this report lacks substance. it looks like something written by the police to praise themselves for doing nothing. where are the 18 suspects they claim to have arrested? have they been taken to court? or is it only in the imagination of the writer. the day the police does away with their inferiority complex and face their job, that's the day they will get respect from Nigerians. kudos ko, kudos ni

The controversial former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and current chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Malam Nasir Elrufai has made a public volte face and dumped CBN govgernor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, by describing the 5000 Naira note as having no positive impact on the economy. he said this on a tweet on his twitter profile.



..yesterday

It would be recalled that only last week, the same Elrufai had said on the same twitter profile that he supported the idea of a 5000 Naira Note (see tweets below).



...last week

 


Elrufai is notorious for changing his position on things to suit his political and personal interests. For instance in October of 2010 he publicly insulted Muhammadu Buhari and warned Nigerians not to vote for him because he was too old, tribalistic and had no idea how to manage an economy. he finally described Buhari as "perpetually unelectable" (see his statement).


Mohammadu Buhari’s record as a military head of state will perpetually render him unelectable because Nigerians will never desire a repeat of such administration, said Nasir El-Rufai, former FCT Minister.

Reacting to statements made by the Mohammadu Buhari’s party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), regarding the advice he gave the retired army general to retire from politics, Mr. El-Rufai, in a statement on Monday, said age is certainly a factor in the coming presidential election since Ibrahim Babangida has already defamed young Nigerians as unfit for national leadership.

“While it is true that neither youth nor age supplies wisdom on their own, it makes sense to ask those who have been recurring decimals in our country’s sorry history to leave the stage. I’m amazed that General Buhari cannot debate this matter without scurrying to the gutter, making claims that are baseless and unsupported by any facts,” said Mr. El-Rufai, describing Mr. Buhari’s leadership style as parochial and insensitive to Nigeria’s diverse background.

He asked whether “the failure [of Mr. Buhari and Mr. Babangida] to do their best for Nigeria when they had the chance qualifies them for a return to office. Our people surely deserve better.”

He was obviously irked by the claims made by CPC regarding his administration as a federal minister, describing them as fictitious and prejudicial.

“Despite the difficult decisions that had to be taken to restore Abuja, Mallam El-Rufai continues to receive deserved praise and recognition for his achievements in restoring the Abuja master plan, introducing Nigeria’s first computerised land registry, and helping thousands of Nigerians achieve their dreams of home ownership in the federal capital,” the statement said.

A reminder

“In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father, to enter Nigeria unchecked, at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new. Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal, and not regular courts of law.

“Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity, even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole. That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance.

These are facts of recent history,” the statement said.

A new mindset

Mr. El-Rufai said it will take more than slander to become electable in 2011 because Nigerians will rather cherish an intellectual discourse about their daily problems.

While saying he still respects both Buhari and Babangida as elder statesmen, he emphasised his belief that their age, experience, and guidance are best used to contribute to the success of any future government.

Mr. Buhari, according to him, is not the kind of leader that can move the country forward because “now is the time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude.

“The vicious response by the Buhari camp to a simple statement that their almost-70 principal should retire, is proof enough that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve. And that is sad, for his fledgling party and its leadership,” the statement said."


However, by December of the same year, after he had lost out in the PDP, he swallowed his vomit and supported Buhari, asking Nigerians to vote for the same man who he said was "unelectable"

Muslim group begs Datti Ahmed to stop Boko Haram  
Published on August 24, 2012 by   ·   13 Comments
An open letter of appeal by “Muslims Against terror” to Dr. Datti Ahmed, the only man in Nigeria the Boko Haram people said they respect
Dr Datti Please Call Off The Boko Haram Dogs

