SMEARS AND REBUTTALS-THE COLLECTIONS OF SMEARS AGAINST BUHARI.
BUHARI'S HANDSHAKE AND HANDCUFF by Obinna Okoro (Notes) on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 4:28am
Obasanjo never hid his disgust for General Sani Abacha who had jailed him for a “phantom coup”. Released from jail and still wallowing in a fit of new found spirituality, he wrote a book and called it “The Animal Called Man”. And he elected to wage a battle on this “Animal Called Man”. While taking his oath of office at the Eagle Square on 27th May, 1999, he had pledged to wrestle corruption out of our national psyche. In a fit of mediaeval triumphalism, he chanted: “there will be no sacred cows!” But his first attack was a disaster.
No sooner had he made that declaration than he dispatched Mallam Haroun Adamu to the headquarters of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), an intervention agency run by General Muhammadu Buhari, to start the war on corruption. Haroun Adamu’s public brief was to wind down PTF but the hidden one was to disgrace General Buhari by exposing the “shady deals” in PTF. Contractors working for PTF were used to picking their cheques across the counter without much ado. Under the new inquisitor, contractors discovered they now had to oil their cheques out, something alien to the PTF they knew. They cried foul. And there were several other fouls after the first foul. To say that Obasanjo was thoroughly embarrassed by his minions would be an understatement, so much so that till date he does not discuss PTF in public.
As a General, it would appear that Obasanjo read Sun Tzu’ s “The Art of War” upside down. Sun Tzu had counselled: “Know thyself; know thy enemy. You will fight a thousand battles without defeat.” The blitzkrieg he deployed only showed he did not know PTF. He might not have needed to fire a shot to win or wean PTF. To date, most Nigerians knew how PTF started, what it did but not how it ended. Not known as one who forgives, was it not surprising that General Buhari walked the streets with his head high throughout Obasanjo’s imperial majesty when the fear of EFCC was the beginning of political wisdom?
In October 1994, General Sani Abacha increased the pump price of petrol from N3.25k to N11.00 per litre. Nigerians assailed him with criticisms for this unpopular move and to assuage their feelings, he quickly established the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund to use a portion of the proceeds of the increase to intervene in critical sectors of the economy. Nigerians never took Abacha seriously on this project until Gen Muhammadu Buhari was announced and inaugurated the chairman of the PTF in March 1995. That PTF awarded contracts worth billions of naira is not news. The news the PTF made within the four years it existed was and still is that contracts awarded were executed to their logical conclusion and for those not executed, the PTF got every kobo back.
Before PTF, contractors were used to abandoning contracts and bolting away with their advance payments. It never happened in PTF. When Buhari visited the Onitsha end of the Enugu-Onitsha express way awarded to a local contractor and discovered the job was abandoned, he simply called on the bank that guaranteed the contractor to pay back. There and then, the contract was terminated and later awarded to another contractor. From that moment, banks and insurance companies that provided bonds to contractors learnt that the old order had changed and had to monitor projects it guaranteed. For the years it existed, PTF published its annual reports and always addressed press conferences to respond to issues arising from the reports.
And each time it did, it challenged anybody who could deliver on any of its projects at a price cheaper than what it cost the PTF to submit his proposal. Nobody ever did. In one of the presentations of its annual report, the Executive Secretary of the Board of the PTF, Chief Tayo Akpata, maintained that the roads constructed by the PTF not only cost less than World Bank funded roads but were also better qualitatively. He challenged anyone to prove the contrary. Until the PTF was scrapped, nobody did. While the PTF existed, contractors never needed to lobby and grease palms to get LPO’s. You only needed to belong to the appropriate group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and other professional groups to qualify.
Not a few contractors received requests to supply the PTF in the comfort of their offices. It was so unbelievably true that some had to travel to Abuja to reconfirm if the LPO’s they received were genuine. And genuine they were. To be paid for a completed contract, all the contractor needed was to present a certificate of completion issued by the ubiquitous consultants engaged by the PTF and his cheque would be prepared. And with a proper letter of introduction, a contractor could send a third party to pick his check across a counter in the Finance Department without any ceremony. Picking a cheque then was just like walking into a bank to withdraw cash across the counter.
As staff of Set and Sell Communications Ltd and later Media Trust Ltd, I personally picked several cheques on behalf of these firms. The challenge the finance department of the PTF faced then was getting contractors to come and pick their cheques which would pile up for months as a good number never knew it was so simple. One cannot also forget in a hurry the PTF drug revolving scheme. Under this, the PTF set up offices in hospitals across the country and supplied them with drugs. The financial consultants employed by the Fund ensured that receipts from the sales of the drugs were used to replenish the stocks in an unending cycle that banished out-of-stock anthem the Nigerian public were forced to listen to before then.
And it was not easy to divert PTF drugs to the parallel market. The smallest tablet supplied had PTF logo engraved on it. Somebody attempted diverting the drugs and was caught. General Buhari took up the case personally and ensured the culprit went to jail. After that, nobody heard of diversions again. The strategy of the PTF in procuring these drugs is worth reviewing. Over 60% of the drugs supplied to the PTF were locally produced. In fact, the PTF only imported drugs that could not be produced by the local pharmaceutical firms. The pressure on the existing pharmaceutical companies was so much that almost all these firms had to increase their capacity by expanding and employing more hands. Neimeth Pharmaceuticals, Emzor Pharmaceuticals among others can be contacted to affirm or disprove this.
This policy was deliberately made to ensure that more jobs were created within the economy. Builders who built for PTF would also tell you that they were not allowed to import paints. There was a list of all the paint manufacturers in the country maintained at the PTF from which builders bought paints. Within the same period, the capacity utilisation in these companies soared as they expanded and created more jobs. A look at the records kept by IPWA plc and other existing paint makers within the period under review is worth attempting to digest the profundity of the PTF intervention in the building sector; and other sectors it intervened in as its model was so overarching that critics labelled it “the alternative government”.
This column is not enough to put in a proper perspective the job General Buhari undertook and did while in PTF but it suffices through this glimpse to understand the mindset and the strategy of this maelstrom which the ruling elite hate for his forthrightness - a quality in short supply in governance today. One can cite the number of roads and hospitals rehabilitated by the PTF. One can also quote the billions it spent. The essence of the PTF, however, lies more in the multiplier effect its intervention had on the economy as a whole than in the number of what it did, which on its own was equally impressive. This distinction is what differentiates growth from development. While the former is quantitative, the latter is qualitative.
As a political economist, I know that the economic development of any third world country lies in qualitative transformation. Before the coming of PTF, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida had introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which he had claimed had no alternative. The revered economist, Professor Sam Aluko, had also reminded him that economics was a science of alternatives; that even death had an alternative which was life and that SAP was a kiss of death. IBB was to acknowledge the failure of SAP when out of frustration around 1991, he exclaimed that “the Nigerian economy had defied all known economic theories and was surprised that the economy had not collapsed”. The economy did not collapse.
