ABU Students Describe Reuben Abati As National Embarrassment

Reuben Abati

The Ahmadu Bello University Student Representative Council (ABUSRC) has criticized Reuben Abati, President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman, for his verbal attack Nuhu Ribadu who last week presented a paper at the university. Mr. Abati’s fiery response suggested that the government regarded Mr. Ribadu’s paper as an attempt to take aim at Mr. Jonathan.
In a detailed statement, ABUSRC described Mr. Abati’s outburst as an embarrassment to Nigerians and the academic community.
Signed the ABUSRC’s president, Abubakar A. Rafindadi, the statement declared: “As an impeccably responsible students’ body, the Students’ Representative Council of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, notes with utter consternation and disappointment, the reaction by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati on a lecture delivered by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu during a One Day Public Lecture organized by ABUSRC on 8th June, 2013, in Assembly Hall of the Samaru Main Campus. With all due respect to the revered Presidency, the way and manner in which the Presidential Adviser came out and launched his characteristic campaign of calumny against perceived opponents to his boss, this time against Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in the national dailies, is very disheartening. It is also instructive to note that he did so on account of total misconstruction and deliberate distortion of the contents of the speech delivered by Ribadu.
“In the said lecture entitled ‘Political Engagement: A New Approach,’ Ribadu attempted to locate the role of all stakeholders in the Nigerian enterprise, particularly the youth, in rising up to the myriad challenges of national cohesion, entrenchment of democratic values, the increasingly rising tide of oligarchic tendencies in the nation’s politics, the divisive and exclusionist siren calls among parochial ethnic chauvinists, among other very important national issues including insecurity. We view as unfair as well as provocative, the statement credited to Abati by national dailies that ‘President Jonathan and his administration will not be distracted from the diligent implementation of the agenda by the falsehood and vituperations of Ribadu and his new friends’. It is disgustingly surprising that this statement was made as an attack on a paper presented which was tailored to address the aforementioned challenges.
“It is instructive to note that the lecture in question looked at Nigeria and its embarrassing predicaments, and not at any particular person or group. No mention was made of anybody’s name. Naturally, one wonders why the hoopla! In the lecture, this was, amongst others, what Ribadu said ‘...we need to come together to make our democracy work; let us drop any form of identity that introduces us as something other than ‘citizens’, and let us drop any citizenship that asks for anything other than ‘change’ for the better. Let us destroy any institution that preaches divisions and exclusions’. For goodness sake, fellow Nigerians, what is wrong with a paper (or for that matter, its author) that advocates for the much-sought-after ideals, as quoted above?
That Nigeria and Nigerians need take their destiny into their own hands is, in the opinion of ABUSRC, which is made up of true democrats, (and indeed the majority of well-meaning Nigerians), a right philosophy on the right track. Interestingly, this is the philosophy that pervades throughout the paper delivered by Mallam Ribadu.
“It is equally important to emphatically state here that the fact that Nigeria is in unfortunately ailing situation is not in doubt. Therefore, why should it become a crime when Nigerians are told that there is a problem with their dear country, with the intention that they may be spurred to wake up to clear the mess for the political and economic development which the nation badly needs?”
The students’ statement continued: “As true democrats, we strongly believe in intellectual exchange of ideas so as to move this nation and its nascent democracy forward. It will doubtless not augur well for this country and its politics when its leaders consider any attempt to enlighten the public politically as irresponsible and subversive. The ABUSRC believes in the great possibility of a greater Nigeria with the active participation of all and sundry, whether one is in government or not. In view of the above, we view as sine qua non for the achievement of the above goal, the entrenchment of freedom of speech which the Nigerian constitution guarantees. And it sounds paradoxical for a government that takes pride in ‘consistently (upholding) the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights’ to now come out berating a Nigerian who has lawfully expressed his opinion as guaranteed by the law of the land.
“On a final note, if Nigeria should move forward politically and otherwise (which we believe so), leaders should learn to tolerate opposition, allow the freedom of expression to be exercised and look at things in proper perspective. Decontextualizing issues for personal and/or political reasons will not help our drive for a more prosperous, egalitarian and united Nigeria.”
Saharareporters