23/08/2012
Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmad
Salam Alaikum,
Dr. Ibrahim Ahmad Datti
Dear brother in Islam and president of the Supreme Council of Shariah in Nigeria. We the Muslims against terror brotherhood wish to officially and formally beg you for the sake of Allah(S), the love or our noble Prophet(P) and the perfection of our Deen -ul-Islam to “call off the Boko Haram beasts”.
Enough has been enough. Boko Haram has done nothing to further your objectives and your Shariah plan for Nigeria. Indeed Boko Haram and their devilish tactics has only painted our noble Deen in poor light.
You founded the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria with the noble aim of implementing Shariah law. This has been implemented to great degree in the Northern states. This was done without shedding of blood and taking of innocent lives, all praise due to Allah. The North has been reported in global editorials as “the best states for doing business in Nigeria”, due to the peace and tranquility that existed and the safety of life and positive business atmosphere in the North, up until this Boko Haram menace came up and started their killings, frustrating Christians and Muslims and making the entire Northern environment into hell fire.
Do you like this? Do you support this? Dear Doctor, many have implored you since 2002 to call off your promotion of Muslim war against Christians. Many of your close friends have begged you in public and private to call off the hostility and war. Bala Muhammad wrote a letter to you begging you to call this off, to intervene.
A LETTER TO DR. IBRAHIM DATTI AHMAD
Written by BALA MUHAMMAD Saturday, 05 May 2012 05:00
You have spoken. And Nigeria has heard you. Indeed, you have every right to be angry and frustrated. Your single-minded initiative to intervene in this ongoing national calamity was unprecedented. …..
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Recall that, more than a quarter of a century ago, when regrettable misunderstandings occurred at the Islamic group you were a leading figure of, you were fearless and courageous enough to pull out, with hundreds of followers in tow, to form the Asusun Taimakon Musulunci, ATM, (or Muslim Aid Fund),…
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When some years back you addressed the media about a certain matter Islamic, we all recall what a former Nigerian president said about you. If we remember correctly, he was reported to have asked, “Is it the same Dr. ID Ahmad that I know? That brilliant University of Ibadan-trained medical doctor, one of the North’s first? The Dr. Ahmad who I know to be a core nationalist and patriot? What got into him to become such a religious fanatic?” Yes, they could call you any name, but we know, more than all the pretenders today claiming to lead our religion and culture, you cannot be sponsored, you cannot be bribed and you cannot be compromised.
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In the early 1990s, you were a Presidential Aspirant during the interminable IBB Transition. We were there with you. Because we believed you were different from the other politicians.
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It looks as if there is only one key to unlock this matter. And, it seems, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmad, that key is with you. For Allah’s sakes, use that key to keep that door open. Seize the moment. Use the opportunity. Intervene again. It is not for them. It is for Allah. Then for Nigeria. For us.
May Allah help you to help this nation, amin. Haza Wassalam.
read full letter- http://weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9207:a-letter-to-dr-ibrahim-datti-ahmad&catid=44:saturday-column&Itemid=113
Indeed many points come up from Bala’s letter to you. That you used to be known for noble character. But now you are seen as an extremist.
Also that you love to lead, a Statesman. You contested under Babangida in 1992 under the defunct SDP(Social Democratic party) for president of Nigeria. Is it the same you? Do you like to just lead anything possible? Is this why you broke away to form your own group, and also formed the Council of Shariah, just to be a leader? Walahi in Islam, we must only lead or accept leadership knowing the responsibility on our shoulders. Being a leader was something the great Sahaba ran away from, because on Judgment day, you will have so much to account for. Pride is Allah’s garment, only Allah(S) must wear pride. If you have pride, please take this garment of Allah off immediately, brother.
Are you interested in ruling over a North Nigeria if there is a division as you promote and envisage? Walahi none will let you lead a “North Nigeria”. And that is even if you survive the war that your silence and your many outbursts is building up.
Dr Datti, we read this in the news:
The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) has blamed the Kano riots on the Federal Government’s “hasty” support for the United States of America’s anti-terrorism effort.
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Its president, Dr. Datti Ahmed, told journalists in Kaduna that … the Federal Government was insensitive to the feelings of the various adherents of different faiths, especially Muslims, in announcing its support for the US attempt to apprehend the chief suspect of the recent terrorist attack on America, Osama bin Laden.
—
(Vanguard: Kano: Obasanjo goes tough, Sharia council blames FG, October 17, 2001)
Here- http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/sarticles/sharia_in_the_house_of_oduduwa.htm
Do you really support Osama Bin Ladin? If these statements are made by you, then we Muslims really would not like you again representing our interests, because Osama as we know him was a puppet used by foreign bodies and agencies to further western interests in the world and he only helped to destroy Islam and enable occupations of so many Muslim Nations.
We read this about you online-
Even one Dr. Datti Ahmed of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, has on behalf of his organization threatened to unleash war if the president failed to convoke the conference.
http://nigeriaworld.com/columnist/ihenacho/060104.html
and this-
The Presidency and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) have in separate statements condemned the threat of war by a group of Muslim organisations led by Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmed. The group had on Tuesday after a meeting in Kaduna condemned the killing of Muslims in Yelwa, Plateau State and said if the Federal Government failed to convoke a Sovereign National Confe-rence, it will resort to war.
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They vowed that the only thing that will avert the anarchy is for the Federal Government to convene a Sovereign National Conference immediately to enable the various nationalities decide on the fate of the nation. Ahmed told newsmen: “Call a sovereign national conference if you want to save the country, call a sovereign national conference, let’s sit round a table and let’s discuss whether we will continue living together or to separate, everybody goes his way. “If an overwhelming number of Nigerians want us to separate, we separate. But how do we want to separate? We can sit down around table or we fight a war. We will not submit to injustice, that’s why we are told to do Jihad. Jihad doesn’t mean attacking people without cause. It means don’t submit to an unjust person; fight him. If you die you go to paradise, if he dies he goes to hell. So what do you lose?”
http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/HeatInNigeria4.html
Yusuf Danbaba Yariyok wrote of you-
I am particularly appalled by the fact that Nigeria has become a country where individuals wishing to settle their political squabbles borne out of greed say and do what they want without consequences. It was not too long ago that Datti Ahmed, used the Supreme Council for Shari`a in Nigeria and the Council of Ulama to unleash bloodbath on Nigerians. The year was 2002 and the occasion was Ngozi’s article on Muslim’s response to the Miss World Pageant in Abuja. Datti Ahmed called on the Muslim Ummah to rise to defend their religion by killing innocent Christians and other “pagans” for defaming the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The gullible peasants who are often used heeded the call and before one knew it Kaduna was already inflames. The government did nothing neither did Datti face any consequences.
—–
In Nigeria, being a religious leader shields you (although not always the case as seen in the arrest of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) leadership in Kwara state in 2004) from the law. Blood sucking demigods like of Datti Ahmed and Sani Yerima will never sleep unless they see blood flooding the streets of Nigeria. Other wise, how could one explain the recent outburst of the so-called Muslim leaders meeting in Kaduna and the SCSN recent statements declaring jihad on Nigeria? For one thing we know these self-seekers do not represent the will of the northern Muslims whom they claim to be speaking for. How could a responsible religious leader threaten bloodshed if the Federal Government failed to coarse the Military High Command into ignoring all military rules and protocols to appoint junior officers to take command over their seniors simply because they were Muslims?
http://www.gamji.com/article4000/NEWS4476.htm
This type of ideology creates the environment of distrust and sectarian strife and murders in Nigeria. Do you stand for this? We have read several times where it was reported that you suggested and promoted that Muslims arm themselves and attack Christians in Nigeria. We do not believe you said this, if you do, we are sure the government would have arrested you as they did the founders of OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, who they locked up and this ended most of OPC’s violence.
