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Why I Rejected Obasanjo’s Offer Of Attorney-General Of The Federation

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<b>From the handwriting on the political wall, the choice of General Muhammadu Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates in this year’s election seems to cut the ground from under President Goodluck Jonathan’s feet. This is not because both or either of the opposition party’s flag bearers has a deep pocket. No, it is not. However, symbolism and perception  have given them such mileage that the vehicle of incumbency has not helped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) candidate to cover. General Buhari and Professor Osinbajo are perceived to be symbols of integrity, or simply put, adversaries of corruption, the word so equipped with life that it has tormented and sacked the Nigerian nation from the path of purposeful development. The twists and turns in the march to the 2015 elections are seen as the ruling party’s search for a creative design to neutralize the threat posed to it by the overwhelming, near magical support,  that the APC’s candidates have attracted, though they don’t belong to the bracket of rich politicians.</b></div>
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An opportunity to interview  one of these wave-making politicians was dangled at <b><a href="http://dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/top-stories/19559-why-i-accepted-to-be-buhari-s-running-mate-prof-osinbajo">SUNDAY TRUST</a></b> last Monday and our reporter swiftly trapped it. Professor Osinbajo was en route Makurdi, Benue State, for a town hall meeting with a congregation of church leaders from the North-Central geopolitical zone. My contact said, “If you’re at Evergreen by 2.00pm, you could interview the professor.” It was like Prophet Elijah telling apprentice Elisha that if Elisha saw him being taken away in the clouds, young Elisha would receive the double portion of Elijah’s anointing for miracles.</div>
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This reporter was unaware that there is a terminus of Evergreen Aviation Nigeria in Lagos. It’s a stone’s throw from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Evergreen is one of several private aviation terminals in the commercial city.  After a tension-soaked hour of waiting, the lively chatter in the waiting lounge of the terminus screeched to a halt. In hushed tones, staff and half a dozen aides announced Professor Osinbajo’s arrival.</div>
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Without an air of power and without being surrounded by adulation or hero worship of “His Excellency,” the Vice-Presidential candidate sauntered into the reception hall. Instead of saluting him with his futuristic appellation, “His Excellency,”  intermittently he was greeted with ‘Prof’ prefix and suffix. I noticed that ‘Prof’ had spread in the air from one corner of the waiting room to another. In an apparent mien that let out his preference for humility, Professor Osinbajo stretched out his hand and shook everyone in the room. Taking a step further, he acquiesced to appeals by everyone to pose for snap shots with everyone who was ready to utilize the photo opportunity with the hopeful Vice President.</div>
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However, the interview I expected would not take place at the speed of anxiety. Embedded in the activities of the professor from 2.00pm to 12.00 midnight on Monday, February 2, 2015, I learnt a lot of lessons, including the philosophical saying that money is not everything. The almost 58-year-old professor of Law I met from noon to midnight is what Apostle Paul would tag as “a written epistle”, an embodiment of the Christian faith. Incidentally, I was to later learn that it was at his Olive Tree Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Banana Island, Lagos that President Goodluck Jonathan knelt down before Pastor Enoch Adeboye for prayer and anointing  in the run-up to the 2011 presidential election. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Professor Osinbajo was Lagos State Attorney General during the eight years that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was governor of the South-West State. Among many local and international organizations he is affiliated to is the United Nations. He is a member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN Peacekeeping Personnel around the world. He’s also a staff member of the Justice Division of the United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM). In this interview, Professor Osinbajo spoke on his faith and politics. Excerpts:</div>
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<b>As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former Attorney-General of Lagos State, it was never your kind of schedule to be travelling from one part of the country to another on campaign. How are you coping with the demands?</b></div>
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It’s been very hectic but exciting. It’s interesting. One is able to go the length and breadth of the country and meet with real people, with real issues and real problems. We’re able to get a general sense of how the man on the street, the average Nigerian feels about so many issues. I think it’s one of the most educative, instructive periods of my life.</div>
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<b>If you look at the reception in Makurdi, people had high expectations from you and the Presidential candidate of the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari. How do you feel when you discover that people may be expecting much more than you can deliver, if elected?</b></div>
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I think it’s a bit overwhelming sometimes. But what strengthens me is the fact that I know that if the Lord helps us to win the election, we’ll give it our best;  we would have no other objective than good governance, no private agenda, nothing. I think that commitment alone is what strengthens me. I know how committed General Buhari is; I know how single-minded he is and fortunately, I share that with him - commitment and single-mindedness to the Nigerian project.</div>
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<b>How well did you know Buhari before you were named his running mate in the forthcoming election?</b></div>
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I had met him a number of times in the past few years. But before the presidential nomination, there was a time when we were drafting the APC manifestoes and other things I had occasions to interact with him quite frequently. I had interacted with him, spoken to him, discussed with him on few occasions.</div>
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<b>If you didn’t know him quite well, if you become his Vice-President, you may not be able to function in harmony.</b></div>
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No. I don’t think. For instance, I had never met Asiwaju Bola Tinubu before I became Attorney-General. I had not met him before he won the election as governor-elect. But we had a working relationship that lasted eight years. I regard him as an older brother. And in many senses, he is also my leader. We’ve functioned so well, so effectively for all of these years. So, I don’t think it’s important that you know someone very, very well in order to work well with him. What is most important is commitment, loyalty and trustworthiness.  That’s it.</div>
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<b>Are you worried that some Christian leaders are campaigning against Buhari, expressing the fear that he could Islamise the country?</b></div>
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No, I’m not worried because I know that the truth will prevail. I know that there are some individuals who genuinely worry about Islamization. But there are others who know the truth but prefer the propaganda for their own interest. I know some people are genuinely worried, but there is nothing to worry about it. The reason why no one should worry is that there is no Islamic agenda; General Buhari has no Islamic agenda, and I can say that with conviction because I have interacted with him, and his antecedents do not show that he has any fundamentalist Islamic tendencies.</div>
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<b>What are the antecedents which attest to your claim?</b></div>
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The first is that he was a Head of State of Nigeria from December 1983 to August 1985. In that period he had nearly absolute powers. He appointed the ministers, governors, his deputy was a Muslim. Of the 19 governors that he appointed, 11 were Christians. Of the ministers he appointed, 70 per cent of them were Christians. That was when he could have done what he wished. He was under pressure; there were forces that wanted him to join the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). He refused to join the OIC. He took the view that Nigeria was a secular state and should not join the OIC as a member. He refused to join. It was only in 1988, thereafter, that the country joined OIC. But everyone of us knows that the first Nigerian Head of State to attend the OIC is President Goodluck Jonathan. </div>
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So, clearly Buhari is not going to Islamize the country. Also, the first Islamic insurgency that was suppressed in Nigeria, the Maitatsine  insurgency,  was suppressed  by General Buhari. If he believed in Islamic extremist ideology, he would have allowed Maitatsine. He led the Nigerian Army and ensured that Maitatsine was completely suppressed. Besides all that, some people have accused him of saying that Muslims should vote for Muslims, Christians should vote for Christians. Not only is that absurd, he has denied that many times. It’s absurd. </div>
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The first time he ran for office, he chose Senator Chuba Okadigbo of blessed memory; the second was the late Chief Ume Ezeoke; the third was Pastor Tunde Bakare; and the fourth is myself. If he believes that Muslims should vote for Muslims, why should he go and pick a Christian running mate? That’s absurd. Why should anyone believe that funny story? Some people said he threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable if he lost elections. </div>
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He sued the newspaper company that published the story. The media outfit formally apologized publicly to him, that they lied against him. Some said, he promised to spread the Shar’iah rule. He has denied that repeatedly. On Sunday, some people were placing a mischievous advert, congratulating him on his plans to spread the Shar’iah. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) propaganda is very strong and they’ve tried their best to cause fear; they’re trying to spread fear in the minds of the people, especially Christians, saying Buhari is planning to Islamise the country. There’s nothing farther from the truth. </div>
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I’ve spoken to him personally, and he’s said to me, that the two people who were closest to him in the army and for whom he has the greatest respect are General Gowon and General T.Y. Danjuma. Both of them are Christians from the North. He said, ‘why don’t you ask them what their views are about me, whether I’m a fundamentalist or not?’ Finally, he said he has told us repeatedly, his driver of over 15 years is a Christian, his bodyguards are mostly Christians; some were killed when he was attacked in Kaduna. And Buhari said, ‘If I can’t Ismalise my cook and steward, driver, how am I going to Islamise the likes of Yemi Osinbajo, Rochas Okorocha, Ogbonnaya Onu, Governor Fayemi, Niyi Adebayo, Rotimi Amaechi?’  </div>
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Besides, Islamization of the country is impossible, technically. You have to amend the constitution. Everybody knows how long it takes to amend the constitution. Not only do you need an act of the National Assembly, you need two-thirds of 36 states, that’s 24 states, voting together to say that they want an Islamic country. How are you going to get that? It’s not possible. Technically, it’s not possible. But when you hear people holding on to that, it’s because of the way the PDP propaganda has spread the lies. Unfortunately, many people have swallowed it hook, line and sinker. Those who have their own private agenda are talking about Islamisation. </div>
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But I can say, definitely, that I’m a committed Christian, I’m committed to my faith, I certainly, know there is no such desire. But I also believe very strongly that my role in government would be to ensure there is justice for Muslims, justice for Christians, and justice for those who don’t have any belief system. Everyone of us must be treated fairly. The business of government is not religion. It is to protect the lives and property of its citizenry; to ensure that everybody has freedom of worship, to practice their religion, freedom to recreate, enjoy themselves and do their businesses peacefully. That’s what the business of government is.</div>
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<b>What was the reaction of Pastor Enoch Adeboye to your appointment as the running mate to Buhari?</b></div>
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The first thing that I must say is that, Pastor Adeboye is my spiritual father. Beyond being my spiritual father, he’s a person I regard as a father to me. The first thing I must do, and which I did, was to speak to him even when the speculation was on that I was being considered as vice-presidential nominee. He unequivocally said to me that if the offer was ever made to me I must take it. He was categorical, that he thought that would be a wonderful opportunity, and that I should take the opportunity. Pastor Adeboye said he knew, because of my personal commitment, if I was offered and took it, and by God’s grace, we won the election, I would be able to contribute very effectively to governance and be a good representative of our faith. He was fully supportive of my taking the vice presidential candidacy offer.</div>
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<b>When some preachers say they will open the gates of hell to those who oppose Jonathan, how do you feel?</b></div>
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Personally, I didn’t hear it. I haven’t come across it, really. I’m one that wouldn’t want to comment on the utterances of ministers and all that. I just don’t think that is appropriate to begin to comment on it. I didn’t hear anyone say that.</div>
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<b>What does it mean to open the gates of hell for another person?</b></div>
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I don’t want to comment on it because I didn’t hear it. I shouldn’t waste my time analyzing it.</div>
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<b>I learnt that former President Olusegun Obasanjo made an offer for you to be the Attorney-General of the Federation, but you rejected it. Why?</b></div>
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Let me just say that friends of mine within the administration, at one point in time, came together and spoke to me about it. But at the time I was the Attorney-General in Lagos State. I was committed to the job I was doing. At that time we had just got our decision from the Supreme Court on the Local Government funds withheld by the Federal Government. </div>
