The way foot soldiers of the two main political parties have been throwing everything at one another, I wasn’t sure if anything would be left in the kitchen sink by February 14.

Thanks to the Abuja Accord, however, and credit to Bolaji Akinyemi, who first made the suggestion for President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari to sign up, it looks like we might just have another chance to face the issues.

A few have said that the good conduct agreement signed by all the parties is just a show for the diplomatic community; that the parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, have amassed too much political weapons to pass up the chance to let off their cannons.

Though there was no formal accord, appeals for peace in 2011 did not prevent the post-election violence that left over 2,000 dead and thousands more displaced.

But we cannot despair or put ourselves at the disposal of politicians as cannon fodder.

In the spirit of the accord, I have decided, this week, to give the column to questions for the leading candidates. It would be dangerous for the candidates – or their supporters who know the answers – not to answer. Silence is not an option. It is, instead, an endorsement of predatory politics over debate and accountability. We need to know where the candidates stand, not in terms of their tribal marks or the length of their religious garbs, but on the issues that will shape our collective destiny.

THE JONATHAN QUESTIONS:

1.) In the last three years, the government has spent roughly $5billion every year on security, why are conditions on the Boko Haram frontlines getting worse?

2.)In April 2013, Sheik Ahmed Lemu told Channels TV that the government had not implemented key recommendations of his committee on political violence. Why?

3.)The president said in January 2012 that Boko Haram sympathisers had infiltrated his government; what is the situation today?

4.) Nearly 280 days after the Chibok girls were kidnapped, the president visited Maiduguri for the first time yesterday. What excuse did he give the troops and the bereaved families – if he saw any – for his long absence?

5.) In 2013, the Economist published a report that placed Nigeria number 4 on the world’s kidnap and ransom league table, with 26 per cent of such incidents occurring in the country. Why should Nigerians trust the president to keep them safe for another four years?

6.) The multinational force on Boko Haram has all but collapsed and France, which was instrumental to rallying Nigeria’s Francophone neighbors, has its own hands full now; what is next?

7.)The president said in Lagos that arms purchase for the military is now done on a government-to-government basis. Has the government retrieved the $9billion in the failed black market arms transaction from South Africa? Why was Tompolo awarded the contract to buy warships for the Navy? Is it true that what is publicly declared in Tompolo’s contract is far less than the scale of what has been purchased?

8.) Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala promised that PricewaterhouseCooper’s forensic audit report on the “unaccounted for” $20billion oil receipts would be published in November; why has the report not been published?

9.) The administration has claimed considerable credit for cleaning up corruption in the agriculture value chain but former agriculture minister, Adamu Bello, has accused the government of grossly exaggerating gains, saying that the entire budget for the agriculture ministry between 1999 and 2007 was under N25billion; therefore, the claim of saving N870billion does not arise. What is the president’s response to this?

10) The president said that 1.9million jobs had been created between the third quarter of 2012 and the end of 2013, while the NBS said that roughly 500,000 jobs were created in 2014; that is a total of 2.4million jobs in about two years. How does that fill the job deficit with over 50 percent or 34 million youths unemployed?

11.) Power generation has dropped from 4,200MW in 2010/2011 to 2,900MW or less than 40 watts (the capacity of a house light bulb) per capita; is the power plan working?

12.) What has the president done about this list of corruption cases?

The Ribadu report on fuel subsidy estimated the country had lost nearly N2trillion to the subsidy scam; what has happened to the crooks?

The Malabu Oil case involving government’s illegal transfer of N120billion with back-door payments funneled to its own officials; what can the president tell us about that?

Crude oil theft, according to Financial Times, cost the country $1billion monthly in 2012. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai was built at $1.5billion and the world’s tallest dam with a capacity for 3,600MW of electricity in China cost $8billion; how do you reconcile this?

What of the over N150billion allegedly recovered by Maina in the pension scam?

Was the $470million Abuja CCTV camera deal between the government and ZTE of China supposed to deliver dead cameras? Why are the cameras not working?

The 450MHz, a premium spectrum valued at $50million, was sold in 2011 to an incompetent licencee for $6million and a waiver of N1billion approval granted by the ministries of communications and finance in a transaction in which the NCC chief executive had a vested interest. Why is that?

THE BUHARI QUESTION:


1.) The APC presidential candidate promised to end Boko Haram within months of taking office. How?

2.) The issue of his secondary school certificate has been trending for sometime now; why has Buhari refused to post his certificate for the world to see?

3.) At the current rate of unemployment, the next government must create at least 8 million jobs a year to significantly reduce the problem; how is Buhari going to do that?