Indeed they say that both of you went to University of Ibadan and studied Medicine at about the same time, that perhaps you all decided on this ethnic militancy secessionist agenda with dream of ruling your bloodily liberated confederate, together. Allah knows best. We know “Boko Haram” with its Hausa name is a Hausa ethnic apparatus and not foundationally Islamic, though both elements are being mixed for greater success.
We the MuslimsAgainstTerror.com brotherhood have gained such knowledge about Boko Haram that we are very ashamed of their plans, support and methods.
Dear brother Datti, we believe that if indeed you did the unthinkable and promoted the un-Islamic killing of innocent people due to a beauty pageant or due to Osama, in addition to invoking the wrath of Allah(S), you would have been arrested, so we choose not to believe. Perhaps the media paints you in bad light.
Dr. Datti, we know you are one of the most brilliant minds in Nigeria. Not just as a medical doctor, but highly intelligent in all forms and fora. Not the type of person anyone will like to have as an enemy or the brain behind any oppositional force.
Is this “Jihad”, what of the greater Jihad? Do the people you encourage to pick up weapons and kill, do they know the rules of war in Islam?
Is a Muslim enjoined to kill any Christian because some people somewhere cursed the noble memory of Prophet Mohammed(P)? Walahi this is haram! And you know this. When our noble Prophet(P) died, he told everyone, I am just a person, I die.
In another narration, when some people cursed at the Prophet, and no one defended him, later they made bad statements about Allah(S), and his companion stood up to counter their statements, the noble Rasul stood up and left the area. When his companions asked him why? He responded that, before when they were silent, the angels were praising them for their resilience and tolerance. But when they retaliated, the angles left, and he, Muhammad(P) does not sit where there are no angels.
Do you as chairman of the Shariah council that you set up, promote this Islam of our nabi?
Do you believe that Churches and Christians are fair target?
Your children went to Catholic school, what if they were bombed in the school? Will this be pleasing to you? There were many Islamic schools they could have gone to in Kano, but rather you allowed them go to one of the best schools, even though it was Catholic. Do you hold different standards for your family than you wish on all other Nigerians?
Now your sons are learning and practicing medicine in the United Kingdom. A western and Christian country by all standards. will you wish on them there the persecution that Christians face under your watch in North Nigeria? Why then will you not stand up and condemn Boko Haram who have taken things out of the agenda that your friend, late Muhammad Yusuf planned. Can you not help us stop this monster that has grown out of the proportion that you and Muhammad Yusuf envisaged back when you promoted this type of behavior? Now even Boko Haram are threatening you yourself. Link- http://newsrescue.com/boko-haram-divided-desparate/#axzz24L5cjoJ2
Abubakar Shekau
Did you not say this on BBC-
A spokesman for the independent committee that called for the introduction of Islamic law, Dr Datti Ahmed, accused anti-Islamic elements of spreading propaganda designed to frighten non-Muslims into leaving Kano.
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He said the Sharia and national legal systems would operate side by side.
—
Nigerian Muslim leaders have said all along that the Islamic law would not affect the lives of the Christian minority.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/798630.stm
So why should it now be impossible for Muslims and Christians to live in peace in the North? More Muslims have even been killed by Haram Boko and by uprisings of angry mobs of Christians, Dr Datti, what do you think of this loss of life?
You purportedly said this is 2000. What has changed since? Can we not live and let live as true God-fearing Muslims?
Dr. Datti Ahmed said the country was operating a democracy which allowed freedom of movement and choice of religion. So if any individual feels too uncomfortable with any set up established by the majority in any state, he has the right to choose another state. http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/34a/065.html
Dear Dr Ibrahim Ahmed Datti, we are very worried by the trend of events.
You were negotiating a truce in March, but you walked out of it. Apparently you have direct phone line with these haram Boko terrorists. But you left the talks as you put it because of conditions which you set, not even Boko.
And you frustrated efforts at bringing peace and saving lives of Muslims and Christians. You complained that the talks were made public. Do you think the noble prophet in whose memory we behave as Muslims, will walk away from talks that can save life because his role is made public? What are you hiding? You do not want the world to know that you made peace? Or is it that you do not want the world to know that you had a role in the genesis of Haram Boko menace?
Also contrary to Sheikh Bauchi’s assertion that he learnt from the purported Boko Haram members that there was no any dialogue between them and government through Dr Datti Ahmed and that they even didn’t know Dr Datti Ahmed for that matter, the real Boko Haram leadership has confirmed that there had of course been a dialogue with the federal government through Dr Datti Ahmed.
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It is pertinent to recall that Dr Ibrahim Datti Ahmed, President of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) had on behalf of the Council approached the President with an initiative to work through a confidential process in order to create an avenue for dialogue between Boko Haram and government, with a view to achieving peace. Mr. President welcomed the idea and advised his Principal Private Secretary; Ambassador Hassan Tukur to coordinate with Dr Datti Ahmed accordingly.
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However, after the process began confidentially as it had been intended, and a contact with Boko Haram was actually established, Dr Datti Ahmed suddenly withdrew from the process citing sabotage by Ambassador Hassan Tukur, who according to Dr Datti Ahmed divulged the details of the process to the media, contrary to what had been agreed upon.
—
Though Ambassador Tukur denied the allegation and even went ahead in an attempt to downplay Dr. Datti Ahmed’s initiative by claiming that nobody appointed him in the first place and that he had instead brought himself in, it was clear that the confidentiality of the process was actually undermined by an insider anyway.
—
However, in as much as I consider the act of leaking the news to the media quite unethical and unprofessional, I nonetheless can’t understand how it justified Dr Datti Ahmed’s withdrawal from the process, especially considering the fact that, it was not Boko Haram that decided to withdraw from the process for that reason. As a matter of fact, it was not Boko Haram that put that condition in the first place. Moreover, it is obvious that, no matter what, the goal pursued through such process is worth any effort,
http://allafrica.com/stories/201206150851.html
Boko Haram did not even walk away from those talks. Boko Haram did not put the condition of silence according to reports, you did. Dear brother what are we hiding? Why privacy, why are you hiding? Do you consider the over 200 Muslims who died in Kaduna due to Boko evil activities provoking unjust Christian mob attacks, even if you do not care for innocent Christian life? Or are you afraid?We must fear none save Allah!(S)
Quran 2:40 ….and fear none but Me. Quran 33:39 …and do not fear anyone except Allah; and Allah is Sufficient to take account.
Insha Allah all that is hidden will be revealed.
Now we implore you. You have friends, you have family, you were friends with Obasanjo, you were a member of his leadership forum. You have engaged with Christians I am sure you will not want dead. Please we Nigerians, we Muslims, we Humans beg you. Call off Boko Haram. Condemn them. Expose them.
When your name is dragged in the mud, no one will talk for you. If you do not help Nigeria deal with, condemn and end this madness, even your children, who we have observed are always silent when you are mentioned, they will now even turn their back on you.
The world knows you today with mixed opinions for your polio vaccine debacle and hindering the global goals. Allah(S) knows best, but it is very important how you will be known and remembered tomorrow, Wallahi, our end may be sooner than we envisage, we could even die or be killed tomorrow, and how you will be accepted in AlQiyamah and your family name will resound matters a lot on what you do next.
May Allah(S) have mercy on you and lead you along the right path. Islam is a Deen of knowledge and peace.
اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّين
—
Ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm
Ṣirāṭ al-laḏīna an’amta ‘alayhim ġayril maġḍūbi ‘alayhim walāḍ ḍāllīn
—
Guide us to the Right Path.
The path of those upon whom Thou has bestowed favors, Not of those who Thou has cursed once nor of those who have gone astray.
Wassalam!
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Subsidy: Indicted oil marketers begin repayment, says Obi
on AUGUST 24, 2012 · in NEWS
2:13 am
 0
By Ben Agande
Abuja— Some oil marketers, who were indicted for illegally collecting over N400 billion subsidy fund for fuel they did not import, have started refunding the money.

