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Posted By: PETER M Posted On: Jun 16, 2010 Views: 765	Bankole spent N9bn in less than one year A group in the House of Representatives, Progressive-Minded Legislators, on Wednesday accused the Speaker, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, of authorising “spurious, vexatious and reckless expenditure” totalling N9bn in less than one year. “The House received the total sum of N11bn for 2008 and 2009 and expended a total of N9bn,” the PML alleged at a press conference at the National Assembly complex, Abuja. The group’s leader, Mr. Dino Melaye, said, “The majority of House members have no clue about the details of the expenditure purportedly made from this colossal sum. “The speaker authorised a spurious, vexatious and reckless expenditure profile at a time when there is so much economic hardship, massive unemployment and neglected infrastructure in the country.” But Bankole, through a statement from his office, asked Nigerians to “disregard this concerted attempt at all cost to disturb the peace and progress of the House.” The PML had last week given Bankole a seven-day ultimatum to resign on account of alleged corrupt practices or be “disgraced out of office.” As the ultimatum expired on Wednesday (yesterday), the group released photocopies of documents detailing alleged “fictitious” transactions conducted on the watch of the speaker since 2008. The press conference witnessed a little hitch as members of the PML and journalists were locked out of the hall intended to be used for the event. The locks to the hall (Room 0.19), designated as the ‘Press Centre’ of the House, were reportedly changed a few hours to the scheduled time of the conference by unknown persons. When Melaye and some of his colleagues arrived for the conference at about 2.08pm, they could not open the doors to the hall. This made Melaye to read the text of the conference at an open space within the ground floor of the House Wing (New Building) of the assembly complex. According to the group, among the controversial spending reportedly approved by Bankole and the Body of Principal Officers, is the money used to purchase four units of Range Rover (V8) SUVs; and three units of Mercedes Benz S-600 cars at N335.5m. The vehicles, which were bought on May 28, 2008, were for the use of the speaker and his deputy, Alhaji Usman Nafada. The group recalled that Bankole’s predecessor, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, approved N23m to purchase cars but was “publicly lampooned.” “We consider the amount of money approved on about six or seven cars as outrageous and should be condemned,” the group stated. It added that Bankole also approved the purchase of 400 units of 40-inch LCD Samsung television at N525,000 per unit. Part of the text reads, “The open market price for this (40-inch LCD Samsung television set ) is about N180,000 per unit; even if you mark up this sum by 25 per cent as allowed by the Bureau for Public Procurement and include 10 per cent for tax and Value Added Tax, the unit price will be N243,000. “The speaker authorised the purchase of the 400 units for N210m instead of N97.2m only. By this action, the speaker has occasioned a loss of the value of N112.80m by the national treasury.” The PML claimed that more worrisome was the discovery that none of the companies, which supplied the television sets, bid for them, a breach of the Public Procurement Act 2007 The documents released by the group named the companies which supplied the goods as Chiwarna Nigeria Limited (125 units); Joint Venture (25 units); Forte Nigeria Limited (50 units); Point View Resources (50 units); and Perfect Concept (50 units). The PML also alleged that Bankole approved the purchase of 400 units of Sharp Copier 5316 for N108m “instead of N86. 4m,” resulting in a loss of N21.6m to the national treasury. It said what this meant was that the House leadership paid N270,000 for the copier instead of N160,000 which is the “open market price.” The group claimed that a similar approval had been made for the procurement of 800 units of Desktop (HP Compaq dc 5700) at N330, 000 per unit as against N160,000 in the open market. It stated that from all indications, the same financial recklessness was extended to the other items on the list. “We hereby call on the EFCC and ICPC to comprehensively investigate the use of the capital funds of the House for 2008 and 2009 by Bankole and that he should resign forthwith in order not to obstruct the said investigation,” the group said. The PML argued that if a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, could resign over corruption allegation of “barely more than N100m”, then the Speaker’s case should not be an exception. Reacting through a statement, the speaker challenged the PML to direct its allegations to the anti-corruption agencies “instead of making it a media hype.” “If anybody is aggrieved about