Ojiofor:
you don't get it,do you?this is not about political party as far as pdp and apga is concerned.it is about getting rid of ta orji and his anointed candidate and electing someone we believe will deliver in the person of akex otti.after all otti was a member of pdp before he decamped to apga.
uche oga was people's choice in pdp but he was rigged out by ta orji.if pdp had picked uche oga of master energy the story will be different.

I THINK I'M ON POINT. APGA & PDP ARE SAME PARTY UNDER JONATHAN,FUNDED BY HIM LIKE YOU MENTIONED BOTH ORJI AND OTTI ARE BOTH IN PDP BEFORE HE JOINED APGA. THEY BOTH HAVE SAME IN COMMON, JONATHAN CONTINUITY NOT CHANGED.

MY QUESTION IS,WHY DO YOU ABIANS WANT CHANGE IN ABIA AND CONTINUITY IN NIGERIA?
WHAT'S WRONG WITH APGA CO PDP PARTY THEY WANT TO CHANGE THAT'S NOT APPLICABLE TO THE NATION?
WHAT'S RIGHT FOR UCHE OGA THAT'S WRONG FOR PDP CANDIDATE?

PDP IS A VIRUS THAT NIGERIA NEEDS TO BE CURED.

Ojiofor:
TA Orji is becoming more desperate as ndi abia have rejected okezie in advance.

ALAIGBO NDIGBO SHOULD ENJOY THE PDP DINNER PARTY WHILE IT LAST. NEMESIS IS CATCHING UP WITH APGA FROM THE PARTY THEY ENDORSED.

I thought APGA and Ndigbo did endorsed PDP led Jonathan,Why the violence again. This shows people desire to have change quickly. Even in PDP controlled Abia state, PDP still don't want APGA,the party of Ojukwu the Ibo mini god,this is not APC take note.It's the party of the most revered ibo leader Ojukwu.

Buhari on my mind,Please come clear this mess of PDP

Mogidi:


Why do you think saharareporters only report negatively about our army?
Why do you think boko haram always give exclusives to saharareporters?

That's the job and primary role of a media house,investigative journalism. Why do you CNN,BBC,Reuters are the first to access terrorists organization's videos like al-qaeda and others. They planted insiders who give protective informations. what do you think led to killing of osama bin laden? even pakistan one of the world strongest army and intelligence caught unaware. News is about success and what led to the success and failures and causes of failures and implications. would you be interesting if your brothers re among the dead soldiers when arms re not provided,even not supply with good food. it's unfortunate this govt administration has done more harms to our nation than good. Every good you think they have done,check the costs.

Mogidi:
I see shariareporters unhappy at recent gains against boko haram.

It's never about Nigerians and Sahara Reporters un-happy,but what it costs us as a nation to get here for six years. While EZE & his paymaster re feeding fat stealing our money meant to procure the needed weapons to defeat the insurgents,why are we been naive and corrupt minded when issues like this is brought forward for us to know? We lost Nigerians,Hausa ,Ibo and Yoruba soldiers who re fighting without weapons and get caught without arms to fight and now been prosecuted for running away from warfronts. Do you think about that and if your brother is in same situation,would you allowed him to die for nation who never fulfilled her part for successful war with insurgents. Ponder on this,I will never allow my family or friends join military that will not provide basic needs and motivation to win a war,this is not politics.

I TRIED TO ATTACHED THE DOCUMENTS WITH NSA AND AUTHUR EZE COMPANY BUT COULDN'T, IF YOU CAN,GET IT ON SAHARA REPORTERS NEWS.

How Jonathan Awarded $500 Million Defense Contract To Arthur Eze For Purchase Of Refurbished Helicopters

SaharaReporters has obtained documents relating to a scandalously inflated $500 million defense contract that President Goodluck Jonathan awarded to Arthur Eze, a Nigerian businessman with a shady past, a close friend of the president and his wife, and a major financier of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Our security sources said some officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) were furious over the jumbo contract described by one source as “a pure waste.” The sources, most of them military personnel, told our correspondent that, in addition to its sheer extravagance, the contract has also saddled the Nigerian military with helicopters that have limited or no combat utility.

The documents obtained by our correspondent reveal that Mr. Eze, the chief executive of Triax, received the gigantic sum of $466.5 million in order to weaponize six Puma helicopters with the aid of an Israeli company named Elbit Systems. This meant that each weaponized helicopter cost close to $78 million. “For the price of each helicopter provided by Engineer Arthur Eze, the Air Force could have acquired seven top grade military helicopters,” said one of our sources.

Our sources also noted that the haste with which the contract was initiated, approved and executed raised serious questions. A memo dated November 20, 2014 and submitted by the Chief of Air Staff, A.N. Amosu, revealed that Mr. Eze had on November 4, 2014 submitted a proposal to the office of the National Security Adviser proposing to supply the upgraded helicopters to the NAF. The tone of Mr. Eze’s letter, obtained by us, indicated that he was deeply involved in sourcing and supplying hardware to the Nigerian military as it is embroiled in a fight against Boko Haram militants.

An Air Force officer said he was alarmed at the alacrity with which Mr. Eze’s overinflated proposal was approved by the NSA’s office. The NAF followed with an equally quick endorsement sixteen days later.

One of our sources accused President Jonathan and Mr. Eze of using the refusal of the US to sell Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria as an excuse to engage in a large-scale squandering of funds involving the Federal Government and Mr. Eze’s company, the Triax Company Nigeria Limited. “In the US, a brand new AH Cobra attack helicopter costs around $12 million each,” said a source at the NAF. He added: “That means that, with $400 million, Nigeria could have purchased up to 40 brand new helicopters.”