The PTF intervention ensured it did not. This was the lesson OBJ failed to grasp when he dissolved the Fund with executive fiat in 1999. As at 1997, funds available to the PTF was about N115 billion and Nigerians could point at projects the fund was expended on. A decade after PTF, the governments from OBJ’s to date had spent much more than that in the power sector alone and have not been able to generate even a megawatt more of electricity. Managing public funds is serious business. General Muhammadu Buhari was fond of telling contractors on visit to sites: “If you perform well, you get a handshake. If you perform badly, you get a handcuff”. This is the mantra we need at this historical juncture. The man that incarnates this mantra out of the available presidential candidates is General Muhammadu Buhari. There is also a lesson to be learnt from the day Buhari left PTF.
Obasanjo, on assumption of office, announced the setting up of the interim management committee led by Mallam Haroun Adamu to wind down PTF. The following day, Buhari addressed a press conference and invited the new management to immediately take over. He told Nigerians that everything the new management needed were in the records to which they would have unhindered access. He bid his staff farewell, descended the stairs, literally jumped into his four wheel drive that took him home to Daura. He never stepped into that premises again to this day. And he never fled the country to escape the EFCC.The likes of Obasanjo should go back to the military academy to understand “The Art of War” before going on another offensive.
On Nasir El-Rufai's wall (2012)
"Another friend on Facebook and seems to be a senior military officer, Shehu Tarfa, posted this as his status yesterday which I thought worthy of sharing....some information about my political leader General Muhammadu Buhari that I was not aware of....NasirD MAN GEN M BUHARI. Yesterday OBJ publicly told d world that GMB is an upright man. Not many ppl know that his 1st daughter is married to an Igbo man from Anambra. He exempted Christians from performing duty on Sundays.When his Muslim soldiers asked him to exempt them from duty on Friday, he told them the bible says Christians should rest on the 7th day, the Muslims should show him where the Koran says they should rest on Fridays.
As head of state he slashed d number of Muslim going on pilgrimage by 50%. His driver and cook for d past 10 yrs plus are Christians yet some uninformed Nigerians say he is a bigot. It is a pity that some ppl failed to understand that PDP deliberately capitalised on d gullibility of Nigerians to paint him black. This they did in order to keep their loot and ensure that he never gets d opportunity to send them to gaol.How many Nigerians would hold d appointment of gov, minister of petroleum, PTF chairman and head of state yet don’t own a house in Abuja? Luv him, hate him u cannot take his integrity away from him.Well done Gen Muhammad Buhari. U have stood d test of time and character with a swagger. It is time we kept d record straight. By Nasir El-Rufai
MIA's response:
Alhaji Nasir El- Rufai. I have been telling people who are demonising and making false statement about Buhari, (saying that he "hates Igbos") that his first daughter married to an Igbo man. I thank God that OBJ eventually speak out on this matter. However, I am very disappointed that he did not speak out sooner when the damage was done to the good reputation of Alhaji Buhari. Fact remains that there is no shred of evidence that Buhari will stoop so low as to involve or engaged in "ethnicism or religious fanatism". This false story is saturated by people who want us to continue to be distracted while they steal billions of Nigerian resources. It is documented that GEJ, the president of Nigeria says that "Boko Haram are in his government". It is also a documented fact that Azazi the security adviser to the president of Nigeria says that "PDP is responsible for Boko Haram".
We also have documents which clearly indicates that majority of the so called Boko Haram who were arrested are Christians and not Northerners. I feel we should try our best to call a spade a spade and allow the masses everlasting peace. But the peace will start when we all look at our individual tribe’s men and women whose majority are corrupt. And then start asking important questions about them and not on the few Nigerians we have left that were consistently on the side of the masses who are going through untold hardship.
And it is a known fact that Boko Haram precedes Buhari's interest in the presidency. This was supported when Major General Inameti Yellow-Duke said that ''The people who organized the boko haram did not do so to support Buhari.There is this north/south dichotomy. Even when they were voting in the 2011 election, statistics showed that most of the northern states voted Jonathan. even in Kano, Jonathan scored the required 25 percent. The only place Buhari had a of clout was Kano. Even in Katsina , they rigged him out. Boko haram is not a Buhari phenomenon. I want to believe that he himself does not want to make any comment about them, because anything he says will be held against him. When they started boko haram, Buhari was not going in for election against Obasanjo'' By Major General Inameti Yellow-DukeEx-Chief of Operations Nigeria Army"
Thanks to Sharon Faliya Cham for reminding Nigerians of the involvement of Christians in terrorist activities in the country in her article As The Church Slept.. The Trilogy serialized in Leadership Newspaper. We should all be cautious and think twice before we jump on each other’s neck. Now, let's read in the book of Sharon Faliya:
1- Hasan Ojudu and Samaila Yakubu all xtians; arrested with vehicle load of explosives and ammunition after shortly the attack on Deeper life Church in Gombe.
2- 8 COCIN members arrested with explosive devises at Miya Barkatai branch of the church.
3- Lydia Joseph arrested with explosive device in Bauchi
4- Emmanuel King arrested while disguised as a Muslim and attempting to bomb Redeemed Christian Church Yenogoa.
5- Madam Ruth attempted bombing ECWA Church in Kalarin area of Gombe.
6- Mr Alex Danladi involved in COCIN HQ bombing was lynched by worshipers. He was a church member disguised in military uniform.
7- Sunday Eze, Samuel Taiwo and 3 Ghanians were arrested with heavy weaponry in Ghana.
8- Monday Davou was arrested while planting IED at Maker weekly market at Riyom LG.
9- A group of robbers led by Evangelist Wale Adeluwas nabbed. They used to meet in the Church B4 operation.
10- Gary Hyde, the British in court for shipping 80000 guns and 32 million round of ammunition in the country.
11-the 4 Xtians arrested trying to bomb St Theresa Catholic Parish. Makurdi. For details and dates read leadership of Tuesday and Wednesday 5 and 6 June 2012.
And now John Odia believed to be the mastermind of Zaria two attacks. As much as i hate to talk about this issue, I find it difficult to keep mute when without proper investigation; people are unduly castigated and condemned! So help us God.
Once again, we thank Sharon Faliya Cham for reminding Nigerians of the involvement of Christians in terrorist activities in the country.
NOT ONLY MUSLIMS WERE INVOLVED IN BOMBINGS IN NIGERIA:
Pastor Mattew Kukar warning to Nigerians that Christians were involved in Bombing Churches in Nigeria:
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD (Ps 46:10): AN APPEAL TO NIGERIANS BY REVEREND MATTHEW HASSAH KUKAH
On the occasion of the Carol of Nine Lessons organized by NTA and Radio Nigeria on December 10th last year, I was invited to deliver the message. I chose to speak on the theme, Do Not Be Afraid as a means of encouraging our people against the backdrop of fear and frustration that was mounting at the time. Since then, it would seem that things have gotten progressively worse in our country. In the course of my reflections, I sought to encourage my fellow citizens not to be frightened by the events of the time. I insisted that despite these tragic and sad events and the situation of our country, we needed to conquer fear. I argued that the message of Christmas was a message about the good news of the birth of the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, (God-with us) and the Saviour of the world. Against the backdrop of other developments in the country at that time, I concluded by calling on the federal government not to carry through its plans for the removal of fuel subsidy.