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The orders of the court had not been obeyed by the Obasanjo administration, and it just wasn’t something I considered honourable to do at that time. I told my friends who approached me that it was not an honourable thing, and that I could not, considering the circumstances, and given my commitment to the state and to the party Action Congress (AC). </div>
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<b>But being the AGF would have given you more powers and even wealth?</b></div>
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That is not a relevant consideration for me because making a contribution requires you to go in with some credibility. You cannot do a dishonourable thing and hope that you’ll be able to make a serious contribution. Anyway, what sort of wealth am I going to make? It would be illegal. That was not a consideration, anyway.</div>
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<b>What’s your philosophy about wealth, because you keep on giving the impression that wealth is not a serious motivation for you?</b></div>
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A concept that has always remained with me, is that affluence, wealth by itself is futile unless whatever it is that you have is benefitting others. It is for that same reason that I can’t take bribe because, aside from the fact that I’m a born-again Christian,  I strongly believe that you cannot steal from people or government, to take bribes in whatever shape or form. My reasons for that are fundamental: you cannot in truth operate without integrity and expect God’s blessings. </div>
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You must act with integrity all the time as much as you can. For me, affluence by itself, if your purpose is to become rich, or your purpose in life is to become affluent, it’s a futile exercise. You’ll achieve nothing. Money, at the end of the day, is meaningless. If you get it by illegal means, you’re bound to regret it down the line. And if  you are one who knows that you cannot do evil and then expect good (you reap what you sow), then you’re much more careful about anything like the illegal accumulation of wealth. I think that some of what you see in the society today have been created by the accumulation of wealth. There’s something that is dysfunctional about the human mind that operates at that level. People who have been entrusted with political power, power that is supposed to be to the benefits of over a hundred million Nigerians, would seize the commonwealth for themselves. That’s a dysfunctional mind.</div>
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<b>Have you ever been tempted with money, a huge sum of money, and you looked at it and said, no?</b></div>
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You know, I served in government for eight years. Always, Nigerians want to subject authority, and because there is no consequence for giving and receiving bribes, many have come to believe that you must bribe public officials. If you’re in public office, you’re always confronted with this, not once in a while. It’s your duty to decide what to do.  That’s why it’s important to come into office with a certain set of ethics, whether they are inspired by the fear of God or whatever. You must come to office with your ethics, your rule of engagement. Turning down a bribe, for me, is not an issue at all.</div>
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<b>What’s your wife’s attitude toward such ascetic lifestyle? Women would always want to enjoy the good things of life which your legitimate earnings alone can’t afford?</b></div>
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My wife fully supports me (laughs). We share the same philosophy about money. We don’t believe that money is the purpose of life. We both accept that position, and we’ve been married now for 25 years. We’ve always lived modestly. We built our first home when I was 51 years old, after I left office. We’ve lived in rented accommodation for many years. We never used a brand new car until 1998. We always used Tokunbo cars. That’s not because we’re not hardworking, but we strongly believe that we must work hard for the money we earn. </div>
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We must teach our children the value of integrity. My own father said to me many years ago, (and we wrote the words on slab on his grave): ‘the place of integrity is where we ought to be found, whether or not it is also the place of wealth.’ He said we must be found in the place of integrity, no matter what. That’s been my guiding principle. For my wife, also, we don’t live beyond our means. We enjoy our lives; we’re happy with what God has provided for us.</div>
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<b>It is speculated that you run 5,000 churches. How did you come about so many churches?</b></div>
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Well, that’s not true. I’m a provincial pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). I have a parish, which I pastor in Banana Island. As a provincial pastor, I have 91 other parishes that I supervise. That’s the full extent of the church I pastor and supervise.  </div>
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What’s more is that at the RCCG nobody owns the church. We’re all servants in the church. For those of us who are not full-time pastors, we don’t earn a salary. We don’t earn anything. We’re not paid. I’m a practicing lawyer. We don’t own the church. The fact that I supervise 91 parishes is because it’s my administrative responsibility as provincial pastor. I can be moved to any province any time. I was at another parish, a smaller parish, before I was moved to this parish. I don’t supervise 5,000 parishes, but  I will be happy to.</div>
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<b>When you heard that you had 5,000 churches, how did you feel?</b></div>
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I don’t understand what Vice President Namadi Sambo wanted to achieve by going around saying things like that. But it’s obvious that he was wrong. But if I could supervise 5,000 churches, there’s nothing wrong with it. First of all, I’m proud of my faith. I’m happy to be a Christian, but my faith also teaches that I must love and show kindness and justice to all men, regardless of their faith. I’ve good friends who are Muslims. Governor Rauf Aregbesola, for instance, of Osun State is one of the closest people to me. He’s a Muslim. His son, Kabiru, is a son to me. I have so many friends who are not Christians. </div>
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What the Christian faith teaches is that, even if you have enemies, you have to pray for them, not alone your friends. Jesus Christ came  for the whole wide world. He came to show justice to all men. The Bible says, for God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believeth  in him will have eternal life. Love for all is very important, justice for all is very important.</div>
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<b>It’s speculated you would be vice president for six months, after which you would handover the seat to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. What’s the deal between you and Tinubu?</b></div>
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(Laughter). That’s the most unserious speculation I’ve ever come across. Frankly, I have not heard it. But there’s no such thing. As you know, Asiwaju Tinubu is known for picking people and supporting people he believes would do the best for the state or for the nation, as the case may be. That’s why we have the likes of Governors Fashola,  Fayemi, Amosun, Aregbesola. They have done exceedingly well in their states. That speculation that I would quit after six months is too crude to be believed. </div>
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<b>Did you give any conditions to General Buhari before you accepted to be his running mate?</b></div>
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No, I didn’t give any conditions. I had met with Buhari. I know he’s an honest man. He’s a straightforward man. He’s a man who wants to keep his words. And I share those values. We share the same values in governance. We believe that this country has been badly run; we must run it well. We must run it fairly and in accordance with the Rule of Law. </div>
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There must be freedom of religion; freedom of worship. There must be freedom to do business. It’s our business to create that environment. We must solve the problem of unemployment; we must deal with the power problem. We’re at one in all of the critical issues that affect our country.  So there’s no need for pre-conditions. </div>
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<b>If elected as vice president, how does your government hope to create jobs?</b></div>
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There are several things. In fact, in writing the APC manifesto, the major question that we asked ourselves while  writing any policy was, ‘how many jobs will this policy produce?’ We have several approaches. </div>
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The first is some emergency creation of jobs by government. We’re looking at state governments creating a minimum of 20,000 jobs. That’s just a relieve measure. Then, we’re looking at giving incentives to employers of labour, who employ over 10 staff and pay them the minimum wage. We’re looking at  giving them tax breaks. That’s just to encourage employers of labour. We also know that we need to clean up the business environment, create an enabling environment for investors and local people to do business so that we can expand the scope of commerce and business. Part of that is working on power sector. </div>
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Without power industries cannot thrive. We intend to tackle the question of power very seriously, especially decentralizing power and increasing embedded generation of power so that the current problems with the gas supplies to IPPs may be avoided. Or, at least, in the interim we may be able to provide power by decentralization, cabled to the places that we believe there ought to be power. For instance, we believe that where you have clusters of business, industrial estates, and the like, we should have IPPs  to power industrial parks and estates so that industries would have 24/7 power. </div>
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We need to be able to invest heavily in building of infrastructure, like roads. That would also bring in many jobs. Farming and mining are two areas where we think considerable job creation is possible. One of the ways in which we intend to do it is by providing incentives to farmers, and this is using commodity exchanges policies. We’ll buy produce from farmers, paying a minimum price for them. That guarantees farmers that they would make money from what they produce. For instance, let’s look at rice. </div>
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Thailand does this effectively. Aside from all the other incentives and inputs that we intend to use like fertilisers, improved seedlings. We think that if you provide incentives to farmers by buying produce from them it will be great. Look at what Thailand and India have done. These countries ensured that  they paid a minimum price for the production of rice. We now have Thailand rice flooding our market. You’ve got to provide incentives to farmers more significantly in order to make a quantum leap in agriculture, which we need to do. </div>
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The whole value chain is another area where we have to encourage private investment. Look at Benue State, with yams, oranges and all that. Rice farming is important, but you need milling. The private and public sector must work together to provide storage and milling and all that in the value chain. So we need to work actively on becoming a major producer of some of these crops. We must make a quantum leap; it’s going to cost us money to do so. Government has to intervene properly in order to energize that sector. Of course, it would provide hundreds of thousands of jobs.</div>
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<b>With the dwindling prices of crude oil and the collapse of the value of naira, do you fear that if you take over in May, you would face cash crunch?</b></div>
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There may be initial problems, but that is also on account of misgovernance that we’ve seen in the past few years. Oil prices were consistently at the highest in the history of the country, and somehow our external reserves just never reflected that. Now, when we should have saved, no saving was made, so we’re in trouble. </div>
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The problem is not a matter of oil prices going down. Even if oil prices were $500 per barrel, the way the government mismanaged the resources of the country, we would still have ended up being broke and in trouble.  The fall in the value of the naira is mostly as a consequence of the bad policies, not just the fall in oil prices. </div>
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The devaluation of the naira is a terrible policy choice and misgovernance, and outright corruption. If the Central Bank Governor says between $10 billion and $12 billion is unaccounted for and we are told that PriceWaterHouseCoopers would investigate and it’s been done and the report has been submitted since November, 2014, any government that is serious about management of resources would, by now, have identified what happened, is money missing? The $7bn kerosene subsidy scam is without explanation. The $1 billion supposedly missing from Excess Crude Oil Account has not been explained. The N2.3 trillion allegedly spent on oil subsidy in one year, and the investigation done on it, what has become of them? It’s just misgoverance and corruption. </div>
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Once the Buhari administration is in place, one of the crucial issues for us is drawing the line, as General Buhari has said, and say, ‘from now on, these are the rules. You cannot steal government funds. There would be consequences.’ Then we’ll put in place proper governance and ensure that whatever is received as revenue for the Federal Government is properly accounted for, distributed to the tiers of government as it ought to, and judiciously expended. Our take is that if you’re able to block the stealing alone, you’ll make substantial saving to do a lot of what you want to do.</div>
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<b>Aren’t you going to look into the records, to say who stole what, and demand a refund to the treasury?</b></div>
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All that there is to do is an investigation by an independent accounting firm. There is a report already. All they need to do is to tell us what happened. All that needs to be done is who did it, why, what are the explanations. </div>
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We’ll ensure due process at all times to discover what went wrong. If a significant amount of money has been misappropriated, obviously those amount ought to be returned. We have to find out what exactly happened to it.</div>