Rivers: What Odili Did Not Tell Amaechi- Part I By Ifeanyi Izeze

When this piece was first published in November 2008, no serious interpretation was given to the issues raised. But today, five years later, this piece has been fully confirmed as will be shown in Part two of the article.
From the manner the two last governors including the interim one emerged in Rivers state, it could now rightly be said that it is a state that gets its governors strictly by divine intervention.
Peter Odili became governor of Rivers state by divine intervention after the forces of light in the churches defeated the forces of the “anti-Christ” that originally won a landslide victory in the first run of the 1999 governorship election.
Subsequently, both Omehia and Ameachi also came by divine transportation though through very different vehicles.
Truly, when Odili became governor in 1999, he came with the spirit and genuine zeal to really serve and deliver the dividends of democracy to the ordinary people of Rivers state and he was bent on achieving that.
It is on record that he was the only governor in the entire country who developed a comprehensive work programme as policy document. And the implementation of projects and programmes as set out in the master plan was carried out with utmost sincerity and frugality.
Odili’s independent power project was innovative and the first in the entire country. At the onset, the project was pursued on strict budget discipline and “utmost frugality,” though much later, it became the worst drain pipe and arena of fraud. But that’s not the issue here.
His metro rail transport service was the grassroots’ delight because it was strictly targeted to help them.
In the housing sector, estates were built in all the local government headquarters in the state. Though most of the houses were cited in evil forests which made it easier for people closer to the spirit world (psycha) to occupy than normal human beings, the fact remains that at least he built and they exist till today.
Odili, early in the life of his administration preached and pursued the gospel of “utmost frugality” in the use of state funds. And because he had nothing to hide, every month, he gathered representatives from all the national, local and even foreign media. He was asked direct uncensored questions and the media interactions were transmitted live even beyond the state.
However all these changed when Odili started dancing the “na who be the mani-yiooo” regae tune towards the end of his first tenure.
He suddenly stopped dedicating Rivers state to God and metamorphosed into an “Ogbuagu (killer of lion) in the Knight of saint something”. And from the “utmost frugality” gospel, he switched over to “in tandem with the thinking of the administration.”
He co-opted the “anti- Christ” from the pit of hell into his work programme to execute his Total Root Out campaign (RTO).
The reckless devouring of state funds assumed a criminal dimension when the former governor became blindfolded by his inundated ambition to grab power at all cost at the centre. Rivers state stopped being his constituency and primary area of service.
Though the state’s annual budgets moved from few billions of naira to hundreds of billions, the Rivers people became more deprived in terms of service delivery. Infrastructures depreciated to laughable standard to the point school pupils sat on bare floor to receive lessons in roofless classrooms.
Matching both Odili and Amaechi’s early years in office, it seems there is a replay. And thus it has become imperative to berate Odili for not telling
Amaechi certain crucial facts that could stop the son from committing the same sins of the father.
As a governor, Odili virtually lived in churches and surrounded himself with men of god and men who want to be like god as the church was instrumental to his defeating the “anti-Christ”. Throughout his stay at the Brick House, these men of god with their anointing for signs and wonders did not see a single thing wrong with the way he ran the state until the day Amaechi came into office.
Odili should have told Amaechi that the same men of god who benefited heavily from his largess singing praises and powerful prayers throughout the eight years only turned around to call for his crucifixion right from Amaechi’s first day in office.
Publicly, even in the media especially the (web-based), some people have severally referred to Amaechi as an Igbo man merely because the Ikweres can be accepted to be pure Niger Delta when it suits some people while at other times, they become more Igbo than Niger Delta.
Odili did not tell Amaechi that part of his problem in the state was because of the part of the state he was born. Some sections did not see him as a pure blood riversman. Rather they saw him as a pure Igbo man who became “riversman merely by state creation.” This was part of the fight he faced.
Odili must have laughed Amaechi to scorn when the young governor recently cried out that he was being hunted and persecuted because he refused to surrender the state’s allocations to a few indigenous cabals who want to share the fund for selfish use. The former governor did not tell Amaechi that his problem in the state started when the same people pressured him early in his administration to completely surrender state allocations for them to feast on because they were the owners of the state. Of course he “maintained” up to a point and decided to stop.
By his refusal to continue the gratification, the godfathers that brought him to office vowed to frustrate his government and remove him from power at all cost come the 2003 election. And in his desperate attempt to remain in office, the former governor opted to cultivate the “middle level manpower” by massively empowering younger politicians and setting them against the old brigade. The beneficiaries in turn decided to re- pay their benefactor by defending him at all cost across the state. This gave birth to the emergence of war lords across the state as counter offense to the hitherto well known forces of the godfathers.
Odili did not tell Amaechi that all the people that have been calling for his head since he left office in 2007 were the same people that form the critical mass of the gang that supposedly ripped Rivers state off its last kobo without any tangible project to show for the hundreds of billions annual budgets read year.
Governor Amaechi need to learn this bitter Odili’s lessons because over 95 percent of the people that ruined Odili’s administration in Rivers state are the same set of people currently hanging around and/or working directly in his government. They are the same group of people who are now pretending to be so embittered by the so called Odili’s maladministration in the state.
The present governor for whatever reasons should refuse to be quarantined like Odili because that was the former governor’s greatest undoing.
Odili emotionally touched millions of people when at the Abuja sitting of the Rivers Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he was asked his greatest regret in the eight years he ruled Rivers state. He said if he had the opportunity to do it again, he would not work with most of the people he had in his government for their manifested levels of deceit, incompetence and gross indiscipline displayed while holding public offices.
The lessons in the Odili’s experience for Amaechi are so glaring that if he ignores to check the irresponsibility of his aides, political appointees, associates, and friends, he may ultimate end up like Odili regretting that if he gets another chance, he would not associate with most of the people he worked with for their irresponsibility, recklessness, incompetence, deceit, and evil mindedness. Bros, shine your eye because na the same people!
Saharareporters