Since then, things have gradually snowballed well beyond what one had either feared or hoped. On Christmas day, a bomb exploded at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, in Niger State, killing over thirty people and wounding a significant number of other innocent citizens who had come to worship their God as the first part of their Christmas celebrations. Barely two days later, we heard of the tragic and mindless killings within a community in Ebonyi State in which over sixty people lost their lives with properties worth millions of naira destroyed and hundreds of families displaced. In the midst of all this, on New Year’s Day, the President announced the withdrawal of fuel subsidy and threw an already angry and frustrated nation into convulsion.
Right now, I feel that perhaps like the friends of Job (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar), who came to visit their sick friend and found the burden beyond comprehension, we find ourselves in the same situation. For, as we know, when they came and found Job in his condition, they spent seven days and seven nights, and uttered not a word (Job 2:13). Right now, no one can claim a full understanding of the state we are in. However, even if we cannot understand the issues of the moment, our faith compels us to understand that God’s hand is in all this. The challenge is for us to have the patience to let His will be done.
The tragedy in Madalla was seen as a direct attack on Christians. When Boko Haram claimed responsibility, this line of argument seemed persuasive to those who believed that these merchants of death could be linked to the religion of Islam. Happily, prominent Muslims rose in unison to condemn this evil act and denounced both the perpetrators and their acts as being un-Islamic. All of this should cause us to pause and ponder about the nature of the force of evil that is in our midst and to appreciate the fact that contrary to popular thinking, we are not faced with a crisis or conflict between Christians and Muslims. Rather, like the friends of Job, we need to humbly appreciate the limits of our human understanding.
In the last few years, with the deepening crises in parts of Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, and Plateau states, thanks to the international and national media, it has become fanciful to argue that we have crises between Christians and Muslims. Sadly, the kneejerk reaction of some very uninformed religious leaders has lent credence to this false belief. To complicate matters, some of these religious leaders have continued to rally their members to defend themselves in a religious war. This has fed the propaganda of the notorious Boko Haram and hides the fact that this evil has crossed religious barriers. Let us take a few examples which, though still under investigation across the country, should call for restraint on our part.
Some time last year, a Christian woman went to her own parish Church in Bauchi and tried to set it ablaze. Again, recently, a man alleged to be a Christian, dressed as a Muslim, went to burn down a Church in Bayelsa. In Plateau State, a man purported to be a Christian was arrested while trying to bomb a Church. Armed men gunned down a group of Christians meeting in a Church and now it turned out that those who have been arrested and are under interrogation are in fact not Muslims and that the story is more of an internal crisis. In Zamfara State, 19 Muslims were killed. After investigation it was discovered that those who killed them were not Christians. Other similar incidents have occurred across the country.
Clearly, these are very troubled times for our country. But they are also very promising times. I say so because amidst this confusing debris of hate, anger and frustration, we have had some very interesting dimensions.
Nigeria is changing because Nigerians are taking back their country from the grip of marauders. These stories, few as they may be, are the beginning of our song of freedom. Christians are now publicly crossing the artificial lines created by falsehood and bigotry. Let us take a few examples of events in the last week alone:
In Kano, amidst fears and threats of further attacks on Christians, a group of Muslims gathered round to protect Christians as they worshipped. In Minna and recently, in Lagos, the same thing repeated itself as Christians joined hands to protect Muslims as they prayed. In the last week, Christians and Muslims together in solidarity are protesting against bad governance and corruption beyond the falsehood of religion. Once freed from the grip of these dark forces, religion will be able to play its role as a force for harmony, truth and the common good.
Clearly, drawing from our experiences as Christians, we must note that God has a message for us in all this. To elicit what I consider to be the message, I will make reference to three lessons and I know there are far more. First, these times call for prayer. At the height of our confusion during the Abacha years, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria composed two sets of prayers; one, Against Bribery and Corruption and second, for Nigeria in Distress. Millions of Catholics have continued to recite these prayers and we must remain relentless in the belief that God hears our prayers and that God’s ways are not our ways.
We know that our Muslim brethren and millions of other non-Christians feel the same and are also praying in a similar way for our country.Two, these times call for solidarity of all people of faith. We are a nation of very strong believers and despite what anyone else may say, millions of our Christians and Muslims do take their religion very seriously. However, you might ask, if that is true, why do we have so many killings in the name of God and of religion? My answer is that we have such killings because we live in an environment of a severely weak architecture of state which allows evil to triumph. It is this poverty that produces jealousy and hatred which leads to violence.
We live in a state of ineffective law enforcement and tragic social conditions. Corruption has destroyed the fabric of our society. Its corrosive effect can be seen in the ruination of our lives and the decay in our society. The inability of the state to punish criminals as criminals has created the illusion that there is a conflict between Christians and Muslims. In fact, it would seem that many elements today are going to great extremes to pitch Christians against Muslims, and vice versa, so that our attention is taken away from the true source of our woes: corruption. As Nigerians, Christians and Muslims, we must stand together to ensure that our resources are well utilized for the common good. This is why, despite the hardships we must endure as a result of the strike, the Fuel Subsidy debate must be seen as the real dividend of democracy.
Three, religious leaders across the faiths must indeed stand up together and face the challenge of the times by offering a leadership that focuses on our common humanity and common good rather than the insignificant issues that divide us. We therefore condemn in very strong terms the tendency by some religious leaders to play politics with the issues of our collective survival. Rather than rallying our people, some of our religious leaders have resorted to divisive utterances, wild allegations and insinuations against fellow adherents of other religions. In the last five or so days, text messages have been circulating across the country appealing to some of our worst demons. We are told that many senior clerics either believed or encouraged the circulation of these divisive and false text messages. We must condemn this for what it is; a grand design by enemies within our folds who are determined to destroy our country. Whatever they may call themselves, they are neither true Christians nor Muslims.
For those Christians who have reacted in fear, they require conversion. If we wait for these evil men or women to decide when we shall stand for Christ, then we have surrendered our soul to the devil. If we fear to stand up for Christ now, let us remember that He has already said: Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my father in Heaven, Whoever denies me before others, I will deny him before my father in Heaven(Mt 10: 32). Again, Jesus warns that rather than fear at times of uncertainty, adversity or upheavals, we should be confident. He said: When these things begin to take place, stand erect; hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand(Lk. 21: 28). Furthermore, St Paul has assured us that; If we die with Him, we shall live with Him. If we endure with Him, we shall reign with him( 2 Tim 2: 11-12). Surely, those who are asking us to go under our beds, to flee in the face of persecution must be reading a different Bible.
These are difficult times but they are also times of promise. Our country has turned its back on all forms of dictatorships. Our hands are on the plough and we are resolutely committed to democracy. Like a Catholic marriage, we may not be happy but we cannot contemplate a divorce. God does not make mistakes.
Although the freedom and growth promised by democracy are not here yet, we must remind ourselves that a better tomorrow is possible, a more united and peaceful Nigeria is possible. The challenges of the last few days have shown the resilience of our people and their commitment to democracy and a better life. We believe this is possible. The government must strive to earn the trust of our people.
All sides must take lessons from the demonstrations and resolve to build a better and stronger nation. Let us hold on to the words of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI when he told the President, religious, traditional rulers and people of the Republic of Benin in the Presidential Palace on the 19th of November: Do not cut off your peoples from their future by mutilating their present....There are too many scandals and injustices, too much corruption and greed, too many errors and lies, too much violence. All peoples desire to understand the political and economic choices which are made in their name; they wish to participate in good governance. No economic regime is ideal and no economic choice is neutral. But these must always serve the common good.
By Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese.
SOME DOCUMENTED FACTS ABOUT DEADLY BOMBINGS IN NIGERIA:
WHEN MEND BOMBED ABUJA ON INDEPENDENCE DAY IN 2010, THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA LIED TO THE WORLD WHEN HE BLAMED THE BOMBING ON INNOCENT OTHERS RATHER THAN MEND, NIGER DELTAN TERRORIST GROUP.
IN FACT, HE EXONORATED MEND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE DEADLY BOMBING SAYING THAT HE KNOWS HIS PEOPLE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING.
SEE CONNECTION BETWEEN MEND and JONATHAN
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/ henry-okah-trial-south-africa-uncovers-role-jonathan%E2%80%99s-aides-abuja-independence-day-bomb-s?page=1
(Bear in mind that the president hail from Niger Delta)
BELOW ARE THE REASONS WHY MAJORITY OF NIGERIANS ARE REFUSING TO ACCEPT PROPAGANDA, THE PRESIDENT, AND HIS MEN WHEN THEY CONTINUE TO BLAME BOKO HARAM ATTACKS SOLELY ON THE DEADLY RELIGIOUS BOKO HARAM.
Based on all evidence before us and the fear of God that governs the soul, we well-meaning Nigerians have taken Buhari out as a suspect in Boko Haram issue in that 1. Buhari is not a PDP, People Democratic Party.
1a) Evidence shows that Buhari condemn Boko Haram Bombings.
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/buhari-jonathan-pdp-condemn-xmas-day-bombing-churches
1b) More Evidence shows that Buhari condemn Boko Haram Bombings.
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/buhari-condemns-attack-un-building
2. Before he died, Azazi (the security chief to the president of Nigeria) confessed to the whole world that PDP are responsible for Boko Haram.
SEE Evidence of Azazi confession--
http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/04/27/azazi-blames-boko-haram-attacks-on-pdp/
3. President Jonathan also confirm to the whole world that he know who Boko Haram are, that they are in his government, he concluded by promising the world that he would release the names of boko Haram in his government.
BUT, up to date, evidence shows that President Jonathan have failed on this very important promise.
Compare this two documented utterances from Buhari and Jonathan in your evaluation:
"What they (BOKO HARAM) are doing now is worse than election rigging. I suggest that Mr President be decisive on those criminal elements." Muhammadu Buhari(2011)
And this was President Jonathan's response to Buhari's earlier advice on ways to tackle BOKO HARAM terror campaign.
" They (BOKO HARAM) are our siblings, we cannot send soldiers to crush our siblings."
PRESIDENT JONATHAN (2011)
Also, we are aware that there are 3 fractions of Boko Haram-
a) the ruthless religious boko haram
b) deadly business arm who trade in arms.
c) The evil militant Boko Haram that PDP imposed in order to achieve divide and conquer.
This latter group are mainly responsible for pain, death and hardship on Nigerian citizens because they attack churches, market places and targets high valued Northerners. And it explains why the Nigerian government are not consistent when dealing with the ruthless religious fractions of Boko Haram because they are not telling the whole truth to Nigerians and the world.
Hence, we are appealing to Nigerians and the world to remember Azazi's claim, his positions as the security chief to the president, and how he was disgracefully dismissed after confessing that PDP are responsible for Boko Haram, and finally, how he died. I rest my case.
Smear campaigns regarding the "N2.8 billion missing oil money" i
The candid message to the Buhari-Haters on smear campaigns regarding the "N2.8 billion missing oil money" is that they go and update their records from relevant subsequent development on this baseless, scurrilous and uncharitable claims "dripping with false information, inaccuracies, terrible innuendo and deliberate or expedient amnesia."
INCONTROVERTIBLE RECORDS SHOW THAT:
The Alhaji Shehu Shagari government set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Honourable Mr. Justice Ayo Irekefe of the Supreme Court, to inquire into the alleged N2.8 Billion missing oil money. The findings? They were in the “negative...no such funds were missing" (Tam David-West).
The saga of the 'missing' oil money was exhaustively treated with relevant quoted documents by no lesser person but General Olusegun Obasanjo in his book : "NOT MY WILL", the Buhari-Haters are particularly requested to read: Chapter 11, pages 216 - 240:
Obasanjo said: "It was interesting that Buhari's name as Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairman of NNPC was not mentioned. Of course, since no money was actually and truly missing, his name should not have been mentioned" (Not My Will, p 222).
All key witnesses invited to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry as showed by the White Paper said it was alllies and it did not happen:
DR TAI SOLARIN: "He has no material, fact or proof that the sum of N2.8 billion was missing. " (Not My Will, p 221).
FELA KUTI: "Denied knowledge of the missing N2.8billion." Fela was even 'disclosed' for tendering forged document (Exhibit 102 d) on money movement (Not My Will, p 221).
SOLA ODUNFA (Editor, Punch): "...Agreed he published the story of the missing N2.8 billion and followed up with the publication of apology." (Not My Will, p 222).
ROBERT HUBBARD, MANAGER, MIDLAND BANK, LONDON: "The Enquiry Tribunal went to London. He categorically stated that any reference to his bank was untrue" (Tam David-West).
OLU SARAKI (Senate Leader): "...had no personal knowledge of the loss or movement of money. Derived his knowledge from telephone calls, letters and telexes received. Was satisfied that no money was missing." (Not My will, p 221).
PLEASE HELP DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE WHEREVER AND WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY IS FOUND TO DISPEL THE LIES SHAMELESSLY PEDDLED AROUND (REPEATEDLY - "AD NAUSEAM LIKE BROKEN GRAMOPHONE DISC") BY THE BLINDLY BIGOTED MINDS ON THE SOCIAL NETWORKS.
In conclusion,
All of our so called leaders and their pen pushers cannot accuse Buhari of corruption. Because Buhari is not corrupt and he would never be. They know that, that is why they are demonizing him. That is why they feared him, because they know that he is the only man as Nigeria stands today that can lock them away after getting our stolen money. May God continue to give us wisdom because we deserve peace and progress in Nigeria.
The corrupt that is mortgaging the future of the next generations doesn't care about tribes, religion or their political affiliations. All that binds them together is corruption, nothing more, nothing less. And if truth is to be told, majority of Nigerians doesn't give a damm about tribe or religion.
There is endemic corruption and abject poverty in our prospective villages and towns, that is what our focusing should be because it is what matters to millions of ordinary Nigerians. This is worthy of our focus; this is what can make all Nigerians progressive; this is what can make our beloved country Nigeria to be once again the giant of Africa.
It is entirely up to individual Nigerians to continue helping those who are corrupt and mortgaging the lives of our future youths. But bear this fact in mind, the world is moving on positively, productively and progressively and any damage or neglect you do now will come back to hunt not only you but your children unborn.
We have a choice and myself and my household will never be part of anyone that damage the reputation of good people while hero worshipping killers of dreams.The state of Nigeria of today is my evidence, hence I support Buhari-Fashola 2015 for APC. PROGRESSIVE WE STAND.