Why I Rejected Obasanjo’s Offer Of Attorney-General Of The Federation

From the handwriting on the political wall, the choice of General Muhammadu Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates in …

08 Feb 2015

Election Postponement: The Service Chiefs' Hypocrisy

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm61Z75gvxqkTIt6GEGc9iV4lyFv39Ow7tri470mGEs_NFHCUSoIFAp9Ur-4nJiKult_eziGuEBhcS8mCS3P_INFi3W9cgESWBdt_JQGMcvCJPY9AdgGutIo2U1VT2f77337cP0KbhGxcb/s1600/Service+Chiefs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm61Z75gvxqkTIt6GEGc9iV4lyFv39Ow7tri470mGEs_NFHCUSoIFAp9Ur-4nJiKult_eziGuEBhcS8mCS3P_INFi3W9cgESWBdt_JQGMcvCJPY9AdgGutIo2U1VT2f77337cP0KbhGxcb/s1600/Service+Chiefs.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last night when INEC announced it was postponing the February 14 elections, the main reason for that action was because the security agencies said they could not provide security for the elections.</div>
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Below is a report by Vanguard on February 3 where the security chiefs affirmed their readiness for the polls. And, suddenly, obviously at the Presidency's bidding, the same security chiefs turned around to inform INEC they were not ready for the elections.</div>
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Read the Vanguard report below:</div>
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<b>Nigerian Security Chiefs, yesterday, said the military was ready for the general elections expected to commence on February 14 with the Presidential and National Assembly elections.</b></div>
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The Service Chiefs who revealed this at the National Peace Committee for the 2015 elections meeting with representatives of different political parties in Abuja said that all the logistic problems that had affected the 2011 elections had been taken care of to ensure that the elections go as scheduled.</div>
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Specifically, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun said; “We have commenced the airlift of the materials needed for the elections starting from Abuja, we will continue with the elections. The whole spectrum of the elections would be involved. It was logistics problems that made us to postpone the election four years ago, it is not going to happen again, we are already ahead of the game.</div>
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“We have a lot of unmanned airports in Nigeria, we have already deployed our men, we are going to man those airports. So, should we have saboteurs planning to use any of those airfields, it will be difficult for them. We are going to block all those unmanned airfields. We have already deployed and set up our soldiers to man those airfields. Those are the areas we may have linkages, the airport security, we are already ahead of the game to man the airfields to stop those that will want to bring in illegal materials into the country.”</div>
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The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, said that though the military was much occupied with the insurgency in the north-east, they had capacity to tame any act of violence before, during and after the election. He said, “We are not directly involved in elections and electioneering but before the elections, we deploy will our personnel across the nation to assist civil powers and authority. During the elections, as we have done in other states, we also ensure that people are not used to go and cause trouble or mayhem after the elections and should there be any disturbances, we will assist the police.</div>
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“The military will deploy as much as we can across the nation. Even though we are busy in the north east, we also have capability across the nation.”</div>
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Chief of Army Staff General Kenneth Minimah said, “We are aware of the need for security before, during and after the elections. We will deploy across the states of the federation, in areas we discover that have capacity for violence. We are prepared to ensure we have a peaceful election. I appeal to politicians to obey the rules of the game and advise their followers to respect the laws of the land. As stipulated in the Electoral Act and the Constitution, no individual or groups should take the laws into their hands. We want the nation to have peace after this election.”</div>
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The former Head of State, Genera Abdulsalam Abubakar who is the Chairman of National Peace Committee for the 2015 elections said that Nigeria could not afford to experience the kind of electoral carnage that followed election process in some parts of the world, urging politicians to desist from making provocative statements that are capable of disrupting the nation’s peace.</div>
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“I have been involved in a lot of peace talks. It is sad when you go round Africa and see the kind of injuries inflicted on people as a result of electoral violence. We appeal to Nigerians to eschew violence. The contestants signed an accord to maintain peace; we demand that their followers maintain peace. The media has a herculean task to preach peace and avoid sensational reporting. We are not taking these threats lightly; we have noted the various utterances.”</div>
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Support for civil authority</div>
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The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba said that the military will have no business to be at the polling booths as it was not its responsibility. He also noted that the support for the civil authority by the military is statutorily provided as it was constitutionally provided in Section 217, adding that the military has the responsibility to support the civil society in maintaining internal security.</div>
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Chairman, Vanguard Media Limited, who is a member of the committee, Mr. Sam Amuka, in an interview said it was the responsibility of the media to undertake certain amount of self censorship, adding, “we should be wary of publishing some statements that can provoke anger and lead to violence.”</div>
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On the bashing of the media for allegedly heating up the polity, Mr. Amuka said, “there is no way you won’t bash the media. If you make a statement and the media does not give it attention, how many people will hear it. So the mass media have an important role, to preserve the peace of the country.”</div>
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Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu who was represented by the party’s Deputy National Legal Adviser said the leader of the PDP and President of the country, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan had in a number of occasions clearly said that his ambition did not worth the blood of any Nigerian, expressing that the president had showed enough commitment towards ensuring a credible and peaceful election.</div>
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<b>Credit: <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/ready-elections-service-chiefs/">Vanguard</a></b></div>

