Tuesday, November 26, 2013
G7 Governors Join APC
HOW NOT TO FIGHT CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA
“In sooth, I know not why I am so sad,” Antonio wonders at the outset of The Merchant of Venice. The scourge of corruption that is ravaging Nigeria makes good people like Sonala Olumhense so sad. He is not alone.
Of all contemporary Nigerian writers that I know, there is no one like Olumhense who doggedly and fastidiously prosecutes corruption face to face in his columns. He’s got that right.
Olumhense is a veritable ball of energy. He is animated when writing about corruption in Nigeria. He stresses in evangelical fashion, the interconnectedness of the multiple political, economic, and social consequences of corruption to the country and the impact on the citizens.
We can understand why Olumhense grow apocalyptic at times, overheated, and fueled by fury.
Corruption is our number enemy. Corruption is the new radioactive catastrophe – our Chernobyl – if you will, that is killing Nigeria and Nigerians and would ultimately wipe out the country and its 160 million dumb citizens.
In his article “Let Us Detonate This Grand Corruption Conspiracy (2)” published in SaharaReporters November 17, Olumhense’s fervor to rid Nigeria of corruption bubbles to the fore as evidenced in his carefully distilled and dispassionate suggested strategies in the article.
In the characteristic Olumhense style, he carefully and methodically builds his case step by step.
Olumhense’s manifesto on how to fight corruption in Nigeria reads like conjured magic with Hemingwayesque simplicity of prose. I say conjured magic because the strategies proffered are too democratic, too decent, too civilized, too constitutional, too logical, too commonsensical, and too alien, to Hobbesian Nigerian state – that’s the surest way on how not to “detonate this grand corruption conspiracy” in Nigeria!
Olumhense religiously submits that “The first task is to understand that Nigeria’s corruption oligarchy counts on the ignorance and cowardice of Nigerians to fuel the culture of impunity.” “The first task is to empower people and therefore embolden the people with information.” A people armed with the truth,” says Olumhense, “can never be defeated.”
I’ll like to remind Olumhense that the titans of the corruption conglomerate are extremely dexterous in distortion, manipulation, misinformation, disinformation, falsehood, and make believe. It’s no wonder Nigerians are trapped in moronic delusion in support of the illegalities of corruption.
The issue of corruption is a comedy of ethnic columns divided into neurotic acts and scenes of misery. For instance, if the culprit was Hausa man, the Hausas would shield the criminal with impregnable fort and instead charge his Yoruba or Igbo accusers of ethnic bias. The same goes for the other two groups.
Consider the following examples:
The so called Middle Belt Progressive Union came out swinging at critics of the embattled aviation minister, Stella Oduah. In the Sunday edition of This Day November 24, in a letter to President Jonathan signed by the union’s president and secretary Danladi Shaga and Shehu Maihula respectively, said “Most observers are not deceived by the hypocrisy of the on-going orchestrated and sustained mass media hysteria against Oduah. It is all hatchet job sponsored by parochial interest groups jealous and unhappy with you and your star ministers,” the group said.
The group then warned Mr. Jonathan of enemies within “working against your interests as moles; they are like the dangerous domestic rat that reveals to the wild rat that there is a piece of fish in the kitchen basket.” Not so long ago, a group of women also came out in full force protesting in support of Oduah.
The little known Abuja Market Women’s Association were up in arms deriding, insulting, and castigating ASUU for being on strike and threatened ASUU with October deadline to go back to work or else… These rented crowds feed the corrupt appetites of the enemies of the people and dwarf our hopes that Nigerians have what it takes to present a unified front and fight their common enemies.
Some brain pulverized youth demonstrated against the arrest of Governor Lamido’s two sons by the EFCC for embezzling millions of Naira.
Tell Ijaw confederacy that Mr. Jonathan is a corrupt man and rather than fight corruption he has in fact legalized and legitimized corruption and hear what they would say. The Asari Dokubos of the Ijaw Confederacy would confront you with “it’s our oil money and we can spend it as we like.” And with a clincher Dokubo will vow that “Nigeria will become history if Jonathan is not re-elected in 2015.”
The Peoples Anti-Corruption War (PAW) suggested by Olumhense will fade away as soon as it is formed. The various governments and their looting surrogates will inoculate or better still, castrate PAW members with tempting and irresistible bundles of Naira in Ghana Must Go. Similarly, the Civil Society Anti-corruption crusaders are also at risk of being bought and burn.
