GBTYO:


I know your problem. You lack common sense!

OrlandoOwoh:

Cover your face in shame, Anonini. Your sense of comprehension is low.

GBTYO:


Why are you resorting to comparisons to defend your despotic general?

Do you think that this will vindicate him for his past despotic decrees and ruling?

You must be a Muslim. Because any time a muslim is confronted about their religion's affinity to violence you guys will resort to using Biblical verses of violence to absolve yourselves.

What ever rubbish you can drum up against this current administration is out of line in defending your despotic general and as such I rule you out of order.

GBTYO:


And your attempt to derail this thread is pathetic.

OrlandoOwoh:

Why not counter it?

"As we do not intend to lead a country where individuals are under the fear of expressing themselves, the Public Officers Protection Against False Accusation Decree 4 of 1984 is hereby repealed. And finally, those who have been in detention under this decree are hereby unconditionally released. The responsibility of the media to disseminate information shall be exercised without undue hindrance. In that process, those responsible are expected to be forthright and to have the nation's interest as their primary consideration." -Gen IBB's Coup address, 1985.

major466:
The number one excuse given by Buhari to topple a democratically elected government in 1983 was corruption. That the government of Shagari was totally corrupt hence the need to clean up the system. Now the irony of this sharade is that Buhari who regarded himself as the holy uncorruptable one had to enact a decree to shield himself from corruption allegations especially about the missing N2.8 billion in 1978 when he was a petroleum minister. What a hypocrite.
Nigerians should not be fooled. Buhari is as corrupt as Abacha. After all he himself said Abacha was not corrupt.

GBTYO:


Ignorance on display

joseph1832:
The basic tenet of military regimes is to curb press freedom, IBB and Abacha did this. Or haven't you heard of Radio Kudirat?. So what is the basis of this post, to ridicule Buhari? Or show that you don't really know what you're saying!.

major466:
The number one excuse given by Buhari to topple a democratically elected government in 1983 was corruption. That the government of Shagari was totally corrupt hence the need to clean up the system. Now the irony of this sharade is that Buhari who regarded himself as the holy uncorruptable one had to enact a decree to shield himself from corruption allegations especially about the missing N2.8 billion in 1978 when he was a petroleum minister. What a hypocrite.
Nigerians should not be fooled. Buhari is as corrupt as Abacha. After all he himself said Abacha was not corrupt.

OrlandoOwoh:

Let's, for the purpose of discussion, assume he prevented himself from being prosecuted, does the decree which was promulgated in March 1984 (30 years ago) still have effect?

OrlandoOwoh:
Why hasn't any government, whether military or civilian, found and prosecuted him on the ground of corruption?

GBTYO:


IBB repealed the useless decree and set free unconditionally all those convicted by his kangaroo Tribunal.

"As we do not intend to lead a country where individuals are under the fear of expressing themselves, the Public Officers Protection Against False Accusation Decree 4 of 1984 is hereby repealed. And finally, those who have been in detention under this decree are hereby unconditionally released. The responsibility of the media to disseminate information shall be exercised without undue hindrance. In that process, those responsible are expected to be forthright and to have the nation's interest as their primary consideration." -Gen IBB's Coup address, 1985.
Your argument is lame. Try again.
This is why your Tinubu's rag sheet, The Nation can spew rubbish lies daily.



Because he destroyed all records of his looting when he was head of state.

OrlandoOwoh:

Did you understand yourself? The decree never says Buhari prevented himself from being prosecuted, but that it prevents journalists from saying anything FALSE that could undermine the regime. Let's, for the purpose of discussion, assume he prevented himself from being prosecuted, does the decree which was promulgated in March 1984 (30 years ago) still have effect? Why hasn't any government, whether military or civilian, found and prosecuted him on the ground of corruption?

Now, some are lapping up the fable that if Buhari comes in as President, corruption and embezzlement in high places would come to an end. But I think this is like the story of the child and Santa Clause. That reality does not exist now or in the future, because the reality of who Buhari is has been shown to us through his real actions, not by the pictures and images being put out there by his spin-doctors and uncritical supporters. Should I start with the scandal of the N2.8 billion NNPC money that got stolen under his watch as Petroleum Minister and head of NNPC in 1978? Let’s bear in mind that the value of that money in hard currency at the time was more than $3 billion. Under intense public pressure, the Shehu Shagari government, which shortly took over thereafter from the military, set up a Senate probe which traced the money to a London Midland Bank account belonging to Buhari from where the money again got missing. No less than a person of the then Senate Majority Leader and Chairman of the Senate probe panel, Dr Olusola Saraki revealed this in an interview with Vera Ifudu of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). When Ifudu reported this, she was clandestinely sacked by the NTA, but the lady went to court and presented all the evidence and won in a case of wrongful dismissal. Saraki till his death never denied what he told the lady. In the end, they settled Ifudu with a big payout to buy her silence.