According to the source, the Cobra attack helicopter is one of the best US-made helicopters. “It is highly effective in the battlefield. It would have given us big battlefield advantage over Boko Haram,” he said.

In an additional proposal, Mr. Eze’s company sought to purchase 4,000 57mm S5 rockets, 400 80mm S8 rockets, 500 general-purpose bombs, and 20,000 units of unguided rockets. His company also received a contract to refurbish three C-130 planes that had been sitting at the hanger of the Nigerian Air Force for several years.

A final invoice Mr. Eze submitted to the Nigerian government showed that he would receive $466, 500,000 to supply six upgraded Puma helicopters, four units of single-seater Sukhoi Su-25K (“Frog-foot”) Soviet-made ground attack jets, and two upgraded Su-25UB trainers for $330 million. In addition, he would receive $14 million for the shipping of platforms/ground support/line replacement of the six Puma helicopters; $44 million for some arms and ammunition earlier proposed; $37 million for the maintenance of C-130 engines, and $40 million for unspecified armaments for the NAF.

Our military sources stated that Mr. Eze’s invoice for the supply of the refurbished aircraft was massively inflated by international and Nigerian standards.

Several of the sources said Triax delivered the substandard equipment after Mr. Eze further padded the cost of the refurbished helicopters and the C-130. The sources revealed that, since February 15, 2015, when Chief of Air Staff Amosu showed off the helicopters and C-130 planes, none of the aircraft has been deployed even once to fight Boko Haram militants. “They are not in any combat-ready condition,” one officer fumed. “We are looking at a total waste of money for no good reason.” SaharaReporters could not ascertain from Mr. Amosu whether the Air Force had taken delivery of the other items listed on the invoice Mr. Eze had signed and submitted to the NSA’s office.

Mr. Eze’s partners in the defense deals is Elbit Systems, an Israeli company that has been involved in several scandalous defense contracts in Nigeria, including a multimillion dollar internet spying project.

Our sources wondered why the Nigerian government, which is in a critical stage of counter-insurgency operations against Islamist group Boko Haram, would strike such an overinflated deal with Mr. Eze’s firm to purchase antiquated helicopters and other equipment that were virtually discarded by Romania.

One clear answer may be found in the fact that Mr. Eze is one of the biggest personal financiers of Mr. Jonathan’s re-election. The businessman, who also controls huge interests in oil fields both in Nigeria and other West African countries, has been funneling millions of dollars into Mr. Jonathan’s campaign, said an insider PDP source. The businessman is extremely close to Mr. Jonathan and is reportedly well liked by First Lady Patience Jonathan because of his lavish presents to her, including million dollar gifts.

Mr. Eze is a big-spending billionaire who is an expert at ingratiating himself with those in power. During the brutal dictatorship led by the late General Sani Abacha, Mr. Eze became one of the closest confidantes of the general and his wife. He received a huge windfall when Mr. Abacha handed him the $120 million contract for rural electricity and water projects in the southeastern states. Even though the contract sum was borrowed from the African Development Bank, Mr. Eze pocketed the money without doing any of the projects, a scandal that led to the firing of the bank’s chief executive.

At the height of Mr. Abacha’s repression, Mr. Eze used to fly traditional rulers from the southeast on frequent visits to pledge loyalty to the dictator in Abuja. The Triax executive even stated once that he would go into exile if Mr. Abacha gave up power to an elected government.

Mr. Eze warmed his way to President Olusegun Obasanjo. As Mr. Obasanjo sought to change the constitution to extend his tenure, Mr. Eze was a vociferous supporter of the scheme.

His closeness to President Jonathan and his wife has brought him more riches through inflated contracts and great political clout. At the urging of Mr. Jonathan and his wife, the PDP national headquarters in Abuja allowed Mr. Eze to determine most of those announced as winners of PDP primaries for Federal legislative seats in the southeast, but especially in his home state of Anambra. In most cases, the businessman’s candidates were declared winners of primaries that were either not held or were heavily manipulated.

Jonathan Sends Mbeki, Abdusalami To Beg Buhari Not To Probe Him
Joe Mbeki
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Former South African President, Thabo Mbeki and Former Nigerian Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar Monday, stormed Kaduna to meet with the Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari over the forth coming general elections.
At the end of the meeting which was held behind closed doors at General Buhari’s office along Jabi Road in an eyebrow area of Kaduna metropolis Monday morning, neither the visitors, nor General Buhari spoke with newsmen.
Mbeki and Abdulsalami left to the Kaduna International Airport to fly back to Abuja after a photo session which marked the end of the over one hour meeting.
However, a source close to General Buhari told our Correspondent that, the meeting was unconnected with the Presidential election rescheduled for March 28.
According to the source who spoke unofficially said, “They are here to prevail on General Buhari not to probe Jonathan after emerging President in the coming election.”
He went further to say that, “you see, they have realized that, all efforts to turn Nigerians against General Buhari have failed and all manner of opinion polls have favoured the old man, even the ones the government organized.
“They have also made several attempts to make the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu compromise and sell out, but he has refused. So, having realized that, Buhari will win the election, they have been sending people to prevail on him not to probe Jonathan for his misdeed.
“So, this delegation was sent to beg General Buhari not to probe President Goodluck Jonathan after winning the election,” said.


Read more: http://newsrescue.com/jonathan-sends-mbeki-abdusalami-beg-buhari-not-probe/#ixzz3Tur2qLBB

Have you factor in rigging that took place in those states,that will surely not be possible with the card readers and pvc. Do u know the reason PDP is desperately against use of card readers and pvc.