Election Postponement: The Service Chiefs' Hypocrisy

Last night when INEC announced it was postponing the February 14 elections, the main reason for that action was because the security agencies said they could not provide security for the elections. B…

08 Feb 2015

PDP Not Prepared For February Elections - Mohammed

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LLGA4zf1Z2wyC6QQKZU7J5aDOek9h5dyO6kYNk_qoqhGjTboumpyZ79-DO1EJW6-z2q7JtmP_gjYI1IXIDKyn51W7UmS3xVZb0cmYDuXOXHN6LocAAo6kT1iZyH-qzSbk7z3sdplBElA/s1600/Lai+Mohammed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LLGA4zf1Z2wyC6QQKZU7J5aDOek9h5dyO6kYNk_qoqhGjTboumpyZ79-DO1EJW6-z2q7JtmP_gjYI1IXIDKyn51W7UmS3xVZb0cmYDuXOXHN6LocAAo6kT1iZyH-qzSbk7z3sdplBElA/s1600/Lai+Mohammed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The National Publicity Secretary of the leading opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Lai Mohammed, has accused “the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for calling for the postponement of the general elections, saying that the ruling party it is not prepared for it”.</b></div>
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Mohammed stressed that the ruling PDP government had four years to prepare for the elections and that the date of the election was given about a year ago meaning that there was ample time for the PDP to adequately prepare.</div>
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Speaking as a guest on a breakfast programme on Saturday, the APC spokesperson challenged the federal government to state what it had done to help in the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and ensuring that every registered Nigerian got their PVCs to enable them participate in the elections.</div>
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He further stated that the Federal Government had earlier been advised to declare a two day public holiday to enable Nigerians who are yet to collect their PVCs to go and collect them.</div>
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Mr Mohammed also said that the government had failed to declare the holiday or take a decisive stand in ending the insurgency in the north-eastern part of Nigeria.</div>
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He, therefore, emphasised that the ruling party’s call for the postponement of the election was a sign of their lack of readiness for the elections.</div>
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Mr Mohammed’s comments came a few hours before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced a six weeks postponement of the elections during its meeting with political stakeholders to consider the realities on ground and the possibility of holding the elections as scheduled.</div>

PDP Not Prepared For February Elections - Mohammed

The National Publicity Secretary of the leading opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Lai Mohammed, has accused “the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for calling for the postponement o…

08 Feb 2015

I Will Gladly Resign If There Are Reasons To - Jega

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDFKluvqpfi9NqyzhuGa1TNiIi2xcYmW_IToInekcKysh3iprqrfqLbn0Cwf0bi4y-Wd1cqrLN-pFVJ8DuZjom2xDgxXxSSmI09BXXGikAUvRB3hh6P319WoK_DyFGv6MG7pVLezW_Riv/s1600/Jega3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDFKluvqpfi9NqyzhuGa1TNiIi2xcYmW_IToInekcKysh3iprqrfqLbn0Cwf0bi4y-Wd1cqrLN-pFVJ8DuZjom2xDgxXxSSmI09BXXGikAUvRB3hh6P319WoK_DyFGv6MG7pVLezW_Riv/s1600/Jega3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is not entirely ruling out the possibility of resigning his post, but he says there must be “grounds” for him to do that.</div>
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One of the rumours that accompanied recent fears about the postponement of the 2015 elections was that Jega was planning to step down as INEC chairman, owing to pressure from certain interests seeking the movement of the February 14 and 28 dates originally scheduled for the polls.</div>
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Asked at Saturday’s media briefing during which the six-week postponement of the elections was announced, Jega stated his intention to finish his term, which expires on June 30.</div>
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"If there are grounds for me to resign, I will gladly resign", he said. "If there are no grounds, I will not."</div>
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Asked what would happen at the expiration of his tenure in June, he said: "When we get to the bridge, we will cross it."</div>
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At the briefing, Jega announced INEC’s decision to reschedule the presidential and national assembly elections for March 28, 2015 and the state governorship and state assembly elections for April 11, 2015.</div>
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<b>Credit: <a href="http://www.thecable.ng/jega-i-will-gladly-resign-if-there-is-a-reason-to">TheCable</a></b></div>

I Will Gladly Resign If There Are Reasons To - Jega

Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is not entirely ruling out the possibility of resigning his post, but he says there must be “grounds” for him to do th…

08 Feb 2015

It's A Disgrace Chad Is Fighting Our Battle For Us - Buhari

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphzArncNMuLLDmz7oOdzfBLYSETYoWPj-J182KQGuCx4FN3k5ii9JU19mYVzi2jzjzQJBQkQoNbERRhZW3ceqAilbzNoTM2sgAHOWBuJLXnB04T-sjvCSLroRiv8ywHqsOtKwmOAIyfCw/s1600/Buhari1-653x365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphzArncNMuLLDmz7oOdzfBLYSETYoWPj-J182KQGuCx4FN3k5ii9JU19mYVzi2jzjzQJBQkQoNbERRhZW3ceqAilbzNoTM2sgAHOWBuJLXnB04T-sjvCSLroRiv8ywHqsOtKwmOAIyfCw/s1600/Buhari1-653x365.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has voiced his concerns over the fact that Cameroonian and Chadian military forces are having the upper hand in the fight against militant group, Boko Haram compared to the Nigerian military.</b></div>
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Buhari, who spoke to international news agency, Reuters says Nigeria’s poor performance in the fight against insurgency is a disgrace.</div>
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"It's a big disgrace for Nigeria. It is now Cameroon and Chad fighting the insurgency more than Nigeria. We will build the capacity and Nigeria should be able to secure its territorial integrity", he said.</div>
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Recall that troops from neighbouring Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroon, have been battling the terrorists even in Nigerian territory.</div>
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On the elections, Buhari promised to use legal means to protest any election irregularities, if he is not declared the winner and said he won’t ask his supporters to pour out on the streets or encourage violence.</div>
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He said, "I’m optimistic that I won’t lose. But we signed an undertaking that it will be violence free, we are attempting to stabilise a multi party democratic system".</div>
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Responding to the never-ending rumours of election postponement, Buhari said, "there will be no delay. But if INEC is compromised then it will be too bad.”</div>
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On his plans for the country if elected, the Katsina-born retired General said, “Our main objective is to secure the country. We will not tolerate insurgency, sabotage of the economy by the blowing up of installations, by stealing crude and so on…. All these things will be things of the past.”</div>

It's A Disgrace Chad Is Fighting Our Battle For Us - Buhari

The presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has voiced his concerns over the fact that Cameroonian and Chadian military forces are having the uppe…