Marian Iyabode Awolowo
Nigerian Global Awakening.
BUHARI'S HANDSHAKE AND HANDCUFF by Obinna Okoro (Notes) on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 4:28am
Obasanjo never hid his disgust for General Sani Abacha who had jailed him for a “phantom coup”. Released from jail and still wallowing in a fit of new found spirituality, he wrote a book and called it “The Animal Called Man”. And he elected to wage a battle on this “Animal Called Man”. While taking his oath of office at the Eagle Square on 27th May, 1999, he had pledged to wrestle corruption out of our national psyche. In a fit of mediaeval triumphalism, he chanted: “there will be no sacred cows!” But his first attack was a disaster.
No sooner had he made that declaration than he dispatched Mallam Haroun Adamu to the headquarters of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), an intervention agency run by General Muhammadu Buhari, to start the war on corruption. Haroun Adamu’s public brief was to wind down PTF but the hidden one was to disgrace General Buhari by exposing the “shady deals” in PTF. Contractors working for PTF were used to picking their cheques across the counter without much ado. Under the new inquisitor, contractors discovered they now had to oil their cheques out, something alien to the PTF they knew. They cried foul. And there were several other fouls after the first foul. To say that Obasanjo was thoroughly embarrassed by his minions would be an understatement, so much so that till date he does not discuss PTF in public.
As a General, it would appear that Obasanjo read Sun Tzu’ s “The Art of War” upside down. Sun Tzu had counselled: “Know thyself; know thy enemy. You will fight a thousand battles without defeat.” The blitzkrieg he deployed only showed he did not know PTF. He might not have needed to fire a shot to win or wean PTF. To date, most Nigerians knew how PTF started, what it did but not how it ended. Not known as one who forgives, was it not surprising that General Buhari walked the streets with his head high throughout Obasanjo’s imperial majesty when the fear of EFCC was the beginning of political wisdom?
In October 1994, General Sani Abacha increased the pump price of petrol from N3.25k to N11.00 per litre. Nigerians assailed him with criticisms for this unpopular move and to assuage their feelings, he quickly established the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund to use a portion of the proceeds of the increase to intervene in critical sectors of the economy. Nigerians never took Abacha seriously on this project until Gen Muhammadu Buhari was announced and inaugurated the chairman of the PTF in March 1995. That PTF awarded contracts worth billions of naira is not news. The news the PTF made within the four years it existed was and still is that contracts awarded were executed to their logical conclusion and for those not executed, the PTF got every kobo back.
Before PTF, contractors were used to abandoning contracts and bolting away with their advance payments. It never happened in PTF. When Buhari visited the Onitsha end of the Enugu-Onitsha express way awarded to a local contractor and discovered the job was abandoned, he simply called on the bank that guaranteed the contractor to pay back. There and then, the contract was terminated and later awarded to another contractor. From that moment, banks and insurance companies that provided bonds to contractors learnt that the old order had changed and had to monitor projects it guaranteed. For the years it existed, PTF published its annual reports and always addressed press conferences to respond to issues arising from the reports.
And each time it did, it challenged anybody who could deliver on any of its projects at a price cheaper than what it cost the PTF to submit his proposal. Nobody ever did. In one of the presentations of its annual report, the Executive Secretary of the Board of the PTF, Chief Tayo Akpata, maintained that the roads constructed by the PTF not only cost less than World Bank funded roads but were also better qualitatively. He challenged anyone to prove the contrary. Until the PTF was scrapped, nobody did. While the PTF existed, contractors never needed to lobby and grease palms to get LPO’s. You only needed to belong to the appropriate group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and other professional groups to qualify.
Not a few contractors received requests to supply the PTF in the comfort of their offices. It was so unbelievably true that some had to travel to Abuja to reconfirm if the LPO’s they received were genuine. And genuine they were. To be paid for a completed contract, all the contractor needed was to present a certificate of completion issued by the ubiquitous consultants engaged by the PTF and his cheque would be prepared. And with a proper letter of introduction, a contractor could send a third party to pick his check across a counter in the Finance Department without any ceremony. Picking a cheque then was just like walking into a bank to withdraw cash across the counter.
As staff of Set and Sell Communications Ltd and later Media Trust Ltd, I personally picked several cheques on behalf of these firms. The challenge the finance department of the PTF faced then was getting contractors to come and pick their cheques which would pile up for months as a good number never knew it was so simple. One cannot also forget in a hurry the PTF drug revolving scheme. Under this, the PTF set up offices in hospitals across the country and supplied them with drugs. The financial consultants employed by the Fund ensured that receipts from the sales of the drugs were used to replenish the stocks in an unending cycle that banished out-of-stock anthem the Nigerian public were forced to listen to before then.
And it was not easy to divert PTF drugs to the parallel market. The smallest tablet supplied had PTF logo engraved on it. Somebody attempted diverting the drugs and was caught. General Buhari took up the case personally and ensured the culprit went to jail. After that, nobody heard of diversions again. The strategy of the PTF in procuring these drugs is worth reviewing. Over 60% of the drugs supplied to the PTF were locally produced. In fact, the PTF only imported drugs that could not be produced by the local pharmaceutical firms. The pressure on the existing pharmaceutical companies was so much that almost all these firms had to increase their capacity by expanding and employing more hands. Neimeth Pharmaceuticals, Emzor Pharmaceuticals among others can be contacted to affirm or disprove this.
This policy was deliberately made to ensure that more jobs were created within the economy. Builders who built for PTF would also tell you that they were not allowed to import paints. There was a list of all the paint manufacturers in the country maintained at the PTF from which builders bought paints. Within the same period, the capacity utilisation in these companies soared as they expanded and created more jobs. A look at the records kept by IPWA plc and other existing paint makers within the period under review is worth attempting to digest the profundity of the PTF intervention in the building sector; and other sectors it intervened in as its model was so overarching that critics labelled it “the alternative government”.
This column is not enough to put in a proper perspective the job General Buhari undertook and did while in PTF but it suffices through this glimpse to understand the mindset and the strategy of this maelstrom which the ruling elite hate for his forthrightness - a quality in short supply in governance today. One can cite the number of roads and hospitals rehabilitated by the PTF. One can also quote the billions it spent. The essence of the PTF, however, lies more in the multiplier effect its intervention had on the economy as a whole than in the number of what it did, which on its own was equally impressive. This distinction is what differentiates growth from development. While the former is quantitative, the latter is qualitative.
As a political economist, I know that the economic development of any third world country lies in qualitative transformation. Before the coming of PTF, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida had introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which he had claimed had no alternative. The revered economist, Professor Sam Aluko, had also reminded him that economics was a science of alternatives; that even death had an alternative which was life and that SAP was a kiss of death. IBB was to acknowledge the failure of SAP when out of frustration around 1991, he exclaimed that “the Nigerian economy had defied all known economic theories and was surprised that the economy had not collapsed”. The economy did not collapse.
