Atiku Abubakar shares wedding pic as he talks about women equality

In honour of Womens Day 2014, which was yesterday March 8th, former VP Atiku Abubakar shared his stand on equality between men and women with a rare glimpse into his personal life. He also shared a pic of his wedding day (above). See more tweets after the cut...

 

Port Harcourt International Airport. Exclusive

This is what the newly renovated Port Harcourt International Airport looks like...but this is the departure area. the main airport is under construction and so the arrival area is slightly different from what you see above. The pics were taken just last Friday. Continue to see them...

Corruption in Nigeria - CNN

Minister for Finance and Coordinator of the Economy Ngozi Okonjo Iweala was a guest on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS programme on Sunday where she acknowledged that there was corruption in Nigeria but said that the fight against corruption must involve every Nigerian...

"No one can fight corruption for Nigerians except Nigerians. Everyone has to be committed from the top to the bottom to fight it. In our country, we need to, coupled with – by all means pursue those who are corrupt, punish them, you know, make sure there’s no impunity.  But that has to be coupled with something which doesn’t get as much attention, which is building institutions.  It’s unglamorous; it’s work that takes time, but we have to do it.  We have to put it in place.” she said.

The Minister was also taken up by the presenter on Sanusi's suspension. He asked her why Sanusi was suspended after he discovered that monies had been siphoned from the NNPC account of which the Minister responded that Sanusi did not say monies were siphoned, he said money was unaccounted for. Full text of the Interview after the cut...

ZAKARIA:  Listen in to our conversation.  I began by asking her why the central banker was suspended for blowing the whistle.

NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA, NIGERIAN FINANCE MINISTER:  I believe that when you find problems, you should also find solutions.  I think the problem began the first time when he said that the amount that was – he never said it was stolen.  He said it was unaccounted for, was $49.8 billion.
And he wrote a letter to the president; he called me a couple of days after, to say I’ve written this letter.  And my first reaction was, that’s not possible.  We couldn’t be missing $50 billion as finance minister in this country.  We wouldn’t be able to function because that’s too high a hit.  Everybody would know it and feel it in the economy.

ZAKARIA:  There is some substantial gap.

OKONJO-IWEALA:  Oh, yes –

ZAKARIA:  Right?  I mean –

OKONJO-IWEALA:  No, we –

ZAKARIA:  – the World Bank, I think when you were one of the managing directors, issued a report on the Nigerian economy in which it said hundreds of billions of dollars over the past 30 or 40 years have been siphoned off.  And so this would be a perfect example of precisely this kind of siphoning off.

OKONJO-IWEALA:  No.  I think we should hold our horses a little bit.  Sanusi please ask him never said the money had been siphoned off.  He said it was unaccounted for.
And hold on.  There’s a difference, because when he alleged $49.8 billion – and this was looked at, it was found that some of that money had really been remitted to the tax agency directly and his people were not aware of it.
So $16 billion was immediately accounted for that, you know, they didn’t seem to know the accounting mode of the agency, so that’s what I’m saying.
But there has been – there’s no doubt that Nigerians feel suspicious of the oil sector, that it has been regarded as opaque over the years and this is not an issue, you know, whether it’s $10.8 billion, whether it’s $1, you know, we can’t afford to lose any money from the treasury.

ZAKARIA:  But then why fire the central banker, a respected central banker?

OKOJO-IWEALA:  You know, Fareed, what I would like to do is perhaps focus on the economy, because I don’t think I want to get into this issue of firing/not firing.  He’s still governor of the central bank.  He has been suspended.  He hasn’t been fired.
But I think we need to focus on the central issue, which is no one dollar should be lost from the treasury.  Any money that belongs to it must be remitted.  That’s what we’re insisting.
And the president, we pushed for – he has ordered one yesterday, that there should be a forensic audit to determine where these moneys, that what is unaccounted for, is it the $10.8 billion that we are saying from the accounts?
We’ve been working on this for two years.
And you know, is it $50 billion?  Is it $20 billion?  Is it $12 billion?  What is the amount?  We need to know for the sake of the Nigerian people and he has ordered that.  So we want it to be independent; we want it to be well done, so that we can lay it to rest.

ZAKARIA:  So how do we – how do you solve the problem of corruption?

You’ve been in government twice.  You have a reputation for being extremely honest.
What would you do, if you had a magic wand, if you were president, what would you do to get Nigeria to get this cancer out of its system?