08 Feb 2015

[Video]: Journalists Boo Okupe After Saying Buhari Will Never Rule

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96uVdZDWeeOs8HUV9NFj8zH-aoa2B43boj76nZlnPgTpFgc7puY10MM6k7sBx3E5J1Z0glgY2mx_42EuOcrCpdxHESrWF1f6Whu_lX9_kaajoR5d8vUN1QQJLQAEq5zCRTdPZdBGpnfsx/s1600/doyin-okupe+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96uVdZDWeeOs8HUV9NFj8zH-aoa2B43boj76nZlnPgTpFgc7puY10MM6k7sBx3E5J1Z0glgY2mx_42EuOcrCpdxHESrWF1f6Whu_lX9_kaajoR5d8vUN1QQJLQAEq5zCRTdPZdBGpnfsx/s1600/doyin-okupe+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>In this video, president Jonathan’s media spokesman, Doyin Okupe threatened journalists at a press briefing rather aggressively, swearing that chief opposition candidate, General Muhamamdu Buhari WILL NEVER be allowed to lead Nigeria. His threat follows a pattern as earlier exposed being made by the president’s aides.</b></div>
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A fail: In the video, he ended up galvanizing support for the opposition candidate as he was swiftly booed by the crowd who responded twice as vocally against him and started chanting, APC, APC, for the opposition party. The president’s media man engaged in slander in the video, claiming the opposition was uneducated.</div>
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Watch video below:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7cYlMAEybm4" width="640"></iframe>

[Video]: Journalists Boo Okupe After Saying Buhari Will Never Rule

In this video, president Jonathan’s media spokesman, Doyin Okupe threatened journalists at a press briefing rather aggressively, swearing that chief opposition candidate, General Muhamamdu Buhari WIL…

08 Feb 2015

Gunmen Kidnap Ex-Gov. Joshua Dariye's Father

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<b>Suspected kidnapers, Saturday night, kidnapped the father of a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye.</b></div>
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A witness said that the victim, who is said to be in his late 80s, was abducted at his residence in Mushere, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.</div>
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The source, who asked not to be named as he is not permitted to speak for the family, said the kidnappers fired gun shots in the air to scare residents of the area before the victim was abducted and taken to an unknown destination.</div>
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However, the police in the state are yet to confirm the incident. The spokesperson of the police in Plateau, Abuh Emmanuel, in a telephone interview on Sunday asked for more time to confirm the incident.</div>
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Mr. Emmanuel said he will contact the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area for details.</div>
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The victim’s son, Mr. Dariye, currently represents Plateau Central in the Senate and is seeking re-election. The politician could not be reached for comments as at press time.</div>
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But our source, a close associate to the former governor, said he has been told of the incident.</div>
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More details later...</div>

Gunmen Kidnap Ex-Gov. Joshua Dariye's Father

Suspected kidnapers, Saturday night, kidnapped the father of a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye. A witness said that the victim, who is said to be in his late 80s, was abducted at his …

08 Feb 2015

US Deeply Disappointed By Election Postponement - Kerry

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<b>The United States has reacted to the postponement of the Nigerian election saying it is "deeply disappointed". Secretary of State, John Kerry, said this in a press statement released by the State Department.</b></div>
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<b>Postponement of Elections in Nigeria - Press Statement</b></div>
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The United States is deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14.</div>
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Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process. The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.</div>
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As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/02/237290.htm">John Kerry</a></b></div>
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Secretary of State</div>
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February 7, 2015</div>

US Deeply Disappointed By Election Postponement - Kerry

The United States has reacted to the postponement of the Nigerian election saying it is "deeply disappointed". Secretary of State, John Kerry, said this in a press statement released by the State Dep…