The compilation of database of phone numbers of legislators as advised by Olumhense will be 419 numbers. It’s like building a bridge to nowhere! Nigerians are too conniving, too religious, and too sympathetic to serve as reliable whistle blowers and dependable informants that will give away the phone numbers of NASS or state assembly members. Bear in mind that most of the legislators are members of the same church with their staff. In some cases, the legislators are their pastors. Armed with the Biblical injunction “do my prophet no harm,” these religion charlatans would refuse to turn in the real phone numbers.
Forget about Citizens United Against Corruption. We don’t have such committed and loyal citizens that will “Encourage,” “Suggest,” “Assist,” and “Volunteer” to report the thieves to any of the civil society campaigners. Our citizens are not equipped consciously, psychologically, radically, democratically, and resolutely “to ask harder questions of other officials, elected or appointed…” Likewise, they’re too timid, too cowed, and too subservient “to pile unprecedented pressure on their representatives that will translate into law and improve governance.”
Olumhense solicits the support of the telecommunications companies in Nigeria in the fight against corruption. Well, the telecommunications companies are allies and accessories that put finishing touches that complete the fraudulent transactions of the thieves in Abuja, Aso Rock, and in other parts of the country. They are partners in crime. As we all know, the companies are owned by the ruling thieves but fronted by their boys. Then the pertinent question is: How can Beelzebub cast out Beelzebub?
Asking political parties to fight corruption in Nigeria is like asking President Jonathan to declare his assets.
The enlistment of political parties in the war against corruption as proposed by Olumhense is a political nonstarter. The political parties are the architects of corruption in the country. The parties are the same, the only difference is in name. None of the parties in my view presents a credible alternative in the fight against corruption. They are anti-people, anti-democracy, anti-development, anti-transparency, and anti-accountability.
Take a look at the personal estates, fortunes, and other largesse of the party leaders, then you’ll understand what I’m talking about. When it comes to choosing a political party that fights for the oppressed poor, Nigerians have no choice really. They are faced with a choice between Satan and Lucifer!
Olumhense calls for Anti-Corruption Campaigners to “unite and establish a genuine annual National Honours scheme, perhaps to be called Nigeria People’s Heroes, to restore meaning to the concept of honour.” In my view, this would not discourage corruption. Remember, this is Nigeria where things work in the reverse and where everything is corrupt or prone to corruption.
What becomes of the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) merit honor of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)? A professional status considered as independent indication of professional excellence of value has been politicized, punctuated, and inundated with the Nigerian factor. We now have many SANs more than the membership of NBA. Literally, every lawyer in Nigeria now walks around with the SAN title on his or her forehead.
Nigerians in the diaspora are very politically disabled, fractured, polarized, and disunited due to suspicion, petty jealousies, ethnic rivalry, and personal ambition. They don’t speak with one voice, they lack focus, organization, and are consumed, constricted, and cocooned in their narrow hermetic cells. Like Nigerians at home, they see the war on corruption as “we versus them” and “they versus us.”
Take a tour on Facebook and see the jaundiced, colored, and mangled pedestrian views expressed by Nigerians in Diaspora on corruption. Usually and as expected, the debate is full of ethnic bias, pride and prejudice. Sorry, they can’t be of any help in fighting corruption back home!
Now what’s to be done? Well, the answer is simple: I believe a revolutionary movement with nostalgic vision of “house cleaning” of Jerry John Rawlings by the masses (military not invited!) whereby the enemies of the people – the fat cows of Corruption Inc., are purged in a bloodbath. Once the traitors have been successfully eliminated, then we could apply Thomas Sankara style of people’s revolutionary tribunals to try minor agents and appendages of the corruption conglomerate.
Written By Bayo Oluwasanmi
byolu@aol.com
Dualization of Ikare – Akoko Township Road to begin soon
Olusegun Mimiko explained that all essential survey activities have been carried out on the project, adding that the road work would be awarded to a competent contractor who will execute the project to the satisfaction of the State Government and the people of Ikare community.
While saying that the ever busy town of Ikare would soon wear an attractive look, the Governor assured that the dreaded hills which usually cause accidents at the very entrance of the town will be completely demolished to allow smooth movement for every type of vehicle into the town.
According to him, the State Government has been waiting for the raining season to give way for the project to be executed without hindrance to the contractors who are to carry out the work. Mimiko earlier, visited the newly rehabilitated Awara Water Supply Scheme at Ikare where he assured that the water project would be commissioned before the end of the dry season.