any transactions of the National Assembly, this should be directed to anti- corruption agencies instead of making it a media hype,.” he said. Bankole said that while the House leadership would not take issues with anybody bent on destabilising the House, it was pertinent to acquaint Nigerians with the true situation of things relating to the purchase of cars for principal officers. He explained that the leadership of the House had always been financially prudent, stressing that in order not to incur the heavy cost of procuring a bullet-proof car in 2008, it(House leadership) directly ordered Mercedes Benz S.600 (treated bullet proof car) at the rate of N52.8m instead of the quotations of between N82m and N105m from companies in Nigeria. The speaker added that one of the companies in Nigeria quoted N85m for the convoy jeep, but that he, in a bid to save cost, opted for a Peugeot 406 which led to a 40 per cent reduction in price. “Indeed, these purchases were in the 2008 budget which you know is a law. The cost of the car purchased, which are yet to be supplied, were all purchased at prices below what was contained in 2008 budget,” Bankole said in statement. The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, who also reacted to the PML’s claims, advised its members to forward their allegations to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission. Eyiboh, who said that the same lawmakers had been threatening to destabilise the House over personal interests, explained that “Award of contracts is beyond the purview of the speaker; it is undertaken by the Management of the National Assembly headed by the Clerk.” THIS IS PURE WICKEDNESS ANS MADNESS.EFCC,IF YOU DON'T ACT NOW,REMAIN LIKE THAT FOREVER.MOREVER,THIS IS A TRUE TEST FOR JONATHAN AND EFCC.GOD BLESS THAT GROUP
Posted By: Ben O Posted On: Jun 16, 2010 Views: 801	Stupid forum Jobless idoit write stupid things in this forum that use to be an interlectual forum. If they are not abusing the yorubas, it is the igbos that will be at the receiving end. The hausas are not ignored. Most of these idiot are far away in foreign land but want to cause trouble at home. If they so much beleive in social justice and need for change, let them come home and lead the crusade. When you read their articles, for those who can reason will surely no one person is writting with different names as his writting methods and use of english remains the same.
Posted By: Nicolo Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 887	execute them all why are we Nigerians commenting commenting but can not come out and stage mass protest against the leadership that is so currupt.can any you just sit down at home and write if your money is stolen?Nigeria wealths are looted daily ,scam here scam there,how all these billionaires aquire their wealths?any man who claim to serve in the government of nigeria comes out as a billionaire,hey ,,,even the preachers in nigeria can not advice their members who are politicains but willingly accept their gifts and ofering without questioning....the blood of those dying bcause of the lack of basic emenities are in the head of this looters they have not were to run.i wish we all can mobilize ourselves and fall the strenght of the looters in this country and execute them publicly and restart nigeria afresh.
Posted By: Kendo Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 902	SANMI SANMI, I will not condemn your write-up completely because it makes sense to an extent. Yes! I agree with you that serious problem is brewing in the polity. When the legendary Ghadafi made his candid comments on Nigeria, cynics got him wrong. An American political analyst equally made the same comments long before now. The events of today have proved both of them right. However, the event of the day is drawing us closer than expected to sing Biafran national Anthem. As a dreamer, I will continue dreaming until Biafra is free. The stalemate for Nigeria disintegration hinges on the bellow. 1. I do not see Goodluck Jonathan quitting office for a Northerner to take over. 2. I do not see the Northerners sleeping while Jonathan rules 3. I do not see the Igbos allowing a Northerner to take over after Jonathan’s tenure. As we do this wisely, no single human blood will flow. The worse we can get is every man to his tent. For Biafrans, we urgently need such result to start building our new nation. I am very sure that the Oduduwa republic is equally ready. They are waiting for the inevitable before announcing their stand. Forget about Jide’s rhetoric proclamations. Jide might be another product of a wayward Yoruba woman that mingled with a retired army officer from Sokoto state. Jide may not know the whereabouts of his biological father just as he insisted that OBJ is a product of a wayward Yoruba woman that mingled with an Igbo police officer. Whatever happens, the future is not promising under the current One Nigeria arrangements.