#March28willsurprisedyou#

sai Buhari

I like your post about Nigerians not trusted overseas. I lived in Abu Dhabi with my wife and child, I'm into Medical equipments sales and installation, I moved here three years ago to registered and start my company with local partner in 2013,It took the intervention of my US citizen wife to be trusted for partnership. I'm a sincere Nigerian,never involved in fraud in my life,but sighting Nigeria passport here in UAE,unless you have company or working for a company you would not be able to open ordinary bank account,you can't cross border to visit other country like oman. i only did in company with my wife and my son because they re having american passports. The immigration told me Nigerian passport is not one of the country allowed. I was humiliated with Nigerian passport when my wife family came visit,they all have US passports and i was asked to wait at the border point or go back home,they left except my wife who was angry why i should be discriminate against based on my passport but it's never discrimination but Nigeria image is battered abroad,no iota of respect because our leaders re liars and deceitful. I'm about getting US passport now because my future and life cannot be limited by bad image,show of bad leadership in Nigeria. Imagine debating and going to court over card reader for accreditation for election process and current administration going against it. WOW
Nigeria loves Corruption

OREMUSSANCTUS:
@ OP, may wisdom run away from ya and ya generation!

May your life be raped and looted just like JONATHAN looted our treasury and Your future be stolen just like they re sttealing Nigeria dry. May you and your generation be doomed if and if what I said was truthful,May you and your generation shared from the woes and wraths of GOD when it rains upon these evil doers. You better stop followingmy posts or you get doomed. Useless and future less generation son of pathetic parents.

Why are campaigning for Jonathan when your future has been looted right in your eyes.

Education- semi educated People
Economy-generate poverty
Infrastructure- None
Power- Poor
Health- Poor
Corruption- Incurably corrupt and dare the citizen to die if they care.


Look at Dubai,using their wealth for their people and leading even other developed nations.

helpee:
I am yoruba and I am solidly behind Jonathan. I am even a member of the redeemed but I don't see how osinbanjo can benefit me individually. Nigeria as a whole is more important than a yoruba man being vice. If the vice president is such an important position the northerners won't be shouting that power should return to the north despite holding that position. So, Jonathan till you stop playing tribal politics

YOUR COMMENT GLADDENS MY HEART, JUST LIKE YOU,I'M YORUBAMAN. WE APPRECIATE EACHOTHER,YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE WHO YOU LIKE AND I DO TOO. IF MY POST IS NOT APPLICABLE TO YOU JUST SCROLL ON NEXT POST.LIKE I SAID ABOVE YOUR RIGHT IS PROTECTED AND DIVINELY GRANTED YOU BY GOD JUST LIKE ME. I'M A MUSLIM AND I BELIEVE OSINBAJO (CHRISTIAN), HONEST MAN IN THAT POSITION WOULD IMPACTS ME AND MY CLAN. YOU MAKE ME TALK ABOUT RELIGION BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED YOU RE REDEEMER MEMBER, YOU CAN LOSE TRUST IN YOUR CHURCH LEADER BUT I'M KEEPING MY TRUST WITH GOD AND CHARACTER OSINBAJO STAND FOR. IN MY FAMILY OF FOUR,WE HAVE TWO MUSLIMS AND TWO CHRISTIANS,THEY RE ALL BY GOD GRACE CAMPAINING HARD FOR OSINBAJO AND WOULD VOTE FOR HIM,WE JUST LOST YOU TO JONATHAN,NO QUALM.

MY IBO FRIEND JUST POST THIS MESSAGE TO US YORUBA

If the Yoruba cannot seize this moment and have their man as No. 2 person in the country then they are finished politically. Never, ever will any major political party look their way to nominate a Yoruba as President or the VP. If Osinbajo was Igbo in a major political party as APC and no emerging personality as in Zik's NPP of 1979, the entire 5 Igbo states will stand behind him.

By the way, what will Jonathan promise the Yoruba nation that will be more than having their No. 2 man at Aso Rock? I wonder at these Jonathan's Lilliputian Yoruba supporters, just wondering and shaking my head..

OMO YORUBA ORIGINAL,NOT FAKE RESIDENTS OR ONLINE FAKE YORUBA. COPY & SHARE THIS MESSAGE FROM THE IBO FRIEND ON ALL YOUR SOCIAL PLATFORMS,INFORM YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS,THIS IS NOT ABOUT FIGHTING OR WAR BUT OUR FUTURE AS YORUBA IN THIS ENCLAVE NIGERIA. CLAIM YOUR SPOT YORUBA.

THANKS

Splashme:
[size=20pt]Tribalism is Nigeria's worst disease.