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/articles-comments/85817-buharists-their-stockholm-syndrome.html

major466:

Yes. The decree was enacted to protect public officials from FALSE ACCUSATION and distractions. The question however is, why was decree 4 necessary? Why tampple on the rights of journalist? What was the real motive behind decree 4?

For starters, Buhari claimed he toppled the government of Shagari because of monumental corruption. One would have expect that as an incorruptible head of state, he would run a clean, open government devoid of any tricks or hidden agenda to show Nigerians that he's government is honest and sincere about the fight against corruption. He would have given journalist more access to his government to check made its activities. Unfortunately he did not. He had to enact decree 4 to protect himself. If you are fighting against something you believe is right, why do it in a closed vacuum if you don't have something to hide? If Buhari was clean and sincere, decree 4 wouldn't have been enacted. He would go about it in an open and transparent manner where everyone would be free to ask questions where necessary. That never happened.
If corruption was the real reason for his intervention, how did he know that Shagari government was corrupt? Was it not because of the activities of Nigerian journalist?
Imagine a head of state claiming to be against corruption enacting a law to shield himself from corruption allegations. Does that make any sense?
Buhari had something to hide. He was not clean as he claims to be. He was as corrupt as any corrupt public official at that time.
As far as am concerned, corruption was not the reason why Buhari toppled a democratically elected government.

Buhari toppled the government of Shagari because he wanted to save his a.ss from the N2.8 billion =$3 billion dollars NNPC funds that disappeared in 1978, which by the way when calculated and adjusted by today's inflation will amount to almost $400 billion dollars today!

major466:

If that is your tactics of shielding Buhari of corrupt allegations especially the disappearance of N2.8 billion in 1978 then you need to try harder.

OrlandoOwoh:

Like Katsumoto would say, you have said a lot without saying anything. If you accuse Buhari of corruption, how come he has not been found guilty of corruption 29 years after he left power? How come the government in power, knowing full well it would work against his 2015 dream, have not shown any proof that Buhari enriched himself through corrupt means?

GBTYO:
Thirty years ago, two Guardian newspaper journalists, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh, were jailed on July 4, 1984 by a military tribunal under Decree No 4 of 1984, promulgated by the Muhammadu Buhari administration. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary, highlights the issues in the case.
One of such repressive enactments was Decree No 4 of 1984 (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree under which two Guardian journalists, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh, were tried and convicted. The decree was made by the Gen. Muhammadu Buhari administration which at the time did not hide its disdain for the press. At the inception of his administration, Buhari made no pretentions of his hatred for the press and he backed up the threat with the promulgation of Decree No 4.
Surprisingly, on April 11, 1984, men of the defunct National Security Organisation (NSO) as the security agents were called then came for the journalists and arrested them.They were later taken before a military tribunal headed by Justice Olalere Ayinde and arraigned on charges of falsely accusing public officers of the Federal Government. This was sequel to the summons issued by the Special Military Tribunal.
The summons given to them on June 2, 1984 read: Form 2 Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree No. 4 of 1984 summon to accused.
Specifically, under the Buhari regime, the government promulgated the notorious Decree 4 of 1984- Public Officers (Protection against False accusation) Decree 4 of 1984 under which Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, both of The Guardian newspapers were charged before the tribunal.
Part of the charges reads: “That you, Tunde Thompson, being the Diplomatic correspondent of The Guardian newspapers and Guardian Newspapers Limited, being the publishers of Guardian newspapers, on or about the 31st day of March, 1984, at Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos, Nigeria, published a statement which was false in any material particular, to wit:
“11 foreign Missions to be closed” in The Guardian Newspapers edition of 31st March, 1984, published as volume 2 No. 288 and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(i) and punishable under section 8(i) of the Public Officers(Protection Against False accusation) Decree No. 4 of 1984.”
‘’That you Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh of the Guardian Newspapers, Limited, Rutam House, Isolo between 31st day of March, 1984 and or about the 1st day of April, 1984 at Rutam House, Isolo in Lagos , did publish ‘’False statement contrary to section 1(1) of the Decree No 4 of 1984.
You are therefore summoned to appear before the Tribunal mentioned above sitting at Federal High Court on the 4th day of June at the hour of 9.a.m in the forenoon to answer the said complaint’’.
Also accused along with the men was their employer, Guardian Newspapers Limited. Under this Decree, the truth of the published story is not a defence.
The prosecutor in the case who signed the summons was the then Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Chike Offodile (SAN). The journalists and their newspaper were represented by legal luminary, Chief Rotimi Williams (SAN), who led a team of lawyers.
While the trial of the men lasted, the Guardian publisher, Mr Alex Ibru and other top directors of the company, namely, Mr. Lade Bonuola, Dr. Stanley Macebuh and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, were always at the tribunal.
After two months’ of arguments and counter-arguments at the proceedings before the tribunal, the Chairman, Justice Ayinde on July 4, 1984, found the journalists guilty of the offence. The tribunal accordingly sentenced Thompson and Iraboh to one year each without option of fine while the Guardian newspapers was however, fined N50, 000. The verdict was a setback for journalism practice in the country as journalists and their media organisations’ engaged in censorships of the news items for fear of being sent to the goal under the repressive decree.
Immediately, a military coup ousted the Buhari/ Tunde Idiagbon regime, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in nationwide broadcast abrogated Decree No 4 of 1984 and ordered the release of the jailed journalists.
He also assured that the media would enjoy a level-playing field in the pursuit of their constitutional role which enjoined them to hold the government accountable to the people in the society.