Joe Biden To Al Gore: 'This Man Was Elected President Of The United States Of America'

HuffingtonPost

Vice President Joe Biden joined former Vice President Al Gore and other high-profile Democrats on Tuesday at a Washington fundraiser for congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Ed Markey (D-Mass.). When he took the microphone, Biden took time to remind Democrats of what could have been in 2000 if the Supreme Court had ruled differently in Bush v. Gore.

“This man was elected president of the United States of America,” Biden said to Gore after joking that he was "lobbying for a job" with him, according to the pool report. “No, no, no. He was elected president of the United States of America. But for the good of the nation, when the bad decision, in my view, was made, he did the right thing for the nation.”

Biden continued: “I’ve served longer than all but 13 members of the United States Senate. I can’t think of very many who would put his country first like that, at a really, really, really difficult time. There’s an awful lot of folks Al and I both know who have run for president and still haven’t gotten over it.”

Biden gave Gore one final compliment before shifting his focus to Markey.

“Al, you set an example for this country that is going to live as long as recorded history, about the man who won by a decision that I think constitutional scholars now and in the future will conclude was an ill-fated decision,” Biden said. “The way you stepped up, it was amazing.”

The Supreme Court's decision has attracted newfound scrutiny more than 12 years after it put George W. Bush in the White House despite his losing the popular vote. Former justices John Paul Stevens and Sandra Day O'Connor have both expressed skepticism at the court's decision over the past few months. Gore has meanwhile maintained that he doesn't regret his choice to stand by the rule of law and respect their decision, even though he disagreed with it.

Both Biden and Gore did also get around to praising Markey, who actually wasn't present at the event, due to a scheduling conflict that placed him in Massachusetts for his second debate against Republican candidate Gabriel Gomez.

During his speech, Biden also criticized Republicans for looking to freshman Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) for leadership on issues such as gun control.

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See all the photos from Iyanya’s London Concert

On Sunday June 9, 2013, Iyanya’s ‘Kukere Concert’ was held at the O2 Arena London. The show was hosted by UK comedian, Eddie Kadi and co-hosted by Tonto Dikeh.