Posted By: Stanley O Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 947	RE:GOODLUCK JONATHAN FOR PRESIDENT SANMI what Nigerians need perhaps is change of mentality. Your write up was gentlemanly at first,then later slid into Taliban kind of threat. Animals in the jungle shed blood, and so because they are hungry. Why would you, apparently an educated man, threaten Nigerians with bloodbath should Jonathan continue in office beyond 2011? What does PDP constitution say, by the way? For the fact that Nigerians wish to jettison PDP arrangement is enough signal that the zoning arrangement has merely been condoned by the people. In a good environment, people's insistence on Jonathan(presido) continuing in office should have been instructive, especially to PDP members. And was it part of the zoning arrangement that when a president dies in office, the next president MUST be from the dead president's zone? This is Absurd, should that be the case. SANMI, many things are being tolerated in Nigeria. It appears that certain events can not stretch any more the limit of tolerance of the people. In that case, reason with the people. PDP could die as well, and no body would be talking of Zoning.
Posted By: SANMI Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 925	GOODLUCK JONATHAN FOR PRESIDENT Sincerely speaking, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan may turn out to be a leader and not a ruler, at the end of the day because to me, what we need in Nigeria is a leader and not a ruler like OBJ. My concern is this, if a father has two children and he (father) makes laws/rules to guide the house include the two children and the entire family and the laws/rules is accepted by all the family, because of the father's love for one of the children, he decides to bend the laws/rules for the sake or in favour of the child he loves most, what is going to happen when the child he doesn't like breaks that laws/ruels?. PDP like every other political parties all over the world has a constitution and in that constitution, its says that power shall rotate among the three geo-political zones. Every Nigerian knows about this and no body ever goes against or complained that it was repugnant to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Ogbulafor raised alarm because he knew the danger in Goodlukcy Jonathan contesting 2011 presidential election; if the north rules for eight years it will definitly be the turn of the south, no doubt, it would be the turn of the South-East (Igbo). If Goodluck Jonathan should rules from 2011 to 2018, where would the power go after him? will the north accept or will the east waite for another eight years, totalling sixteen years?. I trust my Yoruba people (always calm), they will surely "siddon look". It is then Nigerians would realise that you don't bend laws/rules becuase of some you love. I can bet mylife, heads will roll and many blood will surely be shed. "Operation Clear the Way for Jonathan" is really at work. I pray and hope that Almighty God will keep all of us alife till and beyond 2018 (Amen)
Posted By: ponsak Gideon Nimchak Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 888	jonathan should continue president Goodluck jonathan should continue where his boss left.The issue of rotational presidency is merely agrand design of some self seeking northen elites and not the opinion of the masses.
Posted By: Abayomi Akinsoto Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 829	Continuation 2011 TO my own view fellow nigerians i will like the Mr president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contjnue to rule the country in the next admnistration because i see him as my of intelingent that can simply understand the problem of our nation if he can follow the footstep of the former president Yaradua and if he will not allow anybody to teach him what to do i think he can take us to promise land.