08 Feb 2015

We Gave Our Original Certificates To Military Board - Gen. Akinrinade

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqo_AvMSQTut-9ul4e3CkBMyosv5ILKwB8T6Vc9t9VeUKXim8U6FAyw-HxJmRzo-WfcSICjXxfSU5N-loalYh2DEiXlb4EgVEbEx9cyuNxJJi82DwHHqd6GftM8hgMh9h1tcn9xl5AxxAK/s1600/Akinrinade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqo_AvMSQTut-9ul4e3CkBMyosv5ILKwB8T6Vc9t9VeUKXim8U6FAyw-HxJmRzo-WfcSICjXxfSU5N-loalYh2DEiXlb4EgVEbEx9cyuNxJJi82DwHHqd6GftM8hgMh9h1tcn9xl5AxxAK/s1600/Akinrinade.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A former Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (retd.), tells <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/its-an-insult-on-the-military-to-question-buharis-certificate-gen-akinrinade/">SUNDAY PUNCH</a></b> that Nigeria may be headed for crisis if the elections are not well managed.</div>
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<b>You are one of the finest soldiers Nigeria has ever produced. You also fought in the civil war to keep the country as one. Do you have any regrets?</b></div>
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When you have a duty, especially if it is a professional duty, you should be happy each time you are able to discharge your responsibilities creditably. Therefore, to that extent, yes (I feel fulfilled.) We fought a civil war. I will say to the best of my ability, I discharged my duties. But if you look at the reasons why we fought the war, I will say it was an unnecessary war. If I knew at that time what I now know after many years of going around the world, studying history and reading biographies, I just feel it was an unnecessary war. But, unfortunately today, we’re faced with fighting terrorism. That phenomenon is going to dominate the world for the next 50 years, like I said in 2001 in one of my lectures. We are going to be chasing terrorists for the next 50 years if we are not careful. The reason is simply because we ignore why people do the things they do. We dismiss them instead of examining the message carefully and finding answers to it. I think it is rooted in injustice - injustice that breeds poverty in such a big way; that is overwhelming that people become desperate to use any means to vent their frustration and religion is an instrument they use.</div>
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Going back to the civil war, we have not attained the peace we were looking for; we have not achieved that unity we sought. We wanted to keep Nigeria united for a purpose. We have not achieved the purpose from what we see now many years after the war - and that is the source of my regret. There is too much of a class struggle in Nigeria. The centre of power in Nigeria is so narrow and they make all the decisions.</div>
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<b>How will you assess the state of insecurity in the country and do you think the Multinational Joint Task Force is the solution to the insurgency in the North-East?</b></div>
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The insurgency we are facing in this country is getting more sophisticated and aggravated by the day. The insurgents are beginning to have high morale as if they are achieving something. The state of insecurity in Nigeria is very bad; it is frightening. When Nigeria on the northern border has such countries like Cameroon, Niger and Chad, I don’t think the insurgency we have on our hand now is going to recognise any boundary at all. Boko Haram is looking for territories they can capture; it doesn’t matter whether it is in Nigeria or Cameroon. That’s certainly a reason for everyone to be sitting up and lend a hand to the Nigerian troops. If you remember, the September 11 plot was hatched not in the United States but in a foreign land. Therefore, there is a possibility that if neighbouring countries allow the insurgents to establish an Islamic caliphate, the whole world has a problem to deal with. Evidently, there is a reason for the international community to get really worried. Unfortunately, despite having some combined international forces fighting in Iraq many years ago, that country still remains an unsafe place for people to live. A similar thing is being experienced in Afghanistan; America is still battling with the Taliban. Multinational Joint Task Force is okay but I am not really sure that is the sole solution to the insurgency. I am not sure the MNJTF alone will solve the problem but we need to have all the neighbouring countries in the northern border to wake up and start doing something. I think it’s a very good idea but there are still limitations to such endeavours.</div>
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<b>Nigeria boasts of probably the best troops in sub-Saharan Africa but the troops seem incapable of dislodging Boko Haram insurgents. Where does the problem lie?</b></div>
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Perhaps, it is rooted in the trend of development in the Army itself when they went into governance and coups started happening. Even within the coups, there were coups and there were people shot and murdered trying to attempt a coup. With a situation like that, the esprit de corps of the military has been eroded. I think we lost that esprit de corps gradually since the day the military started engaging in coups. That’s one aspect. Second, our governments didn’t have proper ministers of defence, who represent the political class, the political system and the professional soldiers. They are removed in quick successions, thereby destroying the military institution. There were periods when no development really took place.</div>
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In the case of arms, ammunitions and equipment to match what is happening in the world, we didn’t pay enough attention to that. I also think that soldiers are humans; they live with us and they have the same kind of connections that all of us have within the society. They need to be encouraged. I heard an officer say that all over the world soldiers buy uniforms for themselves. That is not true. There is no country in the world that will send its soldiers to war and be expecting them to buy uniforms with their own money. If it gets to that point, then we are beginning to lose the grip on our soldiers.</div>
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<b>Do you see anything wrong in the use of the Civilian Joint Task Force in military operations against Boko Haram?</b></div>
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Even during the civil war, we needed the help of the civilians because they knew the terrains better than what the map was telling us. They also knew some of idiosyncrasies of the population there, helping us to know how to handle them. But we didn’t organise them into a force. If you arm a man and afterwards he is hungry, he will use the weapon to find something to eat. Boko Haram also was supposed to have started that way except that religion was part of it - where a governor was alleged to have used some people as thugs, though organised, and he abandoned them. They also abandoned him and turned on the people, the police and the nation. Though that danger is there for the civilian JTF to become a menace, it is not unusual to use civilians to help the military in terms of intelligence gathering. It is easier to send someone who is not a soldier around the enemy line, who is part of the population whom they know.</div>
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Nobody knew the depth to which they could go simply because we don’t have a police force within the people. That’s one problem and that’s why the military now need an organised civilian JTF. But if the soldiers cannot face the guns of the insurgents, how do you expect people carrying bows, arrows and some dane guns to be effective? Beyond using them for gathering information, and assisting the military in carrying out some logistic duties, they can’t be any more effective. We are on dangerous grounds, more so when we now have elections around the corner; they may be available to unscrupulous politicians.</div>
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<b>The court marshalling of soldiers accused of mutiny in the current fight against Boko Haram has been described by some people as ill-timed. Some say it should have been done secretly not to demoralise other soldiers on the war front. What do you think?</b></div>
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We have to be very careful. We are in a democracy and there is freedom of information. Democracy thrives on information being freely available; it will be difficult to defend in the future if the military went into the barracks and secretly court marshal people on matters of life and death - in which case they can be sentenced to death. That can be very dangerous. Maybe in military era, you can do that. But in this democracy, all of us have the responsibility to demand for an open book so that we know exactly what is going on. It’s a lesson for all of us. Be that as it may, there is no good time or bad time of disciplining soldiers. I think what we should worry about is the frequency and the magnitude of it. When the country has a hundred soldiers, including officers, being court -marshalled at the same time, we should start asking ourselves questions. Are we really going down slope to the extent that we will not able to retrieve these things if we just apply the simple law? It’s unlawful to demonstrate in the army. Yet, I don’t think it is enough to rely on the law to discipline erring soldiers in this case. We need to ask why. I tell myself that if these (mutinies by soldiers) happened under my watch, I will court marshal all the officers. I will disband the units because soldiers cannot under these circumstances do anything on their own. Therefore, the senior officers must have done something wrong. We should find out exactly what it is. The soldiers gave all sorts of reasons - that they were badly equipped and that they didn’t have food. We suggest to the armed forces to look deeper into the reasons these things are happening. Using ordinary complaints about equipment not being good enough to fight the war does not entail discipline. The military authorities, particularly the civilian authorities, have a primary responsibility to critically consider this issue and find out exactly why the soldiers acted the way they did.</div>
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<b>Some people are agitating for the postponement of the general elections. How do you see the call for poll shift or otherwise?</b></div>
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Those using the security situation as a reason for poll shift owe us answers on when it will be conducive to conduct the general elections. When is the situation going to be better than now? Before we can debate this, they must advance what will happen if the elections are held at the scheduled time. I haven’t seen or heard anyone oblige us with those arguments. I have a feeling that this situation that we are in is not going to change for a very long time. If elections could be held in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, we will have to think again; if really we want democracy or we want something else. I know there are cases in court concerning the election. I think the most annoying one is the case about (Muhammadu) Buhari not having a certificate.</div>
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<b>Why is it annoying?</b></div>
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It is an insult to the armed forces - a terrible insult to the armed forces. If they are so embedded in the system and they have lost their souls, then they can go ahead and join everybody else in castigating a General of Buhari’s calibre. They are now talking about a school certificate. What is that? By the time he joined the army, in those days, there were no cutting corners. It is later when these same civilians took over from the army that admission into it became less transparent. I can give you an instance. There was Course Five around 1964: if one did not have a school certificate one couldn’t apply to join the army. And I know up to 1963 when the last General Officer Commanding left Nigeria, there were no corners to be cut. There was no such thing. Everything was on merit. And, that was how it was till Buhari’s time. Buhari attended the Mons (Officer Cadet School in Aldershot in England) and the Staff College; I don’t want to think they have an idea what they teach in those places. And the rest of us pretend as if we don’t know what they do there. You send a man to America for one and a half years in a military school. Do they think he just went there to learn how to fire a rifle? No.</div>
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<b>But why is it difficult for Buhari to produce the original copy of the certificate?</b></div>
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He did. As I speak to you, I don’t know where my original certificate is because we gave the original to the Military Board. They took it from us when we applied to join the Army. You give the original copy of credential to the Board. They take it and keep it in your file, that’s what happened. How many years ago? 50 years. And Nigeria with our (poor) record-keeping and filing things into an archive -if we have an archive at all; an archive inhabited by rats and cockroaches. I think it’s an insult. I take it as a personal insult.</div>
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<b>You feel the general elections should go ahead?</b></div>
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Yes. That is what the constitution says. Let the election hold and let’s see in how many places people cannot vote before we start this hue and cry. We’re back to 1993. They took us back all the way to 1993. We have seen this before. I am unhappy that (Pastor Tunde) Bakare was ever part of it (call for poll shift) because he is a great fellow of mine. They see a difficult situation instead of going head on to confront it, Nigeria wants to take a path that leads to nowhere to only perdition. We have been on this route before and we know the result. Why do we think this current situation is going to end up differently? The danger in this one is that we have been hearing of a possible disintegration in Nigeria; not from outside the country but within. It was a subject (disintegration) at the National Conference. I was there. We are driving ourselves towards that route. The result may not be very palatable. What is more, we have created so many warlords all over Nigeria. There are private armies around the whole place.</div>
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<b>Will you encourage the call for the international community like the European Union, African Union, and the United Kingdom to prevail on the Federal Government not to postpone the February 14 elections just as the United States recently did?</b></div>
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For people who are democrats, exactly what America said is what they are going to say. We did this (presidential election) four years ago where they swore in President Jonathan and four years after we are going to have another election. This is not the time to start swaying about like lilies in the wind. They can’t do much more than they have done; to warn us and also to send election observers. I hear a lot of them already have observers in the country, which should be at a great cost to them. Therefore, what else do we want from these people? We must think of ourselves as being very much devalued and we earned it - we deserve it. The international community has done its bit. It is also disturbing that up till now we still need policemen to be standing by polling booths before we can even be sure we can vote. If we are expecting much more from the developed world, we are wasting our time. A few things have changed since 1993 that can make the situation worse now, if we are stupid enough not to have an election. We might realise that the world is not so enamoured with us. Perhaps, they are angry with us because we have made a very bad specimen of a country in a developing world. We’re not even developing because we’re still very backward.</div>
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<b>Buhari has been portrayed as being an honest man. Do you think being an honest man is enough for someone to rule Nigeria?</b></div>
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It is not enough but it is the first thing in the order in which I would put the qualities of a Nigerian leader. Considering where we find ourselves today, honesty is the first quality a man should have. The people should trust a leader to the point that his words are taken as a bond. If it is your worry that is honesty enough, I will say yes it is enough. The next one is wisdom so that the leader is able to get people who will do the work for him.</div>
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<b>Jonathan seems to be the most criticised President the country has ever produced. Do you think he deserves the criticisms?</b></div>
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I will just say he earned the criticisms. There is no smoke without fire. If fish wants to rot, it starts from the head. The market, women know that when they go to the market they open the gill. If it is green inside, the fish is rotten. Even if he didn’t personally commit all the offences levelled against him, he’s still responsible. He is the President. He can ensure that justice is done where there are infractions committed by people under his watch. He shouldn’t allow impunity to thrive.</div>
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<b>Recently, Niger Delta militants threatened to go to war if Jonathan loses his re-election bid. What do you make of that?</b></div>
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I know only one of the militants but I don’t think he was old enough to really talk about what happened during the civil war. They must also remember, especially the ethnic militias in the Niger Delta area, that the war went through their places too. They got away very lightly then simply because it was the area we wanted to carve out of the jurisdiction of (Emeka) Ojukwu. First, they were the minorities and they didn’t sign an agreement that said they wanted to form part of Biafra. As a result, the rest of us were under obligation to protect the minorities. The war was also fought in their territories. If they were old enough they would see the misery even though they didn’t suffer ten per cent of what the East-Central, the present South-East went through. They are giving wrong reasons to keep their son in the Presidency. It’s a filthy reason. It doesn’t show they understand what democracy is all about. Nigerians are not going to vote under duress. Politics is a game of numbers. The one we refused to do in 1993, we have not come out of it. We’re going through the same cycle. I don’t think they lived at that time. I don’t think even the politicians today were old enough at that time to see exactly the drama that unfolded. It seems to me: we learn very little from our past. What we are risking is a complete disintegration of our country. Thereafter, we will blame America for predicting the doom staring us in the face. In 2010, John Campbell wrote in his book what could lead Nigeria into a bigger trouble. Is that not what is happening now?</div>

