democratic credentials have been tarnished by this 3rd term plot. For the most part he tried to appear detached even though Nigerians knew from the ferocity of the plot that it could only have emanated from the very top. The weight of aggression brought against 3rd term opponents was proof of this. Freedom Radio, a Kano based radio station was fined N200,000 by the NBC (National Broadcasting Commission) and banned from the air for 5 hours for airing an anti 3rd term song. AIT (Africa Independent Television) recently had its license withdrawn and was given quit notice from Abuja for airing debates in the senate live on television. In a manner reminiscent of military times, anti 3rd term protesters were brutalised by the police and other security operatives. There was proof that the powers that be were willing to do whatever they needed to do to impose their selfish agenda on Nigerians.

On occasions when the President chose to speak on the 3rd term subject, his comments betrayed his endorsement of the plot. Sometime earlier in the year he was reported to have admitted that he would like to have more time to complete his 'reforms'. Also, while visiting the United States of America in April, just after the Ibrahim Mantu led senate committee had hurriedly and mischievously recommended tenure elongation, this is what he had to say "If the National Assembly want to do their job, nobody should prevent them or tell them not to do it".

I recently received a humorous email to this effect: That in 1976 as Head of State, President Obasanjo visited primary and secondary schools and told the children that they were the leaders of tomorrow and that 30 years later 'tomorrow' has still not come and appears not to be in sight for these 'children'. Although this email was quite funny, It got me thinking. The simple truth is that many of those who were in primary and secondary schools in 1976 are now full grown men, mostly in their forties and early fifties. Were President Obasanjo to have been granted 4 more years, many of those 'children' would have been pushing on 60 by 2011. Thankfully this will not happen. Despite the latest assurance of this not happening, I cannot help but grieve for a deprived generation of potentially brilliant leaders who have been denied the opportunities they may have had to lead their country.

Well, it is time to face the future. Unless the likes of Ahmadu Ali and Ibrahim Mantu decide to ferment more mischief, we are destined to have a new face in Aso Rock in 2007. My earnest plea is that all Nigerians would unite and shun ethnic sentiments and see it as a patriotic duty to choose a responsible, honest, intelligent and progressive leader. One that would address the damage caused by decades of military misrule and take the country to greater heights. Does such a person exist? Certainly, In a country with over 130,000,000 people, it beggars belief that there would not be a few worthy leaders. The question at hand is this: Would the existing political parties be willing to put such candidates forward? We shall just have to wait and see.

Pls tread all the way U will enjoy it

A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed
home.

He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:

"Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely
stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please
allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen.

God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish.

The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman
He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids, set out their
school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, drove them to
school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners
and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping, then drove
home to put away the groceries, paid the bills and balanced the checkbook.
He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog. Then it was already 1
P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and
sweep and mop the kitchen floor.
Ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on
the way home. Set out milk and cookies and got the kids organized to do
their homework, then set up the ironing board and watched TV while he did
the ironing.
At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad, breaded
the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper.

After supper, he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry,
bathed the kids, and put them to bed.

At 9 P.M. he was exhausted and, though his daily chores weren't finished, he
went to bed where he was expected to make love, which he managed to get
through without complaint.
The next morning, he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said: Lord,
I don't know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife's being
able to stay home all day. Please, oh please, let us trade back."

The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied: "My son, I feel you have learned
your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were.
You'll just have to wait nine months, though. You got pregnant last night."

Have a great day

Is anybody online?