The PTF intervention ensured it did not. This was the lesson OBJ failed to grasp when he dissolved the Fund with executive fiat in 1999. As at 1997, funds available to the PTF was about N115 billion and Nigerians could point at projects the fund was expended on. A decade after PTF, the governments from OBJ’s to date had spent much more than that in the power sector alone and have not been able to generate even a megawatt more of electricity. Managing public funds is serious business. General Muhammadu Buhari was fond of telling contractors on visit to sites: “If you perform well, you get a handshake. If you perform badly, you get a handcuff”. This is the mantra we need at this historical juncture. The man that incarnates this mantra out of the available presidential candidates is General Muhammadu Buhari. There is also a lesson to be learnt from the day Buhari left PTF.
Obasanjo, on assumption of office, announced the setting up of the interim management committee led by Mallam Haroun Adamu to wind down PTF. The following day, Buhari addressed a press conference and invited the new management to immediately take over. He told Nigerians that everything the new management needed were in the records to which they would have unhindered access. He bid his staff farewell, descended the stairs, literally jumped into his four wheel drive that took him home to Daura. He never stepped into that premises again to this day. And he never fled the country to escape the EFCC.The likes of Obasanjo should go back to the military academy to understand “The Art of War” before going on another offensive.
On Nasir El-Rufai's wall (2012)
"Another friend on Facebook and seems to be a senior military officer, Shehu Tarfa, posted this as his status yesterday which I thought worthy of sharing....some information about my political leader General Muhammadu Buhari that I was not aware of....NasirD MAN GEN M BUHARI. Yesterday OBJ publicly told d world that GMB is an upright man. Not many ppl know that his 1st daughter is married to an Igbo man from Anambra. He exempted Christians from performing duty on Sundays.When his Muslim soldiers asked him to exempt them from duty on Friday, he told them the bible says Christians should rest on the 7th day, the Muslims should show him where the Koran says they should rest on Fridays.
As head of state he slashed d number of Muslim going on pilgrimage by 50%. His driver and cook for d past 10 yrs plus are Christians yet some uninformed Nigerians say he is a bigot. It is a pity that some ppl failed to understand that PDP deliberately capitalised on d gullibility of Nigerians to paint him black. This they did in order to keep their loot and ensure that he never gets d opportunity to send them to gaol.How many Nigerians would hold d appointment of gov, minister of petroleum, PTF chairman and head of state yet don’t own a house in Abuja? Luv him, hate him u cannot take his integrity away from him.Well done Gen Muhammad Buhari. U have stood d test of time and character with a swagger. It is time we kept d record straight. By Nasir El-Rufai
MIA's response:
Alhaji Nasir El- Rufai. I have been telling people who are demonising and making false statement about Buhari, (saying that he "hates Igbos") that his first daughter married to an Igbo man. I thank God that OBJ eventually speak out on this matter. However, I am very disappointed that he did not speak out sooner when the damage was done to the good reputation of Alhaji Buhari. Fact remains that there is no shred of evidence that Buhari will stoop so low as to involve or engaged in "ethnicism or religious fanatism". This false story is saturated by people who want us to continue to be distracted while they steal billions of Nigerian resources. It is documented that GEJ, the president of Nigeria says that "Boko Haram are in his government". It is also a documented fact that Azazi the security adviser to the president of Nigeria says that "PDP is responsible for Boko Haram".
We also have documents which clearly indicates that majority of the so called Boko Haram who were arrested are Christians and not Northerners. I feel we should try our best to call a spade a spade and allow the masses everlasting peace. But the peace will start when we all look at our individual tribe’s men and women whose majority are corrupt. And then start asking important questions about them and not on the few Nigerians we have left that were consistently on the side of the masses who are going through untold hardship.
And it is a known fact that Boko Haram precedes Buhari's interest in the presidency. This was supported when Major General Inameti Yellow-Duke said that ''The people who organized the boko haram did not do so to support Buhari.There is this north/south dichotomy. Even when they were voting in the 2011 election, statistics showed that most of the northern states voted Jonathan. even in Kano, Jonathan scored the required 25 percent. The only place Buhari had a of clout was Kano. Even in Katsina , they rigged him out. Boko haram is not a Buhari phenomenon. I want to believe that he himself does not want to make any comment about them, because anything he says will be held against him. When they started boko haram, Buhari was not going in for election against Obasanjo'' By Major General Inameti Yellow-DukeEx-Chief of Operations Nigeria Army"
Thanks to Sharon Faliya Cham for reminding Nigerians of the involvement of Christians in terrorist activities in the country in her article As The Church Slept.. The Trilogy serialized in Leadership Newspaper. We should all be cautious and think twice before we jump on each other’s neck. Now, let's read in the book of Sharon Faliya:
1- Hasan Ojudu and Samaila Yakubu all xtians; arrested with vehicle load of explosives and ammunition after shortly the attack on Deeper life Church in Gombe.
2- 8 COCIN members arrested with explosive devises at Miya Barkatai branch of the church.
3- Lydia Joseph arrested with explosive device in Bauchi
4- Emmanuel King arrested while disguised as a Muslim and attempting to bomb Redeemed Christian Church Yenogoa.
5- Madam Ruth attempted bombing ECWA Church in Kalarin area of Gombe.
6- Mr Alex Danladi involved in COCIN HQ bombing was lynched by worshipers. He was a church member disguised in military uniform.
7- Sunday Eze, Samuel Taiwo and 3 Ghanians were arrested with heavy weaponry in Ghana.
8- Monday Davou was arrested while planting IED at Maker weekly market at Riyom LG.
9- A group of robbers led by Evangelist Wale Adeluwas nabbed. They used to meet in the Church B4 operation.
10- Gary Hyde, the British in court for shipping 80000 guns and 32 million round of ammunition in the country.
11-the 4 Xtians arrested trying to bomb St Theresa Catholic Parish. Makurdi. For details and dates read leadership of Tuesday and Wednesday 5 and 6 June 2012.
And now John Odia believed to be the mastermind of Zaria two attacks. As much as i hate to talk about this issue, I find it difficult to keep mute when without proper investigation; people are unduly castigated and condemned! So help us God.
Once again, we thank Sharon Faliya Cham for reminding Nigerians of the involvement of Christians in terrorist activities in the country.
NOT ONLY MUSLIMS WERE INVOLVED IN BOMBINGS IN NIGERIA:
Pastor Mattew Kukar warning to Nigerians that Christians were involved in Bombing Churches in Nigeria:
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD (Ps 46:10): AN APPEAL TO NIGERIANS BY REVEREND MATTHEW HASSAH KUKAH
On the occasion of the Carol of Nine Lessons organized by NTA and Radio Nigeria on December 10th last year, I was invited to deliver the message. I chose to speak on the theme, Do Not Be Afraid as a means of encouraging our people against the backdrop of fear and frustration that was mounting at the time. Since then, it would seem that things have gotten progressively worse in our country. In the course of my reflections, I sought to encourage my fellow citizens not to be frightened by the events of the time. I insisted that despite these tragic and sad events and the situation of our country, we needed to conquer fear. I argued that the message of Christmas was a message about the good news of the birth of the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, (God-with us) and the Saviour of the world. Against the backdrop of other developments in the country at that time, I concluded by calling on the federal government not to carry through its plans for the removal of fuel subsidy.