We Gave Our Original Certificates To Military Board - Gen. Akinrinade

A former Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (retd.), tells SUNDAY PUNCH that Nigeria may be headed for crisis if the elections are not well managed. You are one …

08 Feb 2015

Don't Campaign In Churches, Jonathan Advises Politicians

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<b>President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday worshipped with the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Ijesha, Lagos, at the opening of its two-day crusade.</b></div>
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He joined the crusade few hours after he worshipped with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, at its camp site on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.</div>
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Ironically, President Jonathan while addressing the worshippers warned those contesting for political offices against using churches as a political campaign tool or platform, asserting that such act was inappropriate. He was, however, quick to add that he was not going to say much lest he would be accused of coming to church to campaign.</div>
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The President said, “I would not say much because this is not a good period for those of us who are contesting for election to talk so much in church. I do not want to be accused of coming to campaign in churches because I believe that we should not campaign in churches. We may discuss with people but not to use the platform of the church to campaign.”</div>
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Jonathan used the event to pledge working harder to ensure that all Nigerians were protected and prosperous. He added that his government would improve the economy in order for people to be able to survive and for young Nigerians to get jobs, stressing that the distraction of insecurity will end.</div>
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Still at the annual Lord’s Chosen crusade tagged, ‘From Sorrow to Joy’, the President appreciated what the leaders and members of the church, whose General Overseer is Pastor Lazarus Muoka, were doing, noting that, “You have been doing great spiritual work that has not only helped members of the church but the whole country.”</div>
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While noting that, “our country like so many countries of the world is facing threats of insecurity” the President posited that it could have been worse than what it presently is in Nigeria but for the prayers of people like Muoka and his members who have been praying everyday for God’s intervention.</div>
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“I want to appreciate all of you here, my sisters and brothers in the Lord. I count it a big privilege to be here with you. I almost missed this opportunity of being with you today because of my tight programme but I know God wanted me to be here today and somehow my programmes were changed and I am here with you,” he said.</div>
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Jonathan later knelt before the huge congregation that had turned up for the annual crusade, while the General Overseer prayed for the nation’s general elections to be peaceful.</div>
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With the President kneeling before him, Muoka prayed, “We commit our president into the hands of God; we ask God first of all, to bless this country with peace and bring every contrary power to submission.”</div>

Don't Campaign In Churches, Jonathan Advises Politicians

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday worshipped with the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Ijesha, Lagos, at the opening of its two-day crusade. He joined the crusade few hours after he …

08 Feb 2015

EXPOSED! Jonathan Plans To Replace Jega With Mimiko

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<b>Officials close to the Nigerian government have informed us that the Nigerian president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who has lost fate in the current Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, intends to get him booted and replace him with “family,” so to say; someone who will never betray or embarrass the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP.</b></div>
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Professor Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko is the currently shortlisted candidate according to our credible sources.</div>
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The immediate brother of Ondo State PDP Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Prof. Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko is the Vice chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University and has a straight academician record.</div>
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An attendee of the Jonathan staged National conference, better remembered as the “sleeping conference,” Prof. Femi Mimiko is an in-house man who president Jonathan is confident will not betray the party and his presidential ambition.</div>
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The top members of the People’s democratic Party, PDP were recently caught engaging in rigging several state elections with witness and recorded evidence. This was done in suit with the heads of the Nigerian army. The PDP electoral rigging machine is an open secret; however a stern INEC boss is an issue for Jonathan who is desperately seeking to oust Professor Jega.</div>
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We reported that while president Jonathan has resigned to his fate, acknowledging the 4:1 odds against him, Nigeria’s embattled oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, aka, the oil-goddess, will stop at nothing to ensure the “Integrity” Buhari/Osinbajo opposition does not take over power and open up the books. Billions of dollars are looted from Nigeria’s treasury and oil wealth yearly with the African Union putting the figure at $40 billion yearly, twice the national budget.</div>
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Professor Jega has been credibly reported to have been threatened at ‘gun-point,’ in attempt to force him to sign his own resignation.</div>
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<b>Credit: NewsRescue</b></div>

EXPOSED! Jonathan Plans To Replace Jega With Mimiko

Officials close to the Nigerian government have informed us that the Nigerian president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who has lost fate in the current Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC chair…

08 Feb 2015

The Conspirators Who Blackmailed INEC To Shift Polls Dates

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<b>Pressure mounted by President Goodluck Jonathan’s loyalists and Service Chiefs on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led to the postponement of the 2015 general elections, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.</b></div>
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The polls were billed for February 14 (Presidential and National Assembly) and February 28 (Governorship and House of Assembly).</div>
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Jonathan, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is contesting against retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and 12 other candidates at the presidential poll.</div>
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Those who pushed for the postponement, despite the opposition from the All Progressives Congress and many Nigerians, include the Presidency; the Peoples Democratic Party; Jonathan’s loyalists; the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki; the Chiefs of Defence, Army, Naval and Air Staff, among others.</div>
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Two weeks ago, Dasuki, while speaking at a forum at the Chatham House in London, asked INEC to postpone the elections, saying the shift would allow for proper preparations and distribution of PVCs by the electoral body.</div>
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In an apparent reaction to Dasuki’s call, the United States had on January 25, 2015, advised Nigeria against postponing the elections.</div>
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The US Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, gave the advice after he met with Jonathan and Buhari.</div>
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Kerry urged the Federal Government not to postpone the elections as canvassed by Dasuki.</div>
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However, the military chiefs wrote to Jega, informing him of the security implication of holding the elections in February as earlier scheduled. This, it was learnt, what part of what influenced shifting of the polls.</div>
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Before the INEC chairman announced the new dates for the elections, the commission had insisted that the presidential and National Assembly elections be held on February 14, while the governorship and states House of Assembly election be held two weeks later.</div>
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Jega, however, changed the dates of the elections at a press conference he addressed at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Saturday. He repeatedly held the NSA and security chiefs responsible for the shift.</div>
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The press conference came up after he met with representatives of all registered political parties.</div>
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Jega was said to have on Saturday told the leaders of the parties, his officers and the civil society groups that the commission was ready for the election as planned, but that he was worried because of the claim by the security agencies that they would not be able to protect members of the staff of the commission and the electorates.</div>
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Sixteen political parties led by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party were said to have favoured the shifting of the elections, while nine others led by the opposition All Progressives Congress were against the move.</div>
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Jega also had a marathon meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners of all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.</div>
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At the meetings, Jega was said to have told the attendees that he had received a letter from service chiefs advising that he should postpone the general elections on the grounds that the security agencies were engaged in a renewed battle against insurgency in the North-East.</div>
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This, they claimed, would require their full concentration.</div>
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In the letter, it was gathered that the security agencies were demanding a rescheduling of elections by, at least, six weeks.</div>
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He also told the leaders of the political parties and the Resident Electoral Commissioners that he received a letter on Wednesday from the NSA, informing him that it would be difficult for the security agencies to protect the electorates during the election.</div>
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The Council of State had on Thursday rose from a seven-hour meeting, advising the INEC to conduct the elections.</div>
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Jega was quoted to have told the council that the commission was ready for the conduct of the election but the military chiefs were quoted to have said they could not guarantee the security of electoral officers, materials and the electorate should the commission go ahead with the earlier schedule.</div>
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Same Thursday, Jonathan’s supporters under the aegis of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly led by Ijaw leader and ex-Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, called for the postponement of the polls.</div>
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The group, at a press conference, pressed further by asking for the sacking Chairman, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and his arrest for allegedly conniving with some northerners to manipulate the presidential election against Jonathan.</div>
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Those in attendance included a former Vice-President, Alex Ekwueme, ex-Minister of Information, Walter Ofonagoro; ex-Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Peoples Democratic Party’s National Vice-Chairman (South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojugboh, and the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee of the recently held national confab, Senator Femi Okurounmu, among others.</div>
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Okurounmu, who read a prepared speech jointly signed by him, Clark and Ekwueme on behalf of the group, said the alleged connivance with the Northern Elders Forum was responsible for the near 100 per cent collection of Permanent Voter Cards in the North.</div>
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The PDP has also repeatedly called for a shift of the polls in the past two weeks.</div>
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An INEC National Commissioner, who spoke to <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/inside-story-brains-behind-poll-shift/">SUNDAY PUNCH</a></b> under anonymity after the Saturday meetings, said it was better for the commission to shift the elections in order to protect the integrity of their outcome and those that would take part in the conduct of the elections.</div>
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He said, “You needed to be at the meeting and see the mood of Jega. He was not happy because his integrity was at stake and because these same service chiefs had earlier given their words that they were ready.</div>
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“Now, if he didn’t listen to their advice, these same security agencies could create scenes (problems) for the elections. They could sabotage the distribution of sensitive materials.</div>
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“Apart from that, they could also refuse to provide security for those involved in the elections and could also sabotage the movement of sensitive materials.”</div>
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The source said almost everyone in the country was aware that the PDP-led Federal Government was not ready for the elections.</div>
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“If the Federal Government that is funding the security agencies and appointed their heads is not ready for elections, how do you compel their heads who are all appointees of the same government to say they are ready,” another INEC National Commissioner asked.</div>