Posted By: KALAKUTA Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 807	RARE HAUSA CANDOUR The elite in Northern Nigeria have created an artificial social circle made up of a narrow clique of extremely wealthy people. These people owe their wealth primarily to having held one public office or another. They own no factories, farms or any visible business. They contribute nothing to alleviate the abject poverty stifling the region's vast 'unwashed masses'. The catch, however, is that the social class they have created is essentially artificial and lacks the attributes needed for dynamism and growth. It can therefore only breed inwards. Because they have basically refused to educate the masses of people in the region, social mobility is, at best, turgid. Integration is difficult. And since the elite represent only a tiny proportion of the region's people, they have fewer and fewer marriage partners to choose from. This, in part, explains why some of the most desirable brides in Nigeria have ended up as second and third wives. They have to remain in the circle. Polygamy is part and parcel of our culture. Its merit or demerit is not the focus of this piece. It can be argued that some of the marriages described was forced or contrived. But one is forced to ask: where are the bachelors and young men who would normally be expected to woo these brides? In what setting did those recycled old men meet their brides and at what cost to the public were those marriage knots tied? Indeed, what is happening to family and social life especially in the North? In the Southern states, access to education has significantly leveraged class barriers and given people from working class backgrounds the opportunity to actualize their potentials and move up the social ladder. Conversely, the elite in the North have denied access to education and other opportunities to the vast majority of people in the region. They prefer to siphon funds meant for public schools to educate their children in the best schools in the UK, US and, more recently, Malaysia, Cyprus, Ghana and South Africa. Mass ignorance means that they cannot be challenged. This policy has created a cream of super-rich elite on one hand and mountains of poor masses on the other. Like oil and water, they do not mix - not in schools, not in offices and not in any social environment where young people meet and develop successful relationships. In which circumstance would a half-literate cobbler meet the London-educated daughter of a governor, minister or permanent secretary, and what would they have in common? Or, in reverse, under what circumstances would the US-educated, polo-playing son of a senator or emir meet the illiterate daughter of a gateman when she is busy hawking kunun zaki to labourers? The social divide is better imagined The inevitable consequence has been the creation of two artificial social sets: Artificial, because the wealth of the elite is almost always looted from the public treasury. Artificial, because a fraction of that money would be enough to educate the poor and unleash their potentials. The irony is that the elite benefited from the honesty, dedication and foresight of others. The same schools and institutions that trained and nurtured them are the same they have systematically destroyed without any iota of guilt. The repercussions of this artificial social divide are far-reaching. The growing problems of illiteracy, poverty and unemployment among the masses are a challenge to political stability and cohesion. This, in turn, is a threat to the status quo, and a sign that the elite class may soon implode. Already, the signs are visible: having created a band of narrow elite with little chance for social integration, is it any surprise that they are running into difficulties finding potential suitors for their pretty daughters? Is it any surprise that many of these ladies, unable to find acceptable suitors, have taken to drug abuse? The greatness and dynamism of America today is predicated on its acceptance of people from all corners of the world. It has trained and polished these people and given them the chance to excel. Ask President Obama. The elite in the North must view issues from this context. The solutions to these challenges do not require a celestial journey. It is right within reach: educate the masses and unleash their innate potentials. Then, perhaps, the son of the gateman that is viewed with disdain today may become the educated, well-groomed dashing knight in shinning armour of tomorrow who may come to marry oga's daughter and rescue her from drug addiction. Even the shiniest and best-cut diamonds were hewn from rough stones. That is the way of the world. The artificial social cliques the elite in the North have created will implode if it continues its present course. There is anger in the land. - Khalid Ahmed, Kaduna Culled from leadership newspaper
Posted By: PHILIPS MOSES Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 814	SHOULD DR. JONATHAN CONTES GOOD DAY FELLOW NIGERIANS! MAY I POINT THE FACT THAT, DR. EBELE GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS NOT RULLING NIGERIANS TODAY BASED ON HIS ETHNIC GROUP, BUT BASED ON THE FACT THE COLD HANDS OF DEATH TOOK FORMER PRESIDENT MUSA YAR ADUA AWAY. IF YAR ADUA COULD HAVE BEING ALIVE TODAY, WHO AND WHY ON EARTH COULD DR. JONATHAN EVER THINK OF BEING A PRESIDENT? WAS HIS DEATH MANDATED BY DR. JONATHAN? WHICH OTHER COMPETENT NIGERIAN CAN TAKE THE SAID POSITION OF A NIGERIAN PRESIDENT FOR NOW AND IN A VERY DIASY SITUATION LIKE THIS OTHER THAN DR. JONATHAN? THIS IS A FOOD FOR THOUGHT TODAY! LET'S FACE THE TRUE FACT AND ALLOW A VERY YOUNG AND REPUTABLE PERSONALITY OF DR. JONATHAN TO TRY THIS MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP FOR ATLEST 4YRS AND LET HIS DOINGS WITHIN THIS FOUR YEARS TENURE BE HIS EVIDENCE. IF HE FAILS, WE CAN THEN START A NEW REVOLUTION. HOWEVER, I STRONGLY BELIVE THAT IF HE (DR. JONATHAN) IS GIVEN THIS MANDATE, HE WILL LIVE UP TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMON NIGERIANS BOTH HOME AND ABROAD. LETS JOIN HANDS A MAKE THIS NATION WORTH LIVING IN. LET'S FORGET THE ISSUE OF PDP ZONING, AS IT WAS GOD/ALLAH THAT MADE THIS ZONING ISSUE TO COLLASPE AFTER THE DEATH OF FORMER ORESIDENT YAR ADUA. THIS IS MY COMMENT FOR TODAY.