The Governor stressed the importance of potable water supply both for industrial and domestic uses, assuring that his administration would continue to prioritise on the development of infrastructures in all parts of Ondo State. On his administration’s dedication to over a billion naira water project, he pointed out that some maintenance services would be carried out on the pipes which are to supply water to some communities in Ikare suburbs.
While expressing satisfaction with the level of work done at the water project site, Mimiko called on the people of Ikare community to ensure security for facilities to avoid vandalisation by hoodlums.
He described the Awara Water Supply Scheme as an initiative of the government of the defunct Western Region dating to 1956, saying the project became moribund and the present administration has resuscitated it to facilitate potable water supply to Ikare and immediate communities.
“The Water project which will produce 6.7 litres of water per day, quoting Kole Funso – the Managing Director of the Company which is handling the project, will also supply water to about three major communities across Ikare of Akoko North-East Local Government, Akungba in Akoko South-West and Arigidi in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of the State,” the Governor indicated.
The Olukare of Ikare-Akoko, Akadiri Saliu Momoh in his speech expressed gratitude to the Governor of Ondo State, stating that he is a man who has great passion to develop the people and communities in the State. He mentioned that the rehabilitation of the Awara Water Supply Scheme will fetch great relief to the people of Ikare and its environs who always encounter water supply shortages mostly during the dry season.
While expressing the appreciation of his people to the Government of Ondo State on the different developmental programmes in his community as well as other communities in the State, the Olukare assured that Ikare community will never forget the development brought to the town by the present administration during his reign as Oba.
100m Nigerian Destitute Facts:
A Jet And Bulletproof Bloated Government In Total Disconnect
Nigeria’s president just “debunked” this via his Chief Economic adviser, Dr Nwanze Okidigbe. Please let’s review.
Firstly, it is important to appreciate that the World Bank did not reveal any new figures. This has been the recognized poverty level in Nigeria since 2010 at least.
National Bureau of statistics (NBS), BBC, 13 February 2012: Poverty has risen in Nigeria, with almost 100 million people living on less than a $1 (£0.63) a day, despite economic growth, statistics have shown. 60.9% of Nigerians in 2010 were living in "absolute poverty" - this figure had risen from 54.7% in 2004.
February NBS report for 2011, Vanguard: 112 million Nigerians are poor going by the economic situation in the country in 2011. While 100 million are in absolute poverty, 12.6 million are moderately poor. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/how-government-impoverished-nigerians-poverty-on-rampage/
As can be seen, Marie-Nelly’s statement on our destitution level is not revealing anything new; this year, National Bureau of Statistics again stated that about 112million Nigerians lived below the poverty line. And “that the population of Nigerians in poverty has increased considerably (In 2011). The figure represents about 67 per cent of the entire population.”
To confirm this, we implore the President and his Chief Economic adviser to go ask Dr. Yemi Kale, Nigeria’s Statistician general who heads the National Statistics Bureau whichc ollects these data from over 20 million Nigerian households, over the years. It is beneficial to highlight at this point, that these figures are not evenly distributed, the landlocked north has higher rates, Sokoto with a highest of 86% destitute, while Southern States have some of the better rates which reduce the national average, with states like Anambra—the lowest—with 22% destitute.
What our government representative ignorantly jumbled up, and accused the World Bank of contradiction in, was the National poverty rate. This “rate” is very different from the well established nation’s figures for people living below the global poverty line (of $1.25/day).
Quoting World Bank, “National poverty rate is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line.” The poverty threshold, or national poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a given country. It is an insular figure which is set and varies by countries.
It was this comparative figure within Nigeria that did drop 2 points between 2004 and 2010. Once we understand that for this figure to drop, it can simply mean that Nigeria reduced the “deemed adequate” value or that overall Nigeria developed more poverty within the period, but what happened was a “curve” shift arising from more of the middle class moving to frank poverty. Such a shift will drop the national poverty rate while increasing the global poverty rank. The documented widening gap between the rich and poor substantiates such explanation. In any case, the national rate has nothing to do with the global poverty line.
It is frankly distressing to think that our Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Dr Nwanze Okidigbe and by representation, our President does not even know where we stand in the world poverty map, and discombobulated our national rates with this well recognized and tracked 60-70% poverty prevalence. So what figures have this government been using to address poverty in Nigeria? The 46%? If this is what our Chief Economic Adviser understands and utilizes, then it is clear why we are in such economic shambles! It appears this government exists in a self-blown up bubble.