GBTYO:
Thirty years ago, two Guardian newspaper journalists, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh, were jailed on July 4, 1984 by a military tribunal under Decree No 4 of 1984, promulgated by the Muhammadu Buhari administration. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary, highlights the issues in the case.
One of such repressive enactments was Decree No 4 of 1984 (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree under which two Guardian journalists, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh, were tried and convicted. The decree was made by the Gen. Muhammadu Buhari administration which at the time did not hide its disdain for the press. At the inception of his administration, Buhari made no pretentions of his hatred for the press and he backed up the threat with the promulgation of Decree No 4.
Surprisingly, on April 11, 1984, men of the defunct National Security Organisation (NSO) as the security agents were called then came for the journalists and arrested them.They were later taken before a military tribunal headed by Justice Olalere Ayinde and arraigned on charges of falsely accusing public officers of the Federal Government. This was sequel to the summons issued by the Special Military Tribunal.
The summons given to them on June 2, 1984 read: Form 2 Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree No. 4 of 1984 summon to accused.
Specifically, under the Buhari regime, the government promulgated the notorious Decree 4 of 1984- Public Officers (Protection against False accusation) Decree 4 of 1984 under which Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, both of The Guardian newspapers were charged before the tribunal.
Part of the charges reads: “That you, Tunde Thompson, being the Diplomatic correspondent of The Guardian newspapers and Guardian Newspapers Limited, being the publishers of Guardian newspapers, on or about the 31st day of March, 1984, at Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos, Nigeria, published a statement which was false in any material particular, to wit:
“11 foreign Missions to be closed” in The Guardian Newspapers edition of 31st March, 1984, published as volume 2 No. 288 and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(i) and punishable under section 8(i) of the Public Officers(Protection Against False accusation) Decree No. 4 of 1984.”
‘’That you Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh of the Guardian Newspapers, Limited, Rutam House, Isolo between 31st day of March, 1984 and or about the 1st day of April, 1984 at Rutam House, Isolo in Lagos , did publish ‘’False statement contrary to section 1(1) of the Decree No 4 of 1984.
You are therefore summoned to appear before the Tribunal mentioned above sitting at Federal High Court on the 4th day of June at the hour of 9.a.m in the forenoon to answer the said complaint’’.
Also accused along with the men was their employer, Guardian Newspapers Limited. Under this Decree, the truth of the published story is not a defence.
The prosecutor in the case who signed the summons was the then Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Chike Offodile (SAN). The journalists and their newspaper were represented by legal luminary, Chief Rotimi Williams (SAN), who led a team of lawyers.
While the trial of the men lasted, the Guardian publisher, Mr Alex Ibru and other top directors of the company, namely, Mr. Lade Bonuola, Dr. Stanley Macebuh and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, were always at the tribunal.
After two months’ of arguments and counter-arguments at the proceedings before the tribunal, the Chairman, Justice Ayinde on July 4, 1984, found the journalists guilty of the offence. The tribunal accordingly sentenced Thompson and Iraboh to one year each without option of fine while the Guardian newspapers was however, fined N50, 000. The verdict was a setback for journalism practice in the country as journalists and their media organisations’ engaged in censorships of the news items for fear of being sent to the goal under the repressive decree.
Immediately, a military coup ousted the Buhari/ Tunde Idiagbon regime, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in nationwide broadcast abrogated Decree No 4 of 1984 and ordered the release of the jailed journalists.
He also assured that the media would enjoy a level-playing field in the pursuit of their constitutional role which enjoined them to hold the government accountable to the people in the society.