Amaechi where are you? [/size]

MY BROTHER I LIKE YOUR FAIR COMMENT AS NIGERIAN,IN AS MUCH AS I LOVE NIGERIA,AS A NIGERIAN. WE'RE JUST LYING AND DECEIVING OURSELVES OF NOT BEEN TRIBALISTIC, WE RE ALL LIVING WITNESS TO HOW IJAW/ NIGER DELTA ARE THREATENING THE OTHER TRIBES ABOUT JONATHAN, HAVE I BECOLME A TRIBALIST FOR FIGHTING FOR MY PEOPLE? BUT NIGERIAN WHEN I KEEP SILENT WHEN OTHER ARE PLANNING TO HAVE THEIR OWN IN SAME POSITION,LIFE DON'T HAND YOU EVERYTHING,YOU HAVE TO FIGHT AND AGITATE FOR YOUR SPOT. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMON,MAKE LEMONADES BRUV.

temitemi1:
Keep crying like your general

WHY ARE YOU AFTER MY POSTS,ARE YOU CURSED? MAY YOUR LIFE BE RAPED LIKE JONATHAN RAPING NIGERIA OF HER TREASURY,MAY YOUR FUTURE BE STOLEN LIKE THEY LOOT OUR MONEY AN D MAY YOUR LIFE BE INSECURE LIKE NORTHEAST,SAY AMEN,EVEN IF YOU DON'T SAY AMEN, IF TRUTHFULLY THIS FACT ARE TRUE AND YOU ARE NOT HAPPY TO SEE NIGERIA CHANGED,MAY YOU EARN THIS CURSE 1OO TIMES.

temitemi1:
Keep crying like your general

WHY ARE YOU AFTER MY POSTS,ARE YOU CURSED? MAY YOUR LIFE BE RAPED LIKE JONATHAN RAPING NIGERIA OF HER TREASURY,MAY YOUR FUTURE BE STOLEN LIKE THEY LOOT OUR MONEY AN D MAY YOUR LIFE BE INSECURE LIKE NORTHEAST,SAY AMEN,EVEN IF DON'T SAY AMEN. IF TRUTHFULLY THIS FACT ARE TRUE AND YOU ARE NOT HAPPY TO SEE NIGERIA CHANGED,MAY YOU EARN THIS CURSE 1OO TIMES.

I'M A YORUBA MAN FROM LAGOS,I'M UN-APOLOGETIC TRIBAL MAN JUST LIKE IJAW ARE FIGHTING AND THREATENING TO HAVE THEIR OWN IN PRESIDENCY ,SAME WAY I HAVE A RIGHT TO FIGHT FOR MY TRIBEMAN IN PRESIDENCY. FOR YOU PAID AGENTS OF PDP,YOU CAN COMMIT SUICIDE IF YOU DON'T LIKE ME OR MY POST. I'M UN-APOLOGETIC YORUBA MAN. OMO ENI O SE DI BEBERE KAFI LEKE SIDI OMO ELOMIRAN. I'M NOT APC OR PDP MEMBER,I'M A NIGERIAN FROM THE GREAT YORUBA RACE,I KNOW WELL I WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE YORUBA PEOPLE I KNOW COME MARCH 28. OTHER TRIBES DON'T LIKE US,THEY ENVY OUR SUCCESS BUT PLAYING TO DIVIDE US TO VOTE THEM TO POWER WHEN WE HAVE OUR OWN PROFESSOR OSINBAJO AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN NIGERIA VERY IMPORTANT POSITION,THEY WOULD QUICKLY POINT TO OBASANJO & CO,BUT WE ARE WISE,UP YOUR GAME.

MY IBO FRIEND JUST POST THIS MESSAGE TO US YORUBA

If the Yoruba cannot seize this moment and have their man as No. 2 person in the country then they are finished politically. Never, ever will any major political party look their way to nominate a Yoruba as President or the VP. If Osinbajo was Igbo in a major political party as APC and no emerging personality as in Zik's NPP of 1979, the entire 5 Igbo states will stand behind him.

By the way, what will Jonathan promise the Yoruba nation that will be more than having their No. 2 man at Aso Rock? I wonder at these Jonathan's Lilliputian Yoruba supporters, just wondering and shaking my head...

MY IBO FRIEND JUST POST THIS MESSAGE TO US YORUBA

If the Yoruba cannot seize this moment and have their man as No. 2 person in the country then they are finished politically. Never, ever will any major political party look their way to nominate a Yoruba as President or the VP. If Osinbajo was Igbo in a major political party as APC and no emerging personality as in Zik's NPP of 1979, the entire 5 Igbo states will stand behind him.

By the way, what will Jonathan promise the Yoruba nation that will be more than having their No. 2 man at Aso Rock? I wonder at these Jonathan's Lilliputian Yoruba supporters, just wondering and shaking my head...

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) appeared at the Chatham House on Thursday morning to discuss Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition.

The event which was chaired by former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Sir Richard Gozney had many Nigerians in attendance including several APC stalwarts like Gov. Rotimi Amaechi and Adams Oshiomhole.

Below is the full text of the APC candidate’s speech:

Permit me to start by thanking Chatham House for the invitation to talk about this important topic at this crucial time. When speaking about Nigeria overseas, I normally prefer to be my country’s public relations and marketing officer, extolling her virtues and hoping to attract investments and tourists. But as we all know, Nigeria is now battling with many challenges, and if I refer to them, I do so only to impress on our friends in the United Kingdom that we are quite aware of our shortcomings and are doing our best to address them.

The 2015 general election in Nigeria is generating a lot of interests within and outside the country. This is understandable. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, is at a defining moment, a moment that has great implications beyond the democratic project and beyond the borders of my dear country.

So let me say upfront that the global interest in Nigeria’s landmark election is not misplaced at all and indeed should be commended; for this is an election that has serious import for the world. I urge the international community to continue to focus on Nigeria at this very critical moment. Given increasing global linkages, it is in our collective interests that the postponed elections should hold on the rescheduled dates; that they should be free and fair; that their outcomes should be respected by all parties; and that any form of extension, under whichever guise, is unconstitutional and will not be tolerated.

With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War, democracy became the dominant and most preferred system of government across the globe. That global transition has been aptly captured as the triumph of democracy and the ‘most pre-eminent political idea of our time.’ On a personal note, the phased end of the USSR was a turning point for me. It convinced me that change can be brought about without firing a single shot.