Check out for some more pictures below….

Emma Nyra   

Tonto Dikeh

 

Local govts deserve no autonomy – Aregbesola, Sagay

Prominent Nigerians, including Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and constitutional lawyer Prof. Itse Sagay, have described as an aberration the ongoing clamour for local government autonomy in the country.

Speaking on the theme: ‘Local Government Authority: How Autonomous?’ organized by CMC Connect in Lagos yesterday, Aregbesola said it is only in Nigeria where three tiers of government are being recognized for in a federal system of government.

“How was the local government administration about 25 years ago? Outside Nigeria, which other country does allocate money to local governments. The issue of local government autonomy has been on for years. There can’t be three tiers of governments in a federal system of government.

“There is no provision for local government in a federal structure. It is only the state and federal governments that exist in the federal system. Local government administration must not be seen as something outside the state purview,” Aregbesola said.

Speaking in the same vein, constitutional lawyer Prof. Itse Sagay submitted that there was no reason to agitate for local government autonomy since Nigeria is an autonomous entity.

He argued that local governments are part and parcel of the states within which they are situated and that its administration has nothing to do with federal government.

DailyTrust

Michael Bloomberg Urging Donors Not To Give To Senators Who Voted Against Background Checks

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is taking his fight to pass background check legislation to Democratic donors, urging them not to donate to Democratic senators who voted against a measure to expand background checks for gun purchases.

The New York Times reported that a letter is going out to "hundreds" of top donors in New York, asking them to cut off contributions to the four Democrats who voted against the bill, which failed in the Senate earlier this year. The letters target Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Mark Begich (Alaska) and Max Baucus (Mont.). Pryor and Begich are up for reelection in 2014.

What effect the letter by the Republican-turned-independent mayor may have on Democratic donors is not yet clear. But it is another effort by Bloomberg to attach a political cost to voting against gun legislation -- something that the National Rifle Association has long done on the opposite side of the issue. It also marks an escalation between Bloomberg and national Democrats, who have worried that targeting vulnerable members of the party could backfire and lead to Republicans winning.

That worry has not deterred Bloomberg, whose group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, spent $350,000 on an ad asking Pryor to reconsider his "no" vote on background checks. The Arkansas senator called the spot "disgusting."

The mayor brushed off the notion that his attack would lead to electing Republicans less in favor of his plan. "The NRA has defined how you go about getting something done," he said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." Wednesday. "You say ... I know your opponent may be worse. This is the issue. We're judging you, not judging your opponent. We'll deal with your opponent at a different time. We want you to vote this way. This is what's right for the country."

HuffingtonPost

Congressman Demands Obama Apologize To Oklahoma For Investing In Climate Change Research

By Rebecca Leber

Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK)

Just as extreme weather season kicks off, freshman Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) demanded that President Obama apologize to Oklahoma for allocating funding toclimate change research. Bridenstine, a climate denier who serves on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, plans to introduce a bill that defunds climate change research.

“Even climate change alarmists admit the number of hurricanes hitting the U.S. and the number of tornado touchdowns have been on a slow decline for over 100 years,” Bridenstine said on the House floor Tuesday, according to Raw Story. “But here is what we absolutely know. We know that Oklahoma will have tornadoes when the cold jet stream meets the warm Gulf air, and we also know that this President spends 30 times as much money on global warming research as he does on weather forecasting and warning. For this gross misallocation, the people of Oklahoma are ready to accept the President’s apology and I intend to submit legislation to fix this.”

Here is what Director of the National Climatic Data Center Tom Karl had to say about hurricanes, tornadoes, and climate change in 2011: “What we can say with confidence is that heavy and extreme precipitation events often associated with thunderstorms and convection are increasing and have been linked to human-induced changes in atmospheric composition.” Meanwhile, climate scientists are in near universal agreement that climate change is driven by human activity.

Bridenstine also recently accused Obama of “dishonesty, incompetence, vengefulness” in anunhinged speech on the House floor.

TP