OrlandoOwoh:

Like Katsumoto would say, you have said a lot without saying anything. If you accuse Buhari of corruption, how come he has not been found guilty of corruption 29 years after he left power? How come the government in power, knowing full well it would work against his 2015 dream, have not shown any proof that Buhari enriched himself through corrupt means?

major466:

In sane democratic societies like GEJ's government, people who are accused of corruption are brought to court and tried with facts and evidence. Democrats like GEJ can't go around arresting people because of a whisper. Democratic processes had to be followed to guarantee the rights of the individual for fair trial. Unlike Buhari who locked down and imprisoned everybody because of a rumour and were tried through "Make Shift Kangaroo Courts". (Military Rule is not an Excuse)

Concerning allegations of corruption, How can Buhari be brought to justice when he has already destroyed all evidence linking him to the missing N2.8 billion in 1983? How can he be tried after erasing the records of NNPC?
The other day he accused NNPC of operating a double account? The question now is, how did he know about it? How did he know that NNPC operated a double account? It takes a thief to catch a thief. If Buhari knew that NNPC had double account, then it would be safe to say that Buhari knew about it when he was minister of petroleum. Because he knew about it, he used it to syphon N2.8 billion out of NNPC to series of Banks in UK and the Middle East. That was the reason behind decree 4. That was the major reason why he toppled a democratically elected government. To shut up public opinion, destroy and erase all public records that could link him to the crime.
Well, even though he succeeded in covering his tracts, those who were present and were following developments at that time have not forgotten it. Buhari may have escaped prosecution for now but he will not escape prosecution in heaven.

joseph1832:
Kindly tell me which military H.O.S is free of corruption?.

GBTYO:


[size=18pt]You Sir, just got promoted to a FIve Star General for this awesome post[/size]

major466:

Thanks. Am just disgusted by the media calling Buhari an anti corruption general when every informed citizen know he's totally corrupt.

GBTYO:


Is the judiciary perfect? Do we live in a Judiciary Utopia?

For every thief in kirikiri there are a thousand walking free and you know it.

major466:

In sane democratic societies like GEJ's government, people who are accused of corruption are brought to court and tried with facts and evidence. Democrats like GEJ can't go around arresting people because of a whisper. Democratic processes had to be followed to guarantee the rights of the individual for fair trial. Contrast this to Buhari, who locked down and imprisoned everybody because of rumours and were tried through "Make Shift Kangaroo Courts". (Military Rule is not an Excuse)

Concerning allegations of corruption, How can Buhari be brought to justice when he has already destroyed all evidence linking him to the missing N2.8 billion in 1983? How can he be tried after erasing NNPC records?
The other day he accused NNPC of operating a double account? The question now is, how did he know about it? How did he know that NNPC operated a double account? It takes a thief to catch a thief. If Buhari knew that NNPC had double account, then it would be safe to say that Buhari knew about it when he was minister of petroleum. Because he knew about it, he used it to syphon N2.8 billion out of NNPC to series of Banks in UK and the Middle East. That was the reason behind decree 4. That was the major reason why he toppled a democratically elected government. To shut up public opinion, destroy and erase all public records that could link him to the crime.
Well, even though he succeeded in covering his tracts, those who were present and were following developments at that time have not forgotten it. Buhari may have escaped prosecution for now but he will not escape prosecution in heaven.

GBTYO:


Why are you resorting to comparisons to defend your despotic general?

Do you think that this will vindicate him for his past despotic decrees and ruling?

You must be a Muslim. Because any time a muslim is confronted about their religion's affinity to violence you guys will resort to using Biblical verses of violence to absolve yourselves.

What ever rubbish you can drum up against this current administration is out of line in defending your despotic general and as such I rule you out of order.

GBTYO:


Why are you resorting to comparisons to defend your despotic general?

Do you think that this will vindicate him for his past despotic decrees and ruling?

You must be a Muslim. Because any time a muslim is confronted about their religion's affinity to violence you guys will resort to using Biblical verses of violence to absolve yourselves.

What ever rubbish you can drum up against this current administration is out of line in defending your despotic general and as such I rule you out of order.