The Conspirators Who Blackmailed INEC To Shift Polls Dates

Pressure mounted by President Goodluck Jonathan’s loyalists and Service Chiefs on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led to the postponement of the 2015 general elections, SUNDAY PU…

08 Feb 2015

Read Full Text Of INEC's Statement Announcing Polls Shift

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<b>That next week presidential and national assembly elections as well as the governorship and state assembly elections have been postponed and rescheduled is no longer news. What is news are the intrigues and power play that evolved into that dastardly decision being taken. We shall in the course of the week bring you those news as they unfold.</b></div>
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Meanwhile, below is the full text of the statement by the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega announcing the 11th-hour postponement.</div>
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<b>STATEMENT ON THE TIMETABLE FOR 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROFESSOR ATTAHIRU M. JEGA, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON FEBRUARY 07, 2015</b></div>
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Ladies and Gentlemen,</div>
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We invited you here today to make known the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the timetable for the 2015 general elections. Let me state from the outset that the Commission’s position was reached after carefully weighing the suggestions from briefings held with different stakeholders in the electoral process.</div>
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The conduct of elections in a country like Nigeria is invariably a collective venture that involves not just the Election Management Body (EMB), but also a diverse range of stakeholders, notably security agencies, political parties and their candidates, voters, as well as interest groups, such as the civil society organizations and the media. To guarantee successful conduct of elections, there are things that are wholly the responsibility of the EMB. But there are other things critical for the success of elections, which fall outside the control of the EMB.</div>
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In other words, while INEC must work hard to perfect its systems and processes for conducting elections, and take responsibility for any imperfections thereof, whatever the Commission does may not by itself be sufficient to guarantee the success of elections. There are a number of issues in the preparation and conduct of an election, the most critical of which is security, which is not under the control of INEC.</div>
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<b>Current State of INEC’s Preparedness</b></div>
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On Thursday, February 5, 2015, I was invited to brief the National Council of State, which is the highest advisory to the President comprising past and present leaders in Nigeria, on the level of preparedness of INEC to conduct the 2015 general elections. I made a presentation to the Council titled ‘Preparations for the 2015 General Elections: Progress Report,’ in which I gave a detailed account of what the Commission has been doing in readiness for the national elections (National Assembly and Presidential) scheduled for February 14th, and the state elections (Governorship and State Assembly) scheduled for February 28th, 2015.</div>
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The summary of my presentation to the National Council of State meeting is that, for matters under its control, INEC is substantially ready for the general elections as scheduled, despite discernible challenges being encountered with some of its processes like the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by registered members of the public.</div>
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In addition, INEC has been doing everything it can to facilitate the collection of the PVCs by registered members of the public. As at 5th February 2015, the total number of PVCs collected was 45, 829, 808, representing 66.58% of the total number of registered voters.</div>
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In the delivery and deployment of electoral materials, INEC is also at a comfort level in its readiness for the general elections as scheduled (see the presentation to the Council of State). The Commission’s preparations are not yet perfect or fully accomplished. But our level of preparedness, despite a few challenges, is sufficient to conduct free, fair and credible elections as scheduled on February 14th and February 28th. Compared with 2011 when, within a short time, we conducted general elections that were universally adjudged free, fair and credible and the best in Nigeria’s recent electoral history, our processes are today better refined, more robust and therefore capable of delivering even better elections.</div>
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<b>Other Variables</b></div>
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But as I mentioned earlier, there are some other variables equally crucial for successful conduct of the 2015 general elections that are outside the control of INEC. One important variable is security for the elections.</div>
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While the Commission has a very good working relationship with all security agencies, especially on the platform of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) since its inception in 2010, it has become pertinent for it to seriously consider the security advisory presented to it by the Security and Intelligence Services. I would like to reiterate here that INEC is an EMB and not a security agency. It relies on the security services to provide a safe environment for personnel, voters, election observers and election materials to conduct elections wherever it deploys. Where the security services strongly advise otherwise, it would be unconscionable of the Commission to deploy personnel and call voters out in such a situation.</div>
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Last Wednesday, which was a day before the Council of State meeting, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote a letter to the Commission, drawing attention to recent developments in four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe currently experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections.</div>
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This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting on Thursday where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs unanimously reiterated that the safety and security of our operations cannot be guaranteed, and that the Security Services needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the Northeast; and that during this operation, the military will be concentrating its attention in the theatre of operations such that they may not be able to provide the traditional support they render to the Police and other agencies during elections.</div>
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<b>INEC’s Decision</b></div>
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We have done wide ranging consultation to enable us have as much input as is necessary before taking an informed decision. In the series of consultations that we held with stakeholders, the questions consistently posed to them for consideration are:</div>
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(i) In view of the latest development, should INEC proceed with the conduct of the general elections as scheduled in spite of this strong advice; and if so, what alternative security arrangements are available to be put in place?</div>
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(ii) Or, should INEC take the advice and adjust the schedules of the general elections within the framework of Constitutional provisions?</div>
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The Commission held a meeting after the consultations, and decided to take the advice of the Security Chiefs and adjust the dates of the elections. We have done this relying on Section 26(1) of the Electoral 2010 (As Amended), which states thus: “Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the Commission may postpone the election and <b>shall in respect of the area, or areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed election</b>, provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable”.</div>
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INEC not being a security agency that could by itself guarantee protection for personnel and materials, as well as voters during elections, the Commission cannot lightly wave off the advice by the nation’s Security Chiefs. The Commission is specifically concerned about the security of our ad hoc staff who constitute at least 600,000 young men and women, together with our regular staff, voters, election observers as well as election materials painstakingly acquired over the last one and half years. This concern is limited not just to the areas in the North-eastern part of Nigeria experiencing insurgency; the risk of deploying young men and women and calling people to exercise their democratic rights in a situation where their security cannot be guaranteed is a most onerous responsibility. Under such circumstances, few EMBs across the world, if any, would contemplate proceeding with the elections as scheduled. No matter the extent of INEC’s preparedness, therefore, if the security of personnel, voters, election observers and election materials cannot be guaranteed, the life of innocent young men and women as well the prospects of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections would be greatly jeopardised.</div>
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Consequently, the Commission has decided to reschedule the 2015 general elections thus: the national elections (i.e. Presidential and National Assembly) are now to hold on March 28th, 2015; while the state elections (Governorship and State Assembly) are to hold on April 11th, 2015. It should be noted that this rescheduling falls within the constitutional framework for the conduct of the elections, notably, Sections 76(2), 116(2), 132(2) and 178(2). See also Section 25 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).</div>
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For the avoidance of doubt, we will under no circumstances approve an arrangement that is not in line with the provisions of our laws. Our hope is that with this rescheduling, the security services will do their best to ensure that the security environment needed for safe and peaceful conduct of the 2015 elections is rapidly put in place.</div>
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We in INEC reassure all Nigerians and indeed the international community of our commitment to do everything within the law and to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. We call on the security agencies to honour their commitment to restore sufficient normalcy for elections to take place within the period of extension. We also call on Nigerians, political parties, candidates and all other stakeholders to accept this decision in good faith and ensure the maintenance of peace.</div>
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As for us in INEC we’ll endeavour to use the period of the extension to keep on perfecting our systems and processes for conducting the best elections in Nigeria’s history. In particular, we believe that we would resolve all outstanding issues related to non-collection of PVCs, which agitate the minds of many Nigerians.</div>
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Finally, we wish to call on all Nigerians to accept our decision, which is taken in good faith and the best interest of deepening democracy in our country.</div>
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Thank you.</div>
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<b>Professor Attahiru M. Jega, OFR </b></div>
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<b>Chairman, INEC</b></div>

Read Full Text Of INEC's Statement Announcing Polls Shift

That next week presidential and national assembly elections as well as the governorship and state assembly elections have been postponed and rescheduled is no longer news. What is news are the intrig…

08 Feb 2015

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