This is just as governors of the 36 states of the federation backed the Federal Government in its efforts to recover the subsidy claims from the marketers.

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, who disclosed the governors’ position at the end of the National Economic Council meeting, said the governors were excited that the Federal Government’s effort had started to yield result as some marketers had started to make refunds.

According to Obi, Nigerians need to show understanding by supporting the Federal Government’s efforts at recovering the funds.

He said: “The National Executive Council, NEC, commended the Federal Government on its present stand in the prosecution of those who were wrongly paid subsidy money and on the need for them to refund it fully. From the report we got today, some have started refunding.

“It is a serious case that people were paid for vessels that were not anywhere near the Nigerian waters. And I think when Federal Government does a thing that is courageous and right, it should be encouraged and that can, at least, give it the courage to do more.

“So, we support the Federal Government in the effort to clean up the entire value chain and process of petroleum industry; they have our full support.”

He said NEC also considered a presentation by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, on the planned non-partisan Good Governance Publicity Tour being jointly organised by his ministry and the National Planning Commission.

He said the exercise was meant to monitor, evaluate and showcase Federal and states’ projects across the six geo-political zones and so was a worthwhile venture.

Governor Obi disclosed that Council also directed the Governors’ Forum to set up a committee that would meet with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Planning Commission to review the logistics for the tour and agree on the date of commencement.

Also, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, briefed NEC on the progress being made by the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme, SURE-P, youth engagement and employment initiative, and endorsed the plan to launch the programme in the states to sensitise the people on the processes of job selection and payment to beneficiaries, beginning from September 6.

Obi added that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and the Minister for Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia’s brief on the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP, interest-free $500 million facility was also reviewed by the NEC.

According to him, the ministers explained that the medium term soft loan with a 40-year duration and 10 years moratorium was meant to check gully erosion in the South-East and other parts of the country, which is increasingly threatening lives and livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.

Consequently, he said, NEC directed the Ministry of Finance and the Governors Forum to immediately hold further discussions on the pending $500 million loan.

“Nigeria Is One Of The Most Christian-Populated Islamic Nations In The World” - Minister Of Foreign Affairs II
Thursday, 23 August 2012 07:51  E-mail | Print |

THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)  yesterday urged President Goodluck to sanction the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Nurudeen, for allegedly stating that “Nigeria is one of the most Christian-populated Islamic nations in the world.”

The National President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who spoke in Akure, Ondo State capital yesterday, urged the Federal Government “to sanction the minister who should not be a member of the Federal Executive Council in the first instance.”

Oritsejafor, who was in Akure for the National Executive Council meeting of the association wondered where the minister got his statistics that showed him that there are more Muslims in the country than Christians.

According to him, “there has never been an opportunity to have a demographic assessment of the population of Nigeria in terms of religions and anybody that pretends he has the data is deceiving himself.

“When we were about to hold the last census exercise, we insisted that Nigerians should indicate their religion in the form but these people argued against it and the then President Obasanjo appealed to us to abide with their desire. Otherwise the matter could have been settled once and for all.”

The cleric stated further: “Moreover, Section 10 of the Nigerian Constitution affirms the secularity of Nigeria and the Nigerian government or any of its officials should respect that aspect. That is why I wonder where the Minister got the basis for his statement.”

On the insecurity in the country and the vulnerability of Christians and their churches to attacks from Islamic fundamentalists, the CAN president urged restraint on the part of Christians.

He admonished Christians not to retaliate but should only be vigilant. He said: “For those that are behind Boko Haram, you come to us with AK47, bombs, charms and other dangerous weapons, but we come to you in the name of God.”

Oritsejafor who delivered a keynote address at the meeting noted that Islam which was known for peace could now be described as a religious of  intolerance, adding: “We will not encourage our people to carry arms against anybody whatsoever the situation may be.

“I call on all of you to be consoled that it is surely blasphemous to offer to God the things that belong to Caesar which God Himself has never demanded. Whoever is trying to exterminate Christians and Christianity form Nigeria is neither pleasing God nor His people.

“I want to assure Christians in Nigeria that Christ has always been with his people. He will never give victory to those persecuting Christians and the church.”

Oshiomhole rubbishes police investigation of Oyerinde’s killing, praises SSS
Premium Times
Published: August 15,2012
The Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has rubbished the police investigation into his aide’s killing, dismissing as “inconsistent” police investigation that embarrassingly led to the arrest of suspects different from those arrested by the Department of State Security.
Both agencies paraded separate group of suspects for the same crime weeks back, triggering a public backlash and allegations the security bodies may have acted to in an attempt to hide the real killers of Mr. Oyerinde.
Mr. Oshiomhole said on Wednesday he was satisfied more with the work done by the SSS, but urged a federal panel of independent investigators to reconcile the disparity.
“Like every other Nigerian,” Mr. Oshiomhole said in a statement by his spokesperson, Peter Okhiria, “the governor is extremely worried about the claims of two federal security agencies, which, no matter what anyone says, at the end of the day, one of the arms must clearly be playing out a script designed to shield the actual killers and/or their sponsors and it fits into the unenviable record of unresolved politically-motivated murder cases in the country…”
Mr. Oshiomhole said in an elaborate statement while the SSS constantly kept him abreast of the progress of its investigation, the police refused claiming the hunt for the killers was directed from the headquarters in Abuja.
He said he made personal findings and cross examination on the suspects paraded by the SSS and confirmed them to be the actual killers compared to those submitted by the police.
The arrest by the SSS had introduced another embarrassing dimension after it was clear the suspects wore the same clothes as those arrested months ago in connection with Boko Haram-related killings.
Both agencies said they arrested six persons apiece.
The governor said after the SSS had informed him earlier of its progress, the department at about the end of June, paraded the suspects before him during which he asked questions for about 45 minutes about the murder and “they told him who fired the shot, where they stood, who bought the phone and for how much and they also showed him the weapons used and the amount of money they found which was less than fifty thousand naira.”
“From the interface with the suspects paraded by the SSS, the Governor was convinced that they were indeed responsible for the murder of Comrade Oyerinde to which they had confessed. The suspects also repeated to the Governor the confessions they had made to the SSS that they were the same gang that made an attempt to attack the State Commissioner for Information, Hon Louis Odion at his residence and their account corroborated that of Hon Odion who narrated to the Governor that ‘it was the vigilance group in his area that scared the attackers away.’”
“The governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is convinced and impressed that the SSS did their job professionally,” the statement said. What remained was the motive for the killing, whether it was a armed robbery or assassination.
After prolonged secrecy, Mr. Oshiomhole said he was informed by the police of the arrest of David Ugolor, an activist, as the alleged mastermind of the killing. He also received briefings from the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) heading the investigations on Friday, August 10, 2012.
“After listening to the briefing, the governor came to the conclusion that there were several inconsistencies in the IPO’s narrative,” the statement said.
“According to the DCP (IPO), some of the suspects had confessed one after the other to have participated in the killing of Comrade Olaitan in the course of an armed robbery operation. When they (Police) picked the 4th or 5th suspect, he mentioned that the person who coordinated the operation had told them that they would be paid N20m to assassinate Comrade Oyerinde and the coordinator was already in the police cell.
“The DCP told the governor that the police brought the alleged coordinator out of the Cell and put the question to him, to wit: the issue of sponsorship of the killing of Comrade Oyerinde and he admitted that it was one ‘David’ that contracted him to carry out the operation and that the said ‘David’ had paid N200, 000 out of N20 million agreed between them.
“That the following morning after the killing of Comrade Oyerinde, Rev. Ugolor allegedly phoned him (the coordinator) to confirm that the job had been done and that Comrade Oyerinde had been taken to the mortuary. That at the identification parade, the suspect pointed to Rev David Ugolor as the alleged sponsor. The DCP said they have the call logs of Rev Ugolor and when Mr Governor asked if the claim of regular phone contact between the suspect and Rev Ugolor had been established, the DCP said he had received the call log of Rev Ugolor and was yet to verify that of the other suspect who ‘implicated’ him.”
“The Governor is surprised that about two weeks after David Ugolor’s arrest, there is no concrete link between him and his accuser. One would have thought that such link would have been established before any arrest is made.”
“The Governor asked the DCP if the N20 million had been paid to the suspects to which, he said no. The Governor also asked if it was possible that a hired killer who had carried out a killing for an agreed sum could subsequently allow over two months’ gap without being paid.”
“Again, the Governor further asked the DCP if the suspect knows the residence of Rev Ugolor to which he said no. He further inquired to know how the suspect knew Rev Ugolor to which the DCP said it was through their transactions in foreign exchange.”