Sadder yet, was the presentation Nigeria used to “counter” the figures referenced by the World Bank. Referring to loaves of bread and GSM phones serves only one purpose. Clearly, Nigerian leadership was not talking to the World Bank. They know that to talk to the World Bank, you quote standard statistical data. This presentation was a political statement to the Nigerian masses to convince or confuse us by elementary methods that the World Bank is “working for the opposition parties.”
On GSM lines, Dr Nwanze Okidigbe seemed to suggest that 112 million lines translated to 112 million people who can afford that comparatively expensive (when the Nigerian GSM extortive, oligopolistic service is compared to the world) technology. The reality we all know is that our inflated price mobile network service is so poor that most of us have 2 or 3 lines. This brings down the relevance of this 112m figure to less than 50m that own the total lines.
Secondly, owning a line costs a mere N200 and servicing it per month costs N100, N1200/year which is basically all many, especially those in the rural areas where poverty is most prevalent (with 80% living below the poverty line) do so as to manage limited use in receiving calls alone and sending occasional texts. N1200/year equals less than $7/year.
The forgotten rural population of Nigeria who suffer at the hands of government instituted taxes, subsidy-removal, planned road use taxes and other siphons are the worst hit, cheated and robbed from, by Nigeria’s successive rapacious administrations. This disenfranchised population which accounts for roughly half of the nation’s total (81 million), do not have a single benefit from our governments and are the most pitiful victims of the government and even of us proletariat and petty bourgeoisie, who do not fight to protect their right to welfare and prosperity.
And on the presidencies’ reference to loaves of bread; that’s just a big laugh. In the US, 50 million are destitute. Does this mean 50 million do not eat bread? Our deluded stupendously wealthy government is in such disconnect from the masses, it’s mortally gelastic.
Did he mention SURE-P? Funds that are milked from the poor to feed the cabal and that are largely missing, embezzled or poorly accounted for?
These days, Nigeria seems to always be highlighted in the news and for the same set of painful reasons. Last January, David Cameron mentioned Nigeria as the elucidative example, during his World economic forum speech, to highlight the problems of transparency and corruption in the world.
In the speech, Cameron said, “Last year Nigeria oil exports were worth almost a hundred billion dollars. That is more than the total net aid to the whole of sub Saharan Africa. So put simply: unleashing the natural resources in these countries dwarfs anything aid can achieve, and transparency is absolutely critical to that end. So we’re going to push for more transparency on who owns companies; on who’s buying up land and for what purpose; on how governments spend their money; on how gas, oil and mining companies operate; and on who is hiding stolen assets and how we recover and return them.”
The British Prime Minister followed up by referring to the topic today. He said, “Thirty years ago more than half of our planet lived on the equivalent of one dollar twenty five a day or less; today it’s not one half, it is one fifth.”
It is disheartening to realize that when the world is improving the living conditions of its people. When a predominance of more than half living below $1.25 has been cut around the world to one fifth, Nigeria is not one of the nations that celebrate human progress. We own almost 10% of the world’s poor. 70% of this nation lives below the poverty line, whereas the nation brags of having some of the world’s wealthiest men. Billionaires in dollars who made wealth off of the nations massive natural blessings by impoverishing the masses of the nation via government managed oligopolies and partnership with our governments, civilian and democratic to loot the wealth and resource of the people.
This is the law of compensation. It is unfortunate, but not surprising that the President and his team are oblivious to this reality. You cannot plunder the wealth and future of a people, and all drive armored cars and command private jets, and the people remain affluent. When you take, someone must give. When the government continues all types of elaborate schemes and scams, siphoning the oil wealth of the nation, enforcing exploitative monopolies for its private partner cabal friends on life’s essentials, imposing higher tariffs, levies and sanctions on the masses to squeeze out every last kobo into the paws of the cabal, the result is poverty.
At about 68% destitute level, Nigeria, a world top oil producer, and the nation with the highest paid Senators in the entire world, today has the fourth highest number of poor on the continent. Interactive map here:http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/SI.POV.DDAY
Our government and their coterie of elite vampires loot not just from our land, but from our pockets. They have made the nation too poor, too poor to react and they are counting on us soon becoming too poor to even think.
Yours Truly, Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something]
Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian
Fighter of Corruption in Nigeria Considers Next Steps
Nigeria: Switzerland Returns U.S.$1.7 Billion Looted Funds to Nigeria, Others
Nigeria to ditch polymer for paper banknotes
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
PDP CRISIS: Baraje resigns as board chairman of NRC
The Chairman of the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, tagged New PDP, Kawu Baraje, on yesterday resigned his position as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC.