4.)Businesses, especially those that have enjoyed a laissez faire dispensation, appear at best to be ambivalent about Buhari’s candidacy; why is this so?

5.) Over the last few years, trade between Nigeria and its traditional western allies appear to have dwindled in favour of more business with China and the east; will Buhari encourage a deepening of the look eastward?

6.) Is Buhari really serious about “scrapping” the office of the First Lady or was that threat just for the sake of speaking?

7.) Will he be prepared to look at Tunde Thompson, Nduka Irabor and those thrown under the bus by the decrees when he was head of state, and say he is sorry?

8.) What has he learnt in the campaign so far that were lost on him in the last three previous attempts?

If the candidates – or their supporters – don’t give answers, we may as well return to our tents. But I hope they respond, for the sake of the country and for their own sakes as well.

SOURCE:http://naijapolitica.com/2015/01/16/abuja-accord-questions-for-jonathan-and-buhari/#more-4710

Nice. forward these questions to the organisers of the presidential debate.

Op, I think your No 3 question to buhari isn't realistic! Even the Americans/Chinese or Russians can't post such figures NOW!...

Haba! Did our industries collapse overnight

when we tackle corruption,we've solved all those problems..

SAIBUHARI

When Buhari clamp-down on Corruption and government office holders become transparent and accountable on funds disbursed to them, all the money that are sinking into the hole of Corruption will be available for development.

So before you spend money, it has to be when you execute projects for the masses and the officials will also be prudent in spending to ensure it withstands any scrutiny.

So ending/minimizing Corruption will leave more money on the table to massive development. These will build infrastructures and create jobs.

Vote Buhari - Feb. 14th 2015.

egift:
When Buhari clamp-down on Corruption and government office holders become transparent and accountable on funds disbursed to them, all the money that are sinking into the hole of Corruption will be available for development.

So before you spend money, it has to be when you execute projects for the masses and the officials will also be prudent in spending to ensure it withstands any scrutiny.

So ending/minimizing Corruption will leave more money on the table to massive development. These will build infrastructures and create jobs.

Vote Buhari - Feb. 14th 2015.

Spot On.! A classical example is the issue of the unaccounted billion of dollars between NNPC and the Ministry. Imagine what $10b can do let alone $20b. Corruption is the bane of development. Even though there is no country that is corruption free, I am yet to see a truly developed country that has not tamed corruption to the bearest minimum - a sharp contrast to the institutionalised corruption model in this country.

Most of the kwestions about gej are mere gossips from...
1. Terrorism is a recent phenomenon in nigeria and as we know most thired world country always find it difficult to combat such a hydra headed monster esp when they enjoy the support of the opposition party APC.
https://www.nairaland.com/2095901/tony-blair-force-necessary-struggle.
.
When the senators threating the monopoly DSTV and the south african govt returned the the money sharply to avoid a back lash from the nigerian govt where was the op?
As for agriculture the former minister is just been jelous of Dr. Akinwuni achievement esp in cassava beans and corn which is the most common food in nigeria. Hence the set up of alot of agro allied industries who uses agric produces as by products

gists:

Spot On.! A classical example is the issue of the unaccounted billion of dollars between NNPC and the Ministry. Imagine what $10b can do let alone $20b. Corruption is the bane of development. Even though there is no country that is corruption free, I am yet to see a truly developed country that has not tamed corruption to the bearest minimum - a sharp contrast to the institutionalised corruption model in this country.

ur APC senator head a panell that shows nigeria that only 2billion are yet to be accounted for and and the ministry of health share 45billion to all the state govt and lg .

Redoil:
ur APC senator head a panell that shows nigeria that only 2billion are yet to be accounted for and and the ministry of health share 45billion to all the state govt and lg .

Which of the accounts? Nigeria have multiple accounts (Federation Account, Excess Crude Account, etc). And since when did all the Senators in Nigeria become "APC Senators"?

GMB 2015.

egift:


Which of the accounts? Nigeria have multiple accounts (Federation Account, Excess Crude Account, etc). And since when did all the Senators in Nigeria become "APC Senators"?

GMB 2015.

which account is the op talking about?

I'll fight corruption with the use of modern technology. Just re-elect me.
#GMB till Mimiko get sense.
#GMB till TAN's get better jobs.

Redoil:
ur APC senator head a panell that shows nigeria that only 2billion are yet to be accounted for and and the ministry of health share 45billion to all the state govt and lg .

See this one o! So even if it is true (which I doubt), so $2b not accounted for is not corruption. Why am I not surprised even your jesus said nwobodo did not steal a sum deserving of a jail term. How can $2b missing mean anything to you? Do you know what $2b can do in terms of infrastructure in this country?