Since then, things have gradually snowballed well beyond what one had either feared or hoped. On Christmas day, a bomb exploded at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, in Niger State, killing over thirty people and wounding a significant number of other innocent citizens who had come to worship their God as the first part of their Christmas celebrations. Barely two days later, we heard of the tragic and mindless killings within a community in Ebonyi State in which over sixty people lost their lives with properties worth millions of naira destroyed and hundreds of families displaced. In the midst of all this, on New Year’s Day, the President announced the withdrawal of fuel subsidy and threw an already angry and frustrated nation into convulsion.
Right now, I feel that perhaps like the friends of Job (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar), who came to visit their sick friend and found the burden beyond comprehension, we find ourselves in the same situation. For, as we know, when they came and found Job in his condition, they spent seven days and seven nights, and uttered not a word (Job 2:13). Right now, no one can claim a full understanding of the state we are in. However, even if we cannot understand the issues of the moment, our faith compels us to understand that God’s hand is in all this. The challenge is for us to have the patience to let His will be done.
The tragedy in Madalla was seen as a direct attack on Christians. When Boko Haram claimed responsibility, this line of argument seemed persuasive to those who believed that these merchants of death could be linked to the religion of Islam. Happily, prominent Muslims rose in unison to condemn this evil act and denounced both the perpetrators and their acts as being un-Islamic. All of this should cause us to pause and ponder about the nature of the force of evil that is in our midst and to appreciate the fact that contrary to popular thinking, we are not faced with a crisis or conflict between Christians and Muslims. Rather, like the friends of Job, we need to humbly appreciate the limits of our human understanding.
In the last few years, with the deepening crises in parts of Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, and Plateau states, thanks to the international and national media, it has become fanciful to argue that we have crises between Christians and Muslims. Sadly, the kneejerk reaction of some very uninformed religious leaders has lent credence to this false belief. To complicate matters, some of these religious leaders have continued to rally their members to defend themselves in a religious war. This has fed the propaganda of the notorious Boko Haram and hides the fact that this evil has crossed religious barriers. Let us take a few examples which, though still under investigation across the country, should call for restraint on our part.
Some time last year, a Christian woman went to her own parish Church in Bauchi and tried to set it ablaze. Again, recently, a man alleged to be a Christian, dressed as a Muslim, went to burn down a Church in Bayelsa. In Plateau State, a man purported to be a Christian was arrested while trying to bomb a Church. Armed men gunned down a group of Christians meeting in a Church and now it turned out that those who have been arrested and are under interrogation are in fact not Muslims and that the story is more of an internal crisis. In Zamfara State, 19 Muslims were killed. After investigation it was discovered that those who killed them were not Christians. Other similar incidents have occurred across the country.
Clearly, these are very troubled times for our country. But they are also very promising times. I say so because amidst this confusing debris of hate, anger and frustration, we have had some very interesting dimensions.
Nigeria is changing because Nigerians are taking back their country from the grip of marauders. These stories, few as they may be, are the beginning of our song of freedom. Christians are now publicly crossing the artificial lines created by falsehood and bigotry. Let us take a few examples of events in the last week alone:
In Kano, amidst fears and threats of further attacks on Christians, a group of Muslims gathered round to protect Christians as they worshipped. In Minna and recently, in Lagos, the same thing repeated itself as Christians joined hands to protect Muslims as they prayed. In the last week, Christians and Muslims together in solidarity are protesting against bad governance and corruption beyond the falsehood of religion. Once freed from the grip of these dark forces, religion will be able to play its role as a force for harmony, truth and the common good.
Clearly, drawing from our experiences as Christians, we must note that God has a message for us in all this. To elicit what I consider to be the message, I will make reference to three lessons and I know there are far more. First, these times call for prayer. At the height of our confusion during the Abacha years, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria composed two sets of prayers; one, Against Bribery and Corruption and second, for Nigeria in Distress. Millions of Catholics have continued to recite these prayers and we must remain relentless in the belief that God hears our prayers and that God’s ways are not our ways.
We know that our Muslim brethren and millions of other non-Christians feel the same and are also praying in a similar way for our country.Two, these times call for solidarity of all people of faith. We are a nation of very strong believers and despite what anyone else may say, millions of our Christians and Muslims do take their religion very seriously. However, you might ask, if that is true, why do we have so many killings in the name of God and of religion? My answer is that we have such killings because we live in an environment of a severely weak architecture of state which allows evil to triumph. It is this poverty that produces jealousy and hatred which leads to violence.
We live in a state of ineffective law enforcement and tragic social conditions. Corruption has destroyed the fabric of our society. Its corrosive effect can be seen in the ruination of our lives and the decay in our society. The inability of the state to punish criminals as criminals has created the illusion that there is a conflict between Christians and Muslims. In fact, it would seem that many elements today are going to great extremes to pitch Christians against Muslims, and vice versa, so that our attention is taken away from the true source of our woes: corruption. As Nigerians, Christians and Muslims, we must stand together to ensure that our resources are well utilized for the common good. This is why, despite the hardships we must endure as a result of the strike, the Fuel Subsidy debate must be seen as the real dividend of democracy.
Three, religious leaders across the faiths must indeed stand up together and face the challenge of the times by offering a leadership that focuses on our common humanity and common good rather than the insignificant issues that divide us. We therefore condemn in very strong terms the tendency by some religious leaders to play politics with the issues of our collective survival. Rather than rallying our people, some of our religious leaders have resorted to divisive utterances, wild allegations and insinuations against fellow adherents of other religions. In the last five or so days, text messages have been circulating across the country appealing to some of our worst demons. We are told that many senior clerics either believed or encouraged the circulation of these divisive and false text messages. We must condemn this for what it is; a grand design by enemies within our folds who are determined to destroy our country. Whatever they may call themselves, they are neither true Christians nor Muslims.
For those Christians who have reacted in fear, they require conversion. If we wait for these evil men or women to decide when we shall stand for Christ, then we have surrendered our soul to the devil. If we fear to stand up for Christ now, let us remember that He has already said: Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my father in Heaven, Whoever denies me before others, I will deny him before my father in Heaven(Mt 10: 32). Again, Jesus warns that rather than fear at times of uncertainty, adversity or upheavals, we should be confident. He said: When these things begin to take place, stand erect; hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand(Lk. 21: 28). Furthermore, St Paul has assured us that; If we die with Him, we shall live with Him. If we endure with Him, we shall reign with him( 2 Tim 2: 11-12). Surely, those who are asking us to go under our beds, to flee in the face of persecution must be reading a different Bible.
These are difficult times but they are also times of promise. Our country has turned its back on all forms of dictatorships. Our hands are on the plough and we are resolutely committed to democracy. Like a Catholic marriage, we may not be happy but we cannot contemplate a divorce. God does not make mistakes.
Although the freedom and growth promised by democracy are not here yet, we must remind ourselves that a better tomorrow is possible, a more united and peaceful Nigeria is possible. The challenges of the last few days have shown the resilience of our people and their commitment to democracy and a better life. We believe this is possible. The government must strive to earn the trust of our people.
All sides must take lessons from the demonstrations and resolve to build a better and stronger nation. Let us hold on to the words of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI when he told the President, religious, traditional rulers and people of the Republic of Benin in the Presidential Palace on the 19th of November: Do not cut off your peoples from their future by mutilating their present....There are too many scandals and injustices, too much corruption and greed, too many errors and lies, too much violence. All peoples desire to understand the political and economic choices which are made in their name; they wish to participate in good governance. No economic regime is ideal and no economic choice is neutral. But these must always serve the common good.
By Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese.
SOME DOCUMENTED FACTS ABOUT DEADLY BOMBINGS IN NIGERIA:
WHEN MEND BOMBED ABUJA ON INDEPENDENCE DAY IN 2010, THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA LIED TO THE WORLD WHEN HE BLAMED THE BOMBING ON INNOCENT OTHERS RATHER THAN MEND, NIGER DELTAN TERRORIST GROUP.
IN FACT, HE EXONORATED MEND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE DEADLY BOMBING SAYING THAT HE KNOWS HIS PEOPLE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING.
SEE CONNECTION BETWEEN MEND and JONATHAN
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/ henry-okah-trial-south-africa-uncovers-role-jonathan%E2%80%99s-aides-abuja-independence-day-bomb-s?page=1
(Bear in mind that the president hail from Niger Delta)
BELOW ARE THE REASONS WHY MAJORITY OF NIGERIANS ARE REFUSING TO ACCEPT PROPAGANDA, THE PRESIDENT, AND HIS MEN WHEN THEY CONTINUE TO BLAME BOKO HARAM ATTACKS SOLELY ON THE DEADLY RELIGIOUS BOKO HARAM.
Based on all evidence before us and the fear of God that governs the soul, we well-meaning Nigerians have taken Buhari out as a suspect in Boko Haram issue in that 1. Buhari is not a PDP, People Democratic Party.
1a) Evidence shows that Buhari condemn Boko Haram Bombings.
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/buhari-jonathan-pdp-condemn-xmas-day-bombing-churches
1b) More Evidence shows that Buhari condemn Boko Haram Bombings.
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/buhari-condemns-attack-un-building
2. Before he died, Azazi (the security chief to the president of Nigeria) confessed to the whole world that PDP are responsible for Boko Haram.
SEE Evidence of Azazi confession--
http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/04/27/azazi-blames-boko-haram-attacks-on-pdp/
3. President Jonathan also confirm to the whole world that he know who Boko Haram are, that they are in his government, he concluded by promising the world that he would release the names of boko Haram in his government.
BUT, up to date, evidence shows that President Jonathan have failed on this very important promise.
Compare this two documented utterances from Buhari and Jonathan in your evaluation:
"What they (BOKO HARAM) are doing now is worse than election rigging. I suggest that Mr President be decisive on those criminal elements." Muhammadu Buhari(2011)
And this was President Jonathan's response to Buhari's earlier advice on ways to tackle BOKO HARAM terror campaign.
" They (BOKO HARAM) are our siblings, we cannot send soldiers to crush our siblings."
PRESIDENT JONATHAN (2011)
Also, we are aware that there are 3 fractions of Boko Haram-
a) the ruthless religious boko haram
b) deadly business arm who trade in arms.
c) The evil militant Boko Haram that PDP imposed in order to achieve divide and conquer.
This latter group are mainly responsible for pain, death and hardship on Nigerian citizens because they attack churches, market places and targets high valued Northerners. And it explains why the Nigerian government are not consistent when dealing with the ruthless religious fractions of Boko Haram because they are not telling the whole truth to Nigerians and the world.
Hence, we are appealing to Nigerians and the world to remember Azazi's claim, his positions as the security chief to the president, and how he was disgracefully dismissed after confessing that PDP are responsible for Boko Haram, and finally, how he died. I rest my case.
Smear campaigns regarding the "N2.8 billion missing oil money" i
The candid message to the Buhari-Haters on smear campaigns regarding the "N2.8 billion missing oil money" is that they go and update their records from relevant subsequent development on this baseless, scurrilous and uncharitable claims "dripping with false information, inaccuracies, terrible innuendo and deliberate or expedient amnesia."
INCONTROVERTIBLE RECORDS SHOW THAT:
The Alhaji Shehu Shagari government set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Honourable Mr. Justice Ayo Irekefe of the Supreme Court, to inquire into the alleged N2.8 Billion missing oil money. The findings? They were in the “negative...no such funds were missing" (Tam David-West).
The saga of the 'missing' oil money was exhaustively treated with relevant quoted documents by no lesser person but General Olusegun Obasanjo in his book : "NOT MY WILL", the Buhari-Haters are particularly requested to read: Chapter 11, pages 216 - 240:
Obasanjo said: "It was interesting that Buhari's name as Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairman of NNPC was not mentioned. Of course, since no money was actually and truly missing, his name should not have been mentioned" (Not My Will, p 222).
All key witnesses invited to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry as showed by the White Paper said it was alllies and it did not happen:
DR TAI SOLARIN: "He has no material, fact or proof that the sum of N2.8 billion was missing. " (Not My Will, p 221).
FELA KUTI: "Denied knowledge of the missing N2.8billion." Fela was even 'disclosed' for tendering forged document (Exhibit 102 d) on money movement (Not My Will, p 221).
SOLA ODUNFA (Editor, Punch): "...Agreed he published the story of the missing N2.8 billion and followed up with the publication of apology." (Not My Will, p 222).
ROBERT HUBBARD, MANAGER, MIDLAND BANK, LONDON: "The Enquiry Tribunal went to London. He categorically stated that any reference to his bank was untrue" (Tam David-West).
OLU SARAKI (Senate Leader): "...had no personal knowledge of the loss or movement of money. Derived his knowledge from telephone calls, letters and telexes received. Was satisfied that no money was missing." (Not My will, p 221).
PLEASE HELP DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE WHEREVER AND WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY IS FOUND TO DISPEL THE LIES SHAMELESSLY PEDDLED AROUND (REPEATEDLY - "AD NAUSEAM LIKE BROKEN GRAMOPHONE DISC") BY THE BLINDLY BIGOTED MINDS ON THE SOCIAL NETWORKS.
In conclusion,
All of our so called leaders and their pen pushers cannot accuse Buhari of corruption. Because Buhari is not corrupt and he would never be. They know that, that is why they are demonizing him. That is why they feared him, because they know that he is the only man as Nigeria stands today that can lock them away after getting our stolen money. May God continue to give us wisdom because we deserve peace and progress in Nigeria.
The corrupt that is mortgaging the future of the next generations doesn't care about tribes, religion or their political affiliations. All that binds them together is corruption, nothing more, nothing less. And if truth is to be told, majority of Nigerians doesn't give a damm about tribe or religion.
There is endemic corruption and abject poverty in our prospective villages and towns, that is what our focusing should be because it is what matters to millions of ordinary Nigerians. This is worthy of our focus; this is what can make all Nigerians progressive; this is what can make our beloved country Nigeria to be once again the giant of Africa.
It is entirely up to individual Nigerians to continue helping those who are corrupt and mortgaging the lives of our future youths. But bear this fact in mind, the world is moving on positively, productively and progressively and any damage or neglect you do now will come back to hunt not only you but your children unborn.
We have a choice and myself and my household will never be part of anyone that damage the reputation of good people while hero worshipping killers of dreams.The state of Nigeria of today is my evidence, hence I support Buhari-Fashola 2015 for APC. PROGRESSIVE WE STAND.
Marian Iyabode Awolowo
Nigerian Global Awakening.
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