Posted By: Ezinwanne Posted On: Jun 15, 2010 Views: 805	The real threat to "One Nigeria" Jide Afolabi, Passy and others who wouldn't want to appraise Nigeria realistically... Read below to know who is the real threat to your "One Nigeria." Those who call for Nigeria's dissolution are doing Nigeria a favour. Ideally they serve to keep the authorities on their toes. If those in authority are sane, they should evaluate the issues raised by the secession agitators and holistically address these issues. But alas, they won't. Why would they when they are busy looting our common patrimony. All hail the NASS. Read below an excerpt from The Independent Senators Grumble Over Ekweremadu, Mark's N400m Quarterly Allowance By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi , Assistant Editor, Abuja Senators are grumbling afresh over the allocation of N1,024,000,000 allowance to their 10 principal officers, known collectively as the Senate leadership. There is a wide disparity between the take home allowance of the leadership and the rank and file. In 2007, the Chamber jacked up the allowance of each Senator from about N16 million earned from 2003 to the present N45 million they now enjoy. But investigation at the National Assembly (NASS) showed that whereas Senate President David Mark is believed to collect N140 million per quarter, he actually gets N250 million. Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, thought to be getting N80 million each quarter, in reality rakes in about N150 million. The remaining eight principal officers get N78 million each per quarter, instead of N55 million said to have been agreed at the beginning of the current Sixth NASS in 2007. The eight principal officers are Majority Leader Teslim Folarin; Chief Whip Mahmud Bello; Deputy Majority Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba; and Deputy Chief Whip, Mohammed Mana. Others are Minority Leader Mana Lawan; Deputy Minority Leader Olorunnimbe Mamora; Minority Whip Ahmad Sani and Deputy Minority Whip, Kabiru Gaya. The Senate has also budgeted N5.063 billion for local and international travels and transport this year. It allocated N2,605,000,000 for local travel and transport, and N2,458,000,000 for foreign travel and transport. In addition, N1,259,000 is for security vote (including operations), and N2,289,733,617 for contingency. Another N750 million is for the purchase of guest houses for Mark and Ekweremadu. Some N500 million is allocated for the establishment of a television/radio station for the Senate. Senate Spokesman Ayogu Eze could not be reached for comment on Monday, as calls to his three mobile lines did not go through. It had emerged at the weekend that Senators are demanding from the leadership more than 100 per cent increase in quarterly allowance to finance their re-election. They want it raised from the present N48 million to N95 million. While Senators are expected to collect N48 million every quarter, the actual amount paid to them is N45 million. “There’s nothing like N48 million. Our allowance is only N45 million,” confirmed a Senator who did not want to be named. The demand for N95 million, a mere N5 million shave off the initial N100 million sought in the first quarter of 2010, was circulated in a text message from a Northern Senator. He justified it by saying, “This is an election year” and insisted the Senate can afford the increase as there are “enough paddings in the budget” to effect it. But the Senate leadership reportedly ignored the request on the basis that, “This economy cannot sustain that kind of demand.” Data at the Revenue Mobilisaion Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) showed that each Senator gets an annual basic salary of N2,484,242.50. Current built-in allowances are accommodation (200 per cent of basic annual salary), vehicle maintenance (75 per cent), and entertainment (30 per cent), and utility (30 per cent). Others are personal assistant (25 per cent), wardrobe (25 per cent), domestic staff (75 per cent), recess (10 per cent), newspapers (15 per cent), and constituency (250 per cent). They also include furniture (300 per cent, payable only once in tenure), vehicle loan (400 per cent, repayable in six years), and gratuity (300 per cent). Each Senator is, therefore, entitled to a gross annual salary of N22,606,606.75. The agitators backed down but when the quest to convert N15.1 billion capital vote to cash came up in the House of Representatives, some Senators renewed the demand in the Upper Chamber. Some told the Senate leadership to “convert our own capital vote for the current fiscal year to cash. This is an election year. We need cash back home for the primaries.” But other Senators argued that, “The fiscal year is already winding down, any capital project for this year can be carried over to 2011, after all, there’s nothing much that can be done in terms of any capital project for this year again.” The Senate leadership stood its ground. However, it has allocated N500 million to buy vehicles for Mark and Ekweremadu, eight other principal officers, as well as buses for staff and departments. Another N250 million is voted to renovate and furnish the official residences of Mark and Ekweremadu.
Posted By: ONYENEMEREM THOMPSON NNADOZIE Posted On: Jun 14, 2010 Views: 870	Mr. President to Continue Good morning my fellow citizens of Nigeria. I humbly write this to all that Mr. president should continue from my views. As we all have withness the current dynamic changeings in this great country Nigeria; both in the reduction of petrolum price, power sector mention but a few.i believe that given him the mandate to continue, he will do more. Lets forget about so-called "Zoneing" because it won't lead us to anywhere. All we need is person who will look after the affairs of every citizen; both social, political, & economical which he is doing.thanks
Posted By: maggi ohaeri Posted On: Jun 13, 2010 Views: 997	student please the student of this country need help house of rep should look into matter.
Posted By: Somadina Chukwuani Posted On: Jun 13, 2010 Views: 999	PASSY. Re-BIAFRA Passy should tell "his" fellow Igbo men as claimed one reason why Biafra is forgotten issue. He should tell this forum which Nigerian leader was actually held accountable on his service to Nigerian nation if not on political vendetta. For over 40yrs Nigeria and her leaders could not boast of the simplest virtue in life TO ALWAYS TAKE AND LOOK AT WHAT BELONGS TO ONE, rather they steal and loot for their generation yet unborn. You Passy, must be very myopic if u had claimed that you have traveled to different countries, this is because there is/should not be iota of semblance to human sanity in those countries to compare with the JUNGLE called Nigeria. Then why do you condemned the search for our PROMISE LAND, YES THEY SHOULD LEAVE US ALONE AND SEE IF SHAME WILL NOT COVER YET THEIR GENERATION UNBORN. The handwriting is clear, JOSEPH WAS DELAYED BUT NOT DENIED. Please dont join us Biafrans with your myriads of repeated solutions to your useless problems in your so called great country. Solve your problem Passy and your day dreamers of great Nigeria. OURS IS CLEAR IN OUR MIND AND ONE THING WE KNOW AND ASK FROM GOD--------BIAFRA FREEDOM SO THAT THE SUN WOULD RISE AGAIN ON THE CHILDREN OF GOD. WE are not ruled by MOON AND STAR THAT DEPICTS NIGHT AND DARKNESS, SO GOODNIGHT TO YOU PASSY AND YOUR NIGERIA AS THE SUN IS SET TO RISE.
Posted By: Stanley O Posted On: Jun 13, 2010 Views: 945	James Buka I am not Chief Dim ChukwuEmeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who rightly said that Awolowo was the best president Nigeria never had. Igbos understood him, but others didn't. People from his state... they have changed garment overnight to rally support for Dimeji. Think about that a little. The Chameleons...

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