As you all know, I had been a military head of state in Nigeria for twenty months. We intervened because we were unhappy with the state of affairs in our country. We wanted to arrest the drift. Driven by patriotism, influenced by the prevalence and popularity of such drastic measures all over Africa and elsewhere, we fought our way to power. But the global triumph of democracy has shown that another and a preferable path to change is possible. It is an important lesson I have carried with me since, and a lesson that is not lost on the African continent.

In the last two decades, democracy has grown strong roots in Africa. Elections, once so rare, are now so commonplace. As at the time I was a military head of state between 1983 and 1985, only four African countries held regular multi-party elections. But the number of electoral democracies in Africa, according to Freedom House, jumped to 10 in 1992/1993 then to 18 in 1994/1995 and to 24 in 2005/2006. According to the New York Times, 42 of the 48 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa conducted multi-party elections between 1990 and 2002.

The newspaper also reported that between 2000 and 2002, ruling parties in four African countries (Senegal, Mauritius, Ghana and Mali) peacefully handed over power to victorious opposition parties. In addition, the proportion of African countries categorized as not free by Freedom House declined from 59% in 1983 to 35% in 2003. Without doubt, Africa has been part of the current global wave of democratisation.

But the growth of democracy on the continent has been uneven. According to Freedom House, the number of electoral democracies in Africa slipped from 24 in 2007/2008 to 19 in 2011/2012; while the percentage of countries categorised as ‘not free’ assuming for the sake of argument that we accept their definition of “free” increased from 35% in 2003 to 41% in 2013. Also, there have been some reversals at different times in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritania and Togo. We can choose to look at the glass of democracy in Africa as either half full or half empty.

While you can’t have representative democracy without elections, it is equally important to look at the quality of the elections and to remember that mere elections do not democracy make. It is globally agreed that democracy is not an event, but a journey. And that the destination of that journey is democratic consolidation – that state where democracy has become so rooted and so routine and widely accepted by all actors.

With this important destination in mind, it is clear that though many African countries now hold regular elections, very few of them have consolidated the practice of democracy. It is important to also state at this point that just as with elections, a consolidated democracy cannot be an end by itself. I will argue that it is not enough to hold a series of elections or even to peacefully alternate power among parties.

It is much more important that the promise of democracy goes beyond just allowing people to freely choose their leaders. It is much more important that democracy should deliver on the promise of choice, of freedoms, of security of lives and property, of transparency and accountability, of rule of law, of good governance and of shared prosperity. It is very important that the promise embedded in the concept of democracy, the promise of a better life for the generality of the people, is not delivered in the breach.

Now, let me quickly turn to Nigeria. As you all know, Nigeria’s fourth republic is in its 16th year and this general election will be the fifth in a row. This is a major sign of progress for us, given that our first republic lasted five years and three months, the second republic ended after four years and two months and the third republic was a still-birth. However, longevity is not the only reason why everyone is so interested in this election.

The major difference this time around is that for the very first time since transition to civil rule in 1999, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing its stiffest opposition so far from our party the All Progressives Congress (APC). We once had about 50 political parties, but with no real competition. Now Nigeria is transitioning from a dominant party system to a competitive electoral polity, which is a major marker on the road to democratic consolidation. As you know, peaceful alternation of power through competitive elections have happened in Ghana, Senegal, Malawi and Mauritius in recent times. The prospects of democratic consolidation in Africa will be further brightened when that eventually happens in Nigeria.

But there are other reasons why Nigerians and the whole world are intensely focussed on this year’s elections, chief of which is that the elections are holding in the shadow of huge security, economic and social uncertainties in Africa’s most populous country and largest economy. On insecurity, there is a genuine cause for worry, both within and outside Nigeria. Apart from the civil war era, at no other time in our history has Nigeria been this insecure.

Boko Haram has sadly put Nigeria on the terrorism map, killing more than 13,000 of our nationals, displacing millions internally and externally, and at a time holding on to portions of our territory the size of Belgium. What has been consistently lacking is the required leadership in our battle against insurgency. I, as a retired general and a former head of state, have always known about our soldiers: they are capable, well trained, patriotic, brave and always ready to do their duty in the service of our country.

You all can bear witness to the gallant role of our military in Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur and in many other peacekeeping operations in several parts of the world. But in the matter of this insurgency, our soldiers have neither received the necessary support nor the required incentives to tackle this problem. The government has also failed in any effort towards a multi-dimensional response to this problem leading to a situation in which we have now become dependent on our neighbours to come to our rescue.

Let me assure you that if I am elected president, the world will have no cause to worry about Nigeria as it has had to recently; that Nigeria will return to its stabilising role in West Africa; and that no inch of Nigerian territory will ever be lost to the enemy because we will pay special attention to the welfare of our soldiers in and out of service, we will give them adequate and modern arms and ammunitions to work with, we will improve intelligence gathering and border controls to choke Boko Haram’s financial and equipment channels, we will be tough on terrorism and tough on its root causes by initiating a comprehensive economic development plan promoting infrastructural development, job creation, agriculture and industry in the affected areas. We will always act on time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester, and I, Muhammadu Buhari, will always lead from the front and return Nigeria to its leadership role in regional and international efforts to combat terrorism.

On the economy, the fall in prices of oil has brought our economic and social stress into full relief. After the rebasing exercise in April 2014, Nigeria overtook South Africa as Africa’s largest economy. Our GDP is now valued at $510 billion and our economy rated 26th in the world. Also on the bright side, inflation has been kept at single digit for a while and our economy has grown at an average of 7% for about a decade.