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/96671-oshiomhole-rubbishes-police-investigation-of-oyerindes-killing-praises-sss.html

Nigeria: Foreign Investment in Retail Sector Hits All-Time High
15 August, 2012
Business and Economy

Foreign Investment in the Nigerian retail market has reached an all-time high, attracting about $1.3 billion (about N208 billion) in the last two years, owing to rising purchasing power and huge potential of the nation's economy.

Experts believe investors are flocking to the sector as a result of Nigeria's potential - a large population, positive macro-economic growth and a strong appetite for consumer goods.

Findings by Oxford Business Group (OBG) revealed that both foreign and local investors were dramatically expanding their domestic retail footprint in the country.

According to OBG, "By the end of June, Shoprite, the continent's biggest retailer opened its fifth shop in Nigeria, and another two are on the cards for the middle of next year. Shoprite, has outlined plans to open up to 700 stores in the country, and Massmart, South Africa's second-largest retailer and partly owned by Walmart, has announced that it intends to increase its presence from two to 20 stores."

"Also, Spar, Europe's largest retail network, has partnered with Nigeria-based Artee Group to tap into the local market, cutting ribbons at a new outlet in Lagos and one in Abuja. Looking ahead, the firms aim to increase their Lagos network and expand into Port Harcourt and Ota in Ogun State over the next six months."

They added that the growth in retail space and opportunity had been accompanied by strong economic indicators released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"Real GDP for the year is forecast to grow at around 7%, according to the IMF. This has had a positive impact on people's ability to spend, with GDP per capita levels estimated at $1656, up from $1541 in 2011 and $390 in 2001, according to Renaissance Capital, a multinational brokerage. The firm also said that the country's middle-class segment earns about $6000-7000 per year, bringing the purchase of modern household goods within range."

"But as development of formal retail gathers momentum, investors are becoming increasingly attuned to factors that could limit growth. Firstly, retailers decry the lack of adequate space. Modern outlets are dependent on the standards of newly built, large shopping malls. However, cumbersome access to land, high costs and the short duration of bank financing is constraining developers' appetite."

http://news.naij.com/5596.html
It cant be that bad here if they are willing to stake this much money in nigeria

check this out

The Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde BAKARE is synonymous with controversy and activism. In recent times he has come his position as a pastor has come under scrutiny following his veering into politics by accepting to be the Vice Presidential candidate to Muhammed Buhari, a staunch Muslim under the umbrella of the CPC. Failure his failure in that election, Bakare had become rather aggressive, exhibiting characters unbecoming of a man of God. Many argue that PTB was simply venting his frustration and desperation for power.
The question is, if PTB is such a great man of God, if he is so loved, if people like his teachings so greatly, the question is:
i. Why has his church remained just a branch in the whole federation?
ii. Why hasn’t the church spread to other branches in Lagos or other part of the country like redeemed, Winners, Dunamis, House on the Rock, TREM, Christ Embassy etc
iii. Why is he the only pastor of the church?
iv. Is his inability to grow his church beyond one branch an indication of his failure as a pastor?
v. Is his limited membership a pointer that Nigerians don’t take him serious as a Pastor?
vi. Is he trying to make up for this failure as a pastor by going into politics?
vii. Is he trying to raise the profile of his obscure church in Lagos by constantly being in the news?
viii. If as a Pastor he can display such level of arrogance in his utterances and actions, can he respect our rights as a politician?
Objectively speaking, Can Pastor Tunde Bakare be trusted??

Skii: The man is not inspiring as a leader jere, I dont think he has the charisma jo...ahn ahn, since all this while, the same look...He no dey see Fashola ni? Or Obama?

I think GEJ's misfortune is being the president of a trend concious people in an era of swags and efizzy. I think his humble background made him focus so much on his education that he missed out on being a guy man. But that shouldnt be held against him if he doesnt display the same charisma as Obama, Amaechi or Fashola, we all cant be the same. All we will judge him by is what he leaves behind after four years in office not hing else. And if he succeeds in fixing electricity, he can have my vote and those of my housedohld

blink182: NO, there are more important things than power.

Health care
Energy
Security
Transportation
Job creation
Accepting resolutions drafted by the national assembly

most importantly, he should stop being a mo. ron

And who are u again?? Electricity is not enough abi? I think GEJ should marry wife for you, pay her bride price for you, furnish ur house, UnCloth her and stick ur joystick in her before you admit that he is trying. Mun.tula

Claumy2: Ok. Now. But would that help to reduce or stop BH from bombing

Should we put our lives on hold because of you and your boko Haram bombers. For all i care, you can nuke your area, other part of Nigeria will continue to celebrate. Hey! Life goes on.
Big up Star times

bamto: A much fuller text of his message has been debated on this forum. This is a calculated attempt to stand logic on its head. Op's post is a complete falsehood and is misleading. Sahara Reporters are full of craps from the desert.

Very interesting. When saharareporters carrys a report insulting the GEj, it is hailed by u and ur likes, when it carrys a report that exposes the hipocricy of a self proclaimed man of God, it become falsehood. I say self proclaimed cos we were not there when his god called him neither were we sent a notice. All we know about his calling is what he told us. Even Christ who is our example as christians was born of humble backgroud, by a carpenter in a manger. Its men like him that turn the bible to suit their purpose. God go judge all of us, especially somcalled men of god.

UPDATED: Gunmen Attack Deeper Life Bible Church In Okene, Kill 15 Worshippers
Posted: August 6, 2012 - 23:21

By SaharaReporters, New York
Unidentified gunmen this evening opened fire in a crowded Deeper Life Church near the Federal College of Education in Okene, Kogi State, leaving 15 worshippers dead, and Governor Idris Wada vowing to smoke terrorists out of his State. 
The perpetrators of the heinous crime, said the governor who cut short a Ramadan state dinner, are “wicked, devilish, ungodly and deserve no place in a same society.”
Several other worshippers, according to the local government chairman in the area, were critically wounded in the attack.
Emergency workers said the casualty count would most probably increase in a few hours. Soldiers and police from the Joint Task Force in the State have cordoned off the area.
Mr. Jacob Edi, Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Strategy, told SaharaReporters over the phone that the assailants arrived at the church at about 8:45p.m. local time, during a late evening church service.  They cut off electricity supply and began shooting indiscriminately into the crowd. He said some of the worshippers who tried to escape from the premises were captured and their throats slashed.
According to a statement by Mr. Edi, the state executive council meeting was still on and the governor was working the phone with all relevant security officers in the state. 
Following the attack, the state governor issued this statement: 
Following Monday's dastardly attack on a christian worshippers in Okene, Kogi state, governor Idris Wada cut short a Ramadan state function dinner and summoned an emergency meeting of the state executive committee.
Furious about news of the unfortunate situation governor Wada vowed he will spare no resources in smoking terrorists out of Kogi state. According to him the perpetrators of the heinous crime are wicked, devilish, ungodly and deserve no place in a same society.
Kogi state, he said has always been known for peace any act capable of tarnishing the image of the state will not be tolerated at all. 
He called on all citizens of the state to remain calm.