Mr. Baraje, who was suspended from the ruling party alongside four others on Monday by the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee, NWC, tendered his resignation in a letter to the Federal Government, which he routed through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Pius Anyim.
He had been appointed to the position on May 22 in a letter with reference number SGF.19/S.81/XIV/430, but was inaugurated with other members of the Board on May 28.
Mr. Baraje, a former National Secretary and acting National Chairman of the PDP, said in the letter, which he also sent to the Minister of Transport, that he resigned because of the current crisis in the ruling party.
He stated that since the chairmanship of NRC was allotted to the party, the ongoing disagreement between some top members of the party would not allow him to continue in that position.
He asked the SGF to convey his intention to quit the position to the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, which he said he would remain loyal to.
Mr. Baraje and other senior members of the PDP had on August 31 walked out of the partys Special National Convention to form the New PDP.
Among those who joined him in the splinter group were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, seven governors, and some members of the National Assembly.
The governors are Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), and Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers).
The formation of the New PDP worsened the crisis in the ruling party, which has remained intractable despite various peace meeting conveyed to resolve it.
Mr. Barajes letter, which he personally signed, reads in part, I hasten to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, through your good office for the confidence he placed in my ability to have appointed me to such an exalted position as Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation.
His Excellency, Mr. President, will recall that this appointment came from his discretion in allotting some positions to our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, it is no longer news that there is an ongoing disagreement in principle between some top stakeholders of our party of which I am among on the one hand and the current leadership of the party on the other.
This quagmire has upturned my belief in the present leadership of our great party and has consequently made my continued stay as the Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation Governing Board uncomfortable.
Realizing that the position of the Nigeria Railway Corporation Chairmanship was allocated to the party and of which I am supposed to symbolize, I would appreciate if your good office could please convey to His Excellency, Mr. President, of my intention to relinquish this position with immediate effect because I can no longer represent the interest of the party whose leadership I no longer believe in.
While pledging his continued loyalty to the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Mr. Baraje said, I will like His Excellency, Mr. President, to please accept the assurances of my highest regard and consideration.
In a separate letter, dated November 12, to members of the Governing Board of the NRC, Mr. Baraje expressed gratitude to them for the supportive role they played as individuals and as a group in making his six months tenure successful.
He said he enjoyed their support, love and care within the period; adding that the Board succeeded in carrying out some positive changes in moving the rail transport in Nigeria forward.
No doubt, we have developed and maintained very cordial relationship amongst ourselves since we were sworn in as members of the NRC Governing Board on the 28th of May, 2013, he said. I must say that I have enjoyed your support, love and care within this short period of six months, May November, 2013.
He, however, told his colleagues that he was no longer interested in the job because of the crisis in the party.
This quagmire has upturned my belief in the current leadership of our great party, PDP, and has consequently made my continued stay as the Chairman of NRC Governing Board uncomfortable. I have therefore humbly turned in my letter of resignation to this effect immediately (copy attached.)
Mr. Baraje wished the members of the Governing Board continued success in the remaining tenure and assured them of his continued friendship and companionship, saying his door would always remain open.
Confirming Mr. Barajes resignation, the spokesperson of the New PDP, Chukwuemeka Eze, said he (Baraje) took the action to give room and time to manage the splinter group and avoid any insinuation or plot to use the appointment of his NRC Chairmanship to blackmail or embarrass him in future.
Mr. Eze said the struggle to emancipate and enthrone proper democracy in the polity remained a task that must be won.'
Monday, November 11, 2013
PDP CRISIS DEEPENS AS BARAJE,OYINLOLA & OTHERS SUSPENDED
Kawu Baraje
The crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took a new twist Monday as the national leadership slammed an indefinite suspension on its former National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and three other leaders of the New Peoples Democratic Party, nDPD, and ordered their investigation, for alleged anti-party activities.
Buhari presents 2021 Budget to National Assembly
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday , 8,October, 2020, formally tabled the Executive’s proposed budget for the 2021 fiscal year to a joint s...
-
On July 22, Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian right-wing extremist, planted two bombs near an Oslo government buildi...
-
Bola Bello, a 54-year-old Nigerian trader who was arrested for allegedly stealing an eight-month-old baby boy was on Thursday arraigned befo...