But it is more of paper growth, a growth that, on account of mismanagement, profligacy and corruption, has not translated to human development or shared prosperity. A development economist once said three questions should be asked about a country’s development: one, what is happening to poverty? Two, what is happening to unemployment? And three, what is happening to inequality?

The answers to these questions in Nigeria show that the current administration has created two economies in one country, a sorry tale of two nations: one economy for a few who have so much in their tiny island of prosperity; and the other economy for the many who have so little in their vast ocean of misery.

Even by official figures, 33.1% of Nigerians live in extreme poverty. That’s at almost 60 million, almost the population of the United Kingdom. There is also the unemployment crisis simmering beneath the surface, ready to explode at the slightest stress, with officially 23.9% of our adult population and almost 60% of our youth unemployed. We also have one of the highest rates of inequalities in the world.

With all these, it is not surprising that our performance on most governance and development indicators (like Mo Ibrahim Index on African Governance and UNDP’s Human Development Index.) are unflattering. With fall in the prices of oil, which accounts for more than 70% of government revenues, and lack of savings from more than a decade of oil boom, the poor will be disproportionately impacted.

In the face of dwindling revenues, a good place to start the repositioning of Nigeria’s economy is to swiftly tackle two ills that have ballooned under the present administration: waste and corruption. And in doing this, I will, if elected, lead the way, with the force of personal example.

On corruption, there will be no confusion as to where I stand. Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed into my administration. First and foremost, we will plug the holes in the budgetary process. Revenue producing entities such as NNPC and Customs and Excise will have one set of books only. Their revenues will be publicly disclosed and regularly audited. The institutions of state dedicated to fighting corruption will be given independence and prosecutorial authority without political interference.

But I must emphasise that any war waged on corruption should not be misconstrued as settling old scores or a witch-hunt. I’m running for President to lead Nigeria to prosperity and not adversity.

In reforming the economy, we will use savings that arise from blocking these leakages and the proceeds recovered from corruption to fund our party’s social investments programmes in education, health, and safety nets such as free school meals for children, emergency public works for unemployed youth and pensions for the elderly.

As a progressive party, we must reform our political economy to unleash the pent-up ingenuity and productivity of the Nigerian people thus freeing them from the curse of poverty. We will run a private sector-led economy but maintain an active role for government through strong regulatory oversight and deliberate interventions and incentives to diversify the base of our economy, strengthen productive sectors, improve the productive capacities of our people and create jobs for our teeming youths.

In short, we will run a functional economy driven by a worldview that sees growth not as an end by itself, but as a tool to create a society that works for all, rich and poor alike. On March 28, Nigeria has a decision to make. To vote for the continuity of failure or to elect progressive change. I believe the people will choose wisely.

In sum, I think that given its strategic importance, Nigeria can trigger a wave of democratic consolidation in Africa. But as a starting point we need to get this critical election right by ensuring that they go ahead, and depriving those who want to scuttle it the benefit of derailing our fledgling democracy. That way, we will all see democracy and democratic consolidation as tools for solving pressing problems in a sustainable way, not as ends in themselves.

Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition

Permit me to close this discussion on a personal note. I have heard and read references to me as a former dictator in many respected British newspapers including the well regarded Economist. Let me say without sounding defensive that dictatorship goes with military rule, though some might be less dictatorial than others. I take responsibility for whatever happened under my watch.

I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future. So before you is a former military ruler and a converted democrat who is ready to operate under democratic norms and is subjecting himself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time.

You may ask: why is he doing this? This is a question I ask myself all the time too. And here is my humble answer: because the work of making Nigeria great is not yet done, because I still believe that change is possible, this time through the ballot, and most importantly, because I still have the capacity and the passion to dream and work for a Nigeria that will be respected again in the comity of nations and that all Nigerians will be proud of.
I thank you for listening.

Ibos and Niger deltan militants protesting.

It's possible though i'm not unaware of dubious nigerians. I lived in UAE with my wife and you need to see my Abdullah,my son so light skinned for first 6 months but with time getting brown like us. one of the reason is bilirubin,is a skin condition that has to do with enviroment for newborn baby. When i sent my son pictures to my family backhome and my sister's visit for naming ceremony was like we don't have light skinned in our family,we're chocolate or brown skin like india arie.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Adamawa South Senatorial District, Silas Zwingina, has claimed that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, intends to send public office holders to jail if he emerges president.


Senator Jonathan Zwingina
Mr. Zwingina, therefore, urged his party members to work hard to ensure that Mr. Buhari fails in his bid to become president.

Speaking in Yola, the Adamawa state capital, Mr. Zwingina said “we have to stop Buhari and his plan to build more prisons to jail politicians.

“You know Buhari, he will send us to jail for between 200 to 300 years and it is the lucky ones among us that will get 50 years.

“As you know, there is no way you will hold office in Nigeria and go scot free if the authorities want to get you.

“Buhari is determined to send people to jail and even APC governors are not comfortable with him and that’s why many of them are not following his campaign team,” Mr. Zwingina alleged.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan is better than Mr. Buhari and needs to be returned to continue his transformation agenda.

“Let me tell you, that Jonathan is 1,000 times better than Buhari and that’s why people resolved to vote for our candidate, President Jonathan,” he said.

He also urged the people to elect the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Nuhu Ribadu as Governor and vote all other PDP candidates in the state.

In his remarks, Mr. Ribadu pleaded for the unity of PDP in the state if it must emerged victorious.