Source:
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/gunmen-raid-deeper-life-church-okene-killing-15-worshippers

SSS press release
Recall that in the early hours of 4th May, 2012, the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to the Edo State Governor, Olaitan OYERINDE (Comrade) was killed by unknown gunmen at his residence located at No. 65, 2nd Ugbor Road, GRA Benin city.
2. In addition to the suspects earlier arrested by the police in connection with the above killing, the following six (6) principal suspects have been apprehended by this Service:
i. Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI;
ii. Raymond Onajite ORIGBO;
iii. Chikezie EDEH.
iv. Saidu YAKUBU (a.k.a Imam);
v. Sani Abdullahi ABUBAKAR; and
vi. Hassan BASHIRU.
3. Comrade Olaitan OYERINDE was murdered in cold blood by the trio of Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI, Raymond Onajite ORIGBO and Chikezie EDEH. The three (3) other suspects, Saidu YAKUBU (aka Imam), Sani Abdullahi ABUBAKAR and Hassan BASHIRU are habitual buyers of stolen items.
4. Investigation has thus far revealed that careless statements made by Ali IHADE, the security guard of Comrade OYERINDE, at various times about his master’s position in Government, attracted the attention of the prime suspect, Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI, who consequently hatched a robbery operation. On the day of the robbery, ABDULLAHI specifically instructed other gang members to tie up IHADE before they entered Comrade OYERINDE’s residence so that IHADE will not see his face.
5. According to the robbery gang, Comrade OYERINDE was shot and killed by the prime suspect, Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI, when he ran into his bedroom and attempted to go underneath his bed. ABDULLAHI said he believed Comrade OYERINDE was reaching out for a gun under the bed and therefore shot him. Among items the robbers removed from Comrade OYERINDE’s residence were:
i. Four (4) Blackberry phones;
ii. One (1) Ipad;
iii. Two (2) Galaxy Tabs;
iv. One (1) Laptop;
v. Wedding ring; and
vi. Unspecified sum of money belonging to Adeyinka OLETUBO, brother-in-law to Comrade OYERINDE.
BRIEF ON THE SUSPECTS:
i. Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI is a forty six (46) year old security guard who hails from Gombi LGA in Adamawa State. ABDULLAHI has confessed being part of the four (4) man armed gang that robbed Comrade Olaitan OYERINDE on 4th May, 2012 at his residence in Ugbor, Benin City. He has also confessed firing the gunshots that killed Comrade OYERINDE.

ii. Raymond Onajite ORIGBO, is twenty six (26) years old and an Urhobo by tribe from Delta State. ORIGBO confessed participating in the armed robbery operation at Comrade Olaitan OYERINDE’s residence on 4th May, 2012 along with Chikezie EDEH and Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI. ORIGBO equally confirmed that Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI shot and killed ComradeOlaitan OYERINDE while admitting that he got six thousand Naira only (N6,000:00) and a blackberry smart phone as his share from the items stolen from OYERINDE’s residence.

iii. Chikezie EDEH is a thirty (30) year old indigene of Akpugo Village in Nkanu LGA of Enugu State. EDEH confessed that he participated in the robbery operation at Comrade Olaitan OYERINDE’s residence on 4th May 2012, along with Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI and Raymond Onajite ORIGBO. EDEH disclosed that ABDULLAHI led the operation and fired the gunshots that killed Comrade Olaitan OYERINDE. EDEH admitted receiving a mobile phone and an Apple Ipad computer as his share from the operation which he sold at the rate of ten thousand Naira only (N10,000:00).

iv. Saidu YAKUBU (A.K.A Imam) is a forty two (42) year old indigene of Dakingari Village in Zuru LGA of Kebbi State. He admitted knowing members of the robbery gang, namely Mohammed Ibrahim ABDULLAHI, Chikezie EDEH and Raymond Onajite ORIGBO, adding that he always buys stolen items from them. He confessed introducing Chikezie EDEH to ABDULLAHI for participation in armed robbery.

v. Sani Abdullahi ABUBAKAR is a thirty five (35) year old indigene of Gaya Village in Niger Republic, but was born in Zamfara State, Nigeria. He specializes in buying and selling stolen phones and items in Benin City. He confessed that on 4th May, 2012 he bought three (3) blackberry smart phones and one Nokia C5 phone from Raymond Onajite ORIGBO at a total rate of fifty two thousand Naira only (N52,000) which he re-sold at fifty-seven thousand naira (N57,000) only.

vi. Hassan BASHIRU is an indigene of Zaga, Bagudo LGA in Kebbi State and specializes in foreign currency exchange dealings and sale of used phones. He confessed buying three (3) Blackberry smartphones and one (1) Nokia C5 phone from Sanni Abdullahi ABUBAKAR whom he had known for about five (5) years.
6. The murder weapons comprising three (3) guns, used during the robbery have all been recovered. The above suspects are all currently in the custody of the Service and would be handed over to the Police for criminal prosecution.
7. We wish to emphatically reiterate that no matter how long it takes, the long arm of the law will always catch up with criminals who seek to threaten public peace.
8. The Service therefore appeals to members of the public to continue partnering with security agencies by volunteering useful information that could assist in making Nigeria safer for us all.

now we know where all this is heading to:

hahahahahahahahahahaha

hahahahahahahahahah

just saw this . hahahahahahaahahahahah

Among the individuals listed for prosecution over the oil subsidy scam by the Economic and financial crimes commission is the Son of PDP Chairman and other known associates and supporters of GEJ. is this the new face of the fight against corruption in the country or is GEJ just pulling our legs

Wednesday, July 25, 2012
FEMI GBAJABIAMILA REBUT'S ALLEGATIONS OF FINANCIAL IMPROPRIETY

RE: CAMPAIGN AND ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MY PERSON.......HERE WE GO AGAIN!
My attention has been drawn to various newspaper paid advertisements calculated at disparaging my person and aimed at discouraging me from discharging my responsibilities as a legislator and as the leader of the opposition in the House of Representatives. . To my traducers let me quickly and unequivocally state that i am not deterred but remain focused and even emboldened in my determination to continue to bring germane national issues to the fore and to hold the presidency and those in charge of our affairs accountable. Because I believe in accountability, I also must be accountable to the electorate. It is for this reason and this reason alone that I have decided to respond to a faceless and amorphous group that lacks the courage to affix their real names to the publications.