“If you vote me, I promise you that I will not betray you. I met just recently with Mr. President and he showed concern over the level of underdevelopment in Adamawa with the promise that Adamawa is among the states he will accord priority in terms of federal projects.

“In 2011 election, we gave the president 65 per cent and I promised him that this time around we will give him 80 per cent,” Mr. Ribadu said.

Fashola write their names down,after election we hold a Yoruba meeting. they are fools playing tribal games,they cannot win election in Lagos even if they all vote PDP. My sisters who are indigene never get her PVC too and other Yoruba,they re protesting and tagged themselves Non Indigenes or aborigines lol.

More facts appear to be emerging on the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that President Goodluck Jonathan gave pastors across the country N6bn to vote against the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), in the presidential election.

A Borno-based Pastor, Kallamu Musa-Dikwa, said on Thursday that the money that was given to pastors by the President was actually N7bn and not N6bn as alleged by Amaechi, who doubles as the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.

Amaechi had alleged that unnamed leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party paid N6bn to Christian clerics to campaign against Buhari and the APC.

The governor’s allegation caused a stir among the Christian clerics, with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Northern State Christian Elders Forum asking Amaechi to name the church leaders, who collected the huge bribe.

But Musa-Dikwa, who is the Executive Director of the Voice of Northern Christian Movement, told journalists in Kaduna on Thursday that the said money was channelled through the Christian Association of Nigeria.

He said the CAN got the said money(N7bn) on January 26, 2015 and disbursed N3m to each State Chairmen of the CAN across the country.

Musa-Dikwa, who was an Associate Pastor with the E. Y. N. Church, Farm Centre, Dikwa Road, Maiduguri, Borno State, under Rev. Emmanuel Kwajihe between 2002 and 2004, said the CAN had started threatening Christians in the state (Borno) that they must re-elect Jonathan in the rescheduled election.

He said, “It was N7bn that was given to the CAN leadership by President Goodluck Jonathan. They(CAN) later disbursed N3m to the State Chairmen of the CAN.

“The money was handed over to the CAN Leadership on 26th January, 2014.”

“Actually, President Jonathan is using CAN President, and it was the CAN President who collected the monies and shared N3m to the CAN executives in each state.

“And some Pentecostal Bishops also collected their share. Actually, the money is not N6bn, it is N7bn. This is what I know. One of the CAN officials from Abuja told me that they have collected the money. The corruption in CAN is terrible. They are corrupting the body of Christ because of money.

“They are now threatening Christians in Borno State that they will deal with anybody, who refuses to vote for Jonathan. And the CAN officials are now campaigning that if Buhari emerges President, he will Islamise Nigeria; and that Osinbajo collected monies from Islamic world; and that the same Osinbajo will resign soon after Buhari wins to give way for Tinubu to emerge Vice President.”

Musa-Dikwa named some high-profile clerics, who had benefitted from the controversial largesse to actualise the re-election bid of Jonathan.

Punch Newspaper

AKPABIO BEACH

ANOTHER TESTIMONY FOR GMB: Buhari once ordered me to dismiss 48 errant cadets in NDA, 32 of them Muslims –Gen. Paul Tarfa

February 14, 2015

Written by Tony AKOWE, Abuja

Former Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), General Paul Tarfa has said that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has never been a religious bigot, but a man committed to discipline.

He added that it is foolish for anyone to say that Buhari does not have school certificate.

Tarfa said in Abuja that most Nigerians who joined the army during the Nigerianisation of the Nigerian Army in the 1960s obtained their school certificates after becoming officers.

“I had the same Principal with General Buhari in person of Mr. West,” he said

Tarfa, who has lived a quiet life since he retired from the army, said: “I stand up here to say a few words about General Buhari because I am one of those who know him most.

“We met in 1963 as cadets and we shared one thing- discipline, punctuality and purposefulness.

“Like him, I heard erroneously that I am a fanatical Christian. I don’t know if I am, but I am a Christian to the letter.

“I remember that Buhari used to say that following the tenets of Islam does not make one a fanatic.

“If I read my bible before I sleep, does it make me a fanatical Christian?

“In addition to what has been said, I want to say that in 1984 when he was the head of state, I was posted to the Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps in Lagos from the Command and Staff College in Jaji. The Nigeria Defence Academy was on its way to becoming a degree awarding institution. I was in Lagos for only three months and there was a reshufflement and I was asked to go back to Kaduna.

“I reported to him that I had just come here and so, let me stay here. He said no, in the first place, your posting to the Ordinance Corps is wrong. I want you to go to the Defence Academy because I want our future officers to take after your character. So, I took my wife and family and returned to Kaduna.

“On my first week in the academy, I blew what we called the tattoo. Tattoo means blowing horn at 12 midnight or after to make sure you catch those who are not in their dormitory.

“Before then, Gen. Buhari had heard that our cadets were sleeping in surrounding villages. Some were going to Zaria to come back early in the morning, looking sleepy and not concentrating.

“When we blew the tattoo, everybody had to come out, even if you were sick and you had to be carried to the parade ground. When we counted, there were about 48 cadets absent that night. They were in the villages with prostitutes.

“I was with Prof. Ukpabi, who was then the Academy Provost. I said the number was too much for me to dismiss even though they were supposed to be dismissed.

“Out of the 48 errant cadets, about 32 were from the North, and out of these 32, the majority were from the far North. In other words, they were Muslim cadets.

“I flew to Lagos and met General Buhari and told him, ‘this is what you said we should do, bug look at the number.’

“Even though majority of them were Muslims, he said,’ dismiss them all.’ I told him that the number was too much and that if I did that, our Muslim brothers in Kaduna would kill me. He said, ‘They won’t. If these people become officers, they will not be good for us. There was no such thing as this during our time. We will not have half-baked officers, whether they are Christians or Muslims. If they are not good, it does not matter. So, dismiss them all.’

“When I came back, Prof, Ukpabi and I decided to dismiss the very bad ones and keep the good ones. That was how we restored discipline in the academy.

“What I am trying to say is this. where is the fanaticism here. He didn’t say because they were Muslims, we should leave them.

“This has been the character of General Buhari. If it is right, it is right.

“I am not trying to praise him, but to bring out the qualities in this man. A vote for General Buhari is a vote for change.

“People are thinking whether it is a do or die. To him, it is Nigeria first and not Buhari first. So, I believe a vote for Buhari is a vote for change; change for good.”

On Buhari’s educational qualification, he said: “Buhari’s principal was my principal. From their school, the principal, Mr. West was sent to our school.

“In those days when Nigeria was Nigerianising its military, many of the officers that you see today did not even have their school certificates until long after.

“When we were invited to go to Kaduna, we were given qualifying examination in English, Mathematics and General Knowledge, even before we took the school certificate exam. Some did not even wait to take their school certificates because vacancies were already waiting for them.

“It was after that qualifying exam that we were recruited into the army. By the time some had their school certificates, they had become officers.

“For example, Gen. Babangida never saw his school certificate until when he was head of state. I got my school certificate long after I became an officer.

“But there was officer cadet qualifying examination. About 240 of us sat for that exam in Kaduna”.
I would imbibed in my children to be truthful and honest. It stands you out.

I know Real Nigerians when i see them, Great,Sincere Compatriots who are not buying the clueless and corrupt Jonathan (PDP) antics. i wish we have more Nigerians who think like this and aware this is only country we have. And our biggest problem has been good leader who is selfless and not corrupt,courageous and de-tribalized. Jonathan has finished us as a Nation,making mockery of who we truly're. We need a leader who makes Nigeria a borderless country,bridges and roads from east to north, modern days tube trains from west to the south, across board economic development from bottom up. Who inspires us to grow as people(NIgerians) and believe in our collective destiny as people with common interests,that what is good for the Ibos,hausas-fulani is also good for the niger deltans and yorubas. i believe in my people as I shed tears writing this post,that we can be the greatest on eatrth in 10years with our resources across the land, our undying hope and handworking people. I lived in Abu Dhabi,UAE with my family,my wife and my child who both have US passport due to my wife American citizenship but sad when i traveled with my family due to my green Nigeria passport though they have Nigerian passport too but they used that only when we visit Nigeria. I want to see my country growing in strength economically and militarily because of our poplulation,growth is on our side by buying what we produced more than imported and militarily because nations envy us growing and successfully,that's been how nation successfully grow. i want to be proud of Nigeria as nation and hope of black race. i want to have confidence in the system that when i buy nobody can steal or take it away from me,when i invest my investment grows while i watch and when our people serve the system and become old wnen they cannot work anymore,their pensions are not stolen. A nation we can bequeath to our generations to come. when i visit the mall for groceries i saw products,fruits,vegetables that're tagged with their country,farmers are making more money from those countries with help of their leaders,i saw few african countries but not Nigeria who birthed in savannah,the greener- most part of africa. We truly don't need Jonathan i swear my people,we deserve a better leader like Shayk Zayed of UAE,an old man who shaped the future of his people,He put wealth in the hands of their people,paying the bset expats in the world to train their people,to construct the best bridges and roads across land. And make the best,quality education free for the locals from basics to ivy league universities in the world free for their people. Health insurance worth #10million each for the citizens,that re globally accepted. the system make available such for us too as an expats who live and work in their country. We have all it takes to be great,we deserve better leader,we should challenge our leaders on performance not his religion on where he comes from,after-all he is a Nigerian.

criminalmindz:

SECONDED

You all don't need to support APC by force,We,the committed APC supporters would vote for them. Be on your lane,vote for candidate of your choice. I know why I'm voting for Buhari and APC candidates, I have seen enough evidences why my family should not vote for PDP. I'm not blind and not deaf. when I read some born to suffer people's post, i wish i support their abortion.

redsun:


The time is at hand. Biafra will rise again for sure. Who is going to stop them? Book haram or nigetoan military sissies?

Even Chad can overrun Nigeria with ease at the moment and most of those so-called bokoharams are from that part of Africa. Chad- Niger.

Nigerian Armed forces would be strong again and we will deal with Boko haram and their sponsors,treat them like terrorists and other insurgents like Biafra incase they raise their head to cause trouble in Nigeria........Nigeria shall rise again,take her position among committee of great Nations.

It's a lie branded with Channelstv, these two media houses, Arise TV and This Day is owned by Nduka Obaigbena(PDP apologist). What's in the debate Economy,corruption and security. APC has always campaigned based on their manifestos in all venues on their plans. What would JONATHAN campaign on Economy($1-#215) and No Jobs, Corruption( Read Soludo open reply yesterday emphasized the deep corruption in Jonathan administration. On Security(we all know is corruption and incompetence). Are you telling me Jonathan can defend all these issues,No. Even a high school graduate wiould shame Jonathan on all ramifications. Let Jonathan go and debate alone with some of his fools who still pretend to deny the failures of Jonathan. When I listen or read some posts by some people, I wish I have supported abortion when they're born because they seems born to suffer or born for poverty.