Let me state very clearly that yes I was sanctioned by the Georgia Bar Disciplinary Board for professional misconduct and negligence due to an unfortunate ethical violation that took place about 10 years ago in 2003. There are no ifs, buts or ands about it. However here are the facts. Verifiable facts.
1. I returned to Nigeria in 2002 to prepare for party primaries and general elections. Prior to leaving the US, I had left instructions with my paralegal to close out pending files when due. He had instructions to pay my client 25000 dollars whenever her cheque was sent in. The cheque did not come in until January 2003 as the records show and at which time I had already been in Nigeria for over 6 months. Unfortunately after paying in the cheque as instructed, he withdrew the money again as instructed with cheques I had given him for sundry matters and he never paid the client but made away with it.
2 . This did not come to my knowledge until I received a letter from the Georgia Bar in 2005. The letter was addressed to my Lagos address which I had left with the Georgia Bar as my contact address for any housekeeping matter that may arise after I might have left. It is necessary to state this as it is alleged that I absconded. On the contrary, i informed the State Bar that i was moving back to Nigeria anf left a forwarding address and email. Both remain valid till date.
3. Upon receipt of the letter from the Bar, I immediately travelled to Atlanta to find out what was had gone wrong. Upon discovery of what had happened and being unable to trace the paralegal, I found myself in a bind as the disciplinary committee insisted I had violated rule 1.15 of Georgia Professional conduct pertaining to safe keeping, co-mingling of funds and allowing others to handle clients money. I accepted full responsibility and was sanctioned with a suspension. Had i anything to hide, i would not have gone back to Atlanta to clear all the issues.
4. This was a matter of not complying with strict ethical rules. At no time was i tried by any court for any criminal offence as it was never such. Attached is a letter from the State Bar of Georgia and paragraph 2 is very instructive. It should be noted that the Supreme Court of Georgia is vested with jurisdiction over professional ethics cases.
5. As evidenced in the attached letter, i am eligible to practise law in Georgia and remain in good standing. A convict can NEVER be eligible to practise law in the United States!
6.On the issue of change of name, my family has always used the names Gbajabiamila and Gbaja interchangeably. For me, Gbaja was a lot easier for pronounciation in a foreign country and Gbajabiamila was more desirable for my adventure into politics for the purposes of name recognition. Any suggestion that i changed my name to avoid being traced smacks of desperation to make a baseless allegation stick. Indeed i have maintained Gbaja as my facebook name and other documents including my international passport.
7. It should be noted that by law 33 percent of sums recovered is the legal fees charged by a US attorney for personal injury cases. Therefore the amount was 25000 less 33percent legal fees. No sane person would put his legal or political career in jeopardy for that.
8. Because of my strong belief in accountability and unknown to my traducers, i had publicly disclosed this imcident to the whole world in a book (FEARLESS) about my political career that was published by Dr Wale Okediran (a renowned author) and launched June 27th of this year. I will refer this faceless group to Page 29 of the book which speaks to the issue. It is clear therefore that i had nothing to hide.
9. The cowardly act of this group and its paymasters shows unfortunately how low and degenerate our politics has become. To the discerning, it is obvious where these attacks are coming from and inded a crying shame that an elected representative can no longer speak freely in defence of those who elected him and in the interest of the country. I find it rather curious that these attacks came on the heels (only 3 days) of my moving for articles of impeachment against Mr President come September 18 if the proper thing is not done and the constitution and laws of the country continue to be violated. At no time did i ever think taking on a powerful office would be a tea party or would not produce virulent attacks. Such would be naivete on my part.However i am propelled by the belief that the hottest part of hell is reserved for those who say nothing when they should.

I wish to state that i have never prophesed to be saintly neither have i paraded myself as perfect but my imperfections should not and will not stop me from doing that which is right. I have always believed and still do that a mandate is not fulfilled nor does it end upon election, rather it is fulfilled in standing up after the election to speak for the people who gave you that mandate. I have been given a mandate three times and i will continue to do the bidding of the owners of that mandate.

For the avoidance of doubt let me repeat my comments on the floor of the House just 5 days ago: " i like my President, but i like my people and my country more. If Mr President does not implement the budget 100% by September 18, this House must begin to file articles of impeachment against him". To this faceless group my postion has not changed.

I must also remind Mr President that it is on record that i fought tirelessly for him to be made the Acting President in this country in the face of serious opposition and at great risk to my wellbeing. I was the first and only legislator to move a motion to that effect on the floor when it was difficult to do so. It is with that same passion that i will and must continue to push that he obeys the laws of the land. That is my job. No more no less, amd for that i have no apologies.

I have stated my case now let the President state his.Now as we were saying Mr President sir before the debate was rudely interrupted by these guys, where is the peoples' money? We must as a country learn to address issues and not skirt them. We must leave shadows alone and deal with substance.

HON FEMI GBAJABIAMILA
LEADER OF OPPOSITION
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

By Chuks Iloegbunam

Punch columnist Sabella Abidde’s Jonathan’s diminishing presidency (Wednesday July 4, 2012), is typical of the massive anti-Jonathan hysteria currently trending in both the orthodox and the social media. A Pattern has developed over the past year of heaping blames upon the President for any and every perception of things not being exactly as they should be. Strikingly, the critics often get it horribly wrong on the question of exactly how things are. How does one’s ridicule of the state of play of any situation hold water when that one’s notion of either the state or the play is altogether unfounded?

Let us begin from Sabella Abide. This US-based Nigerian is not a run-of-the-mill columnist. He is a university teacher. He is at home with the norms of socio-political commentary. He has the nuances of the application of lexis and semantics at his fingertips. Based on what I have read from him, there is no question that he has little difficulty siding with the truth. His Unraveling The Ojukwu Mystique, published in The Punch of Wednesday November 30, 2011 was so poignant that I contacted Mr. Abidde and obtained permission to add the article to the list of contributions in General of the People’s Army, my book of tribute to Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Now, when someone of Mr. Abidde’s pedigree gets his assessment of his country’s First Citizen so fundamentally wrong, it leads to a critical question. What is responsible for his aberrant assessment of President Jonathan: The answer is simple. Jonathan is the victim of partisan press and political blackmail. He comes from a geographical part of the country not meant to govern. Not only that, he counts among his implacable political opponents, controllers of critical segments of the nation’s media. The bile from these “nattering nabobs of negativism”, as a former American Vice President Spiro T. Agnew would have called them, has had a severe knock-on effect on the ranking of the Presidency by the public.

There is an important point to make. Democracy guarantees the freedom of speech. This allows partisan politicians the leverage to score zero to their opponents who, if assessed judiciously, should be accorded heroic status. There is no mortal danger in this because the jostle for media supremacy – a central ploy for vote garnering – is an essential aspect of the democratic spirit, it being assumed that a political leader savagely criticized should have the wherewithal to counter the flaks trained in their direction. The problem starts when outright falsehood, severe exaggerations and outlandish speculations are forced down the gullet of the entity and subsequently ventilated as the truth by knowledgeable people such as Sabella Abidde.

In ten paragraphs and about a thousand words, Abidde could not muster words and could not muster sentences to support his thesis of a diminished Jonathan presidency. Surely, neither dialectism nor empiricism has been extirpated from discourse. If someone wishing to be taken seriously pronounces something to be black, the imperative of argument demands of him a demonstration of the blackness. Facts cannot be allowed to be thrown around like the confetti of opinion. Besides, there is something known as comparative analysis. That wasn’t exactly what Abidde was up to when he uncharacteristically mounted the partisan hobbyhorse to throw up names like Harry S. Truman, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Barack Obama. Nor did his submission lift itself out of the miserable by his mention of such former Nigerian leaders as Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Olusegun Obasanjo.

American political circumstances are unrelated to the Nigerian experience. Not only that, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office for 12 years. President Harry S. Truman was in office for 8 years, while Obama has been in office for four years. But President Jonathan has been in office for only a year. Gowon ran a dictatorship for nine years. Babangida ran an eight-year dictatorship. Abacha’s “cold and iron age” was through five years. Obasanjo 1 was a dictatorship; Obasanjo 2, an imperial presidency. Why should these dictators be called up in assessment of a stickler for democratic tenets who has been in office for only a year? And – key point – Jonathan is facing the problem of homegrown terrorism, something that never confronted a previous American or Nigerian leader.Like the United States, Israel and many European countries face the danger of terrorism. Yet, serious as the danger certainly is, these countries face a brand of terrorism brewed essentially from outside their borders. On the contrary, Nigerian terrorism is brewed and perpetrated from within its borders by those who promised on his inauguration that they will make Jonathan’s tenure ungovernable.

Acknowledging that this blight of terrorism was previously unknown, and aware that the security architecture for fighting it is only being developed, it is logical to expect that Jonathan’s traducers should acknowledge the deleterious impact which terrorism is having on governance. Sadly, that is not the case.

Terrorists are killing fellow Nigerians by the hundreds. Businesses and business opportunities are being systematically crippled. A good chunk of the national budget, money that should otherwise go into areas of concrete development, are being channeled into making Nigeria safe and stable for the citizens as well as welcoming to investors. It is to President Jonathan’s credit that he is battling the scotched-earth policy and practices of the terrorists with calm and measured response. His successes in this area will be guaranteed by the willingness and readiness of all sections of the country and all classes of the citizens to assist his government.

Unfortunately, a lot of those who should lend to the salvation of Nigeria are busy shielding themselves behind tinted windows, while tossing canisters of unwarranted criticism in all directions. In engaging in this dangerous pastime, they assume that their lot in an unraveled Nigeria would be a grand ringside view of a chaos consuming others. That’s delusion par excellence. This delusion is also apparent in the media where commentators prelude precision and empiricism from their criticism. The proper way to criticize is by pinpointing errors of governance and positing options for salvage operations, not be following Abidde, whose grounds for diminishing Jonathan’s presidency boils down to an undemonstrated perception of the current administration not being better than those of past military juntas.

If gold rusts, what will iron do? What is to be expected of teenage bloggers and Facebook and Twitter champions when our educated commentators revel in displaying astonishing misapprehension of the trajectory of Nigerian political development? The negative agenda setting of partisan press obviously explains the din in uncritical quarters about the actual quality of the government in Abuja today.

Otherwise, it should command adulation that President Jonathan has improved on the quality of our elections. This does not support Abidde’s suggestion that the President is self-immolating. For decades the Lagos ports and the roads around them were clogged up. It took Jonathan’s direct intervention and directives for the roads around the ports to be cleared of traffic logjams and for the period of clearing goods at the ports to be reduced from 39 days to 48 hours. This does not support Abidde’s claim that the President’s actions reek of doubt and mediocrity. For decades the matter of fertilizer for Nigerian farmers ran on the wheels of scandalous corruption. In one fell swoop, Jonathan cleared the Augean stable by extricating government out of fertilizer supplies. This negates Abidde’s position that Jonathan’s actions are framed by second-guessing and controversy. Why does Abidde’s believe that it is positive to announce that “the economy is in a shambles” without any evidence to support his charge? In agreeing that the “President did not cause many of the problems we now face”, Abidde did not point out the ones Jonathan created, nor did he explain how he expected the President to solve in 12 months problems that have existed and exacerbated since the amalgamation.

Jonathan is probably the most underrated leader Nigeria ever had. This is partly due to his underrated personality – which is not a negative attribute in politics, and partly down to the blackmail and negative agenda setting of partisan press. Yet, I have a sense that, in the ultimate, “The mouth used to call a woman barren, will also be employed to put the vital question: Woman, how are your kids?”

The man Shehu Sani first caught my attention on BBC Hard Talk. This man spoke so eloquently on the Boko Haram issue and held Stephen Sackur spellbound. Although this acclaimed human right activist makes so much logic during his presentation, he always finds a way of blaming the Federal Govt for the menace of the Boko Haram. I was perplexed last Friday when this “dialogue advocate” did the unimaginable on Focus Nigeria. Gbenga Aruleba asked Sani “why is Boko Haram attacking churches, where innocent worshippers are killed with impunity”. Surprisingly Sani responded by saying that he can’t speak on that. Then l realized Sani is the Face of Boko Haram. That man is dangerously wicked. If Govt must dialogue, northern leaders must call a spade a spade and prepare to compensate innocent Nigerians for the damage they suffer from BH. Do you think Sani or any of his protégés should lead the call for dialogue with BH, while his likes outrightly deny the wickedness done to Christians and innocent Nigerians?

Moderator, can we have this in the front page, please, we need peoples opinion.

You want hard evidence abi? Ok. Ask people from Zaria. Why is it that El-Rufai doesnt stay in Zaria? Why is it that despite his long stay in the corridor of power, he has no recognisation at home, thats cos they know his history and he knows it too. He i not proud of it. Thats why he has spent his life seeking for relevance in an effort to overcome hiS scandalous birth. Furthermore, ask people who know his family and they will tell u the differeNce in his appearance from that of his sibblings. If thats not enough evidence for u, then make u go carry out DNA on the man

look lets not disregard some of these things. recall that when El-Rufai was FCT minister he was accused of being mad and irrational in his actions, then it was said that his mother had a mental problem and she was taken to a herbalist for treatment and the herbalist impregnated the woman and thats how El-Rufai was born. El-Rufia looks so different from all his other siblings starting with his height and other features. so maybe the madness don dey show again cos the way the guy just dey shout dey make noise everywhere me i no understand. after all him too don chop him own share for government. make dem no spoil this country for we young one way never see anything abeg