OKOJO-IWEALA:  Well, you know, Fareed, you know with that, there are no easy answers.  But there’s one thing I want to say and repeat.  No one can fight corruption for Nigerians except Nigerians.  Everyone has to be committed from the top to the bottom to fight it.
And I think there are two key things that need to be done all along, and it’s not just in Nigeria.  It’s in many developing countries that you need to do this.
But in our country, you need to, coupled with – by all means pursue those who are corrupt, punish them, you know, make sure there’s no impunity.  But that has to be coupled with something which doesn’t get as much attention, which is building institutions.  It’s unglamorous; it’s work that takes time, but we have to do it.  We have to put it in place.

ZAKARIA:  I have to ask you a question that is not part of directly your portfolio, but it is your government.
Nigeria has always had laws banning homosexuality.  But you advanced a further law which criminalized it so that somebody who is gay would have to spend 14 years in prison.
You also have passed – the law says that people who are in some way promoting gay clubs or gay discussion would be imprisoned for 10 years.  This seems an assault on a minority’s rights.  It also seems an assault on free speech.
Why is Nigeria doing this?

OKOJO-IWEALA:  Well, let me say this, Fareed, that, you know, we’re here in the U.S.  And it took 40 to 50 years or more under conversation of, you know, the gay community to get where the U.S. is.
I think that, you know, we need a conversation in the country.  We need evolution.  Ninety-six percent of people support these laws, but I think we need to unpack the laws, for them to see, you know, between being a gay person and between same-sex marriage because the two are compounded in people’s minds and there’s a strong sentiment against same-sex marriage, just as you had here before.
And it’s still evolving.  I think it’s a question of conversation, discussion, evolution, education and engagement over time, just as happened in this country and in Europe.  It’s not something that happened overnight.  So I would say withhold judgment and let us work on this.
ZAKARIA:  Madam Finance Minister, pleasure to have you on.

OKOJO-IWEALA:  Thank you.
ZAKARIA:  And we will be back.
End.

President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

ELDER STATESMAN, Senator Nosike Ikpo was one of the leading lights in the Second Republic. Ikpo, in this interview, posits that former Military Head of State, General Muhammudu Buahri cannot rule Nigeria owing to his involvement in scuttling a democratically elected government. He also says the National Conference will succeed if well managed just as he bares his mind on other burning national issues. Excerpts:

General Muhammudu Buahri

Do you think the National Conference will bring the much needed solution to the nation’s problems?
It is good depending on how it is managed, how it is run. If there is sincerity in the whole process because there is a problem, the problem in Nigeria like some of us have always said is the problem of leadership.

If Jonathan has a clear idea of where, what he wants Nigeria to be and gives a proper direction to the conference, they will come out fine. Somebody has to give direction. When you talk of leadership, the number one person has to have an idea of what he wants to achieve for the people he is leading.

The uncompleted job of restructuring Nigeria could be completed in that place. Nigeria is so wrongly structured. The creation of states has led to pockets of dissatisfaction certainly amongst the people of Nigeria. There cannot be peace if there is no justice.

People in the North are not happy. I remember what late Tarka said when forming the separatist movement in the Middle Belt. He was fired by a statement made by the late Sarduana of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello on the 1st of October 1960 that the minorities of the Middle Belt would be the tools of Northern leaders to rule Nigeria.

The man took action, mobilized his people and started agitation for a separate state. The matter is still there; every young man, every active politician in the Middle Belt is still asking for a separate identity.

Talking about a viable opposition, do you see the emerging All Progressives Congress, APC …..?
(Cuts in) I do not see how Tinubu and Buhari can lead Nigeria. Buhari may be a very honest person but I don’t know him. He campaigned in 2007, he wanted to be president of Nigeria but he never reached this part of the country; he never reached Delta State.
And in any case anybody who overthrew a democratic government cannot be elected as president of Nigeria.

He is not entitled to. He has no moral justification to become a democratic leader of this country. So I don’t know where they are going. My friends are there. Most of them are my old colleagues in the UPN, they are all there and I am still attracted to them but the idea of the possibility of Buhari becoming presidential candidate of that party nauseates me completely.

IKPO111I don’t know why they feel that he can be of any use to them. In any case they can still be a viable opposition without having Buhari as presidential candidate.
I didn’t know Tinubu in our time, because was still a young man then, probably he was still abroad so he wasn’t part of Awolowo’s children and he had never spoken as an Awoist.

I am not talking about what do you call them, fire eaters, no. He comes from an environment that he cannot run away from Awolowo. Look at his mother who died recently, a great market woman. When we needed money in 1962-63 during the Action Group crisis, we go to her.

So he came from the environment from where he can’t run away from Awolowo’s political views, he cannot.
All those who are supporting him (Tinubu) presently who are his disciples, definitely are disciples of Chief Awolowo.

That is not the same as saying that he can be a successful president. I don’t know his personal views and manifestos. What we want is a good leader.
For instance, a good leader is somebody like Uduaghan. You can’t identify his friends, you can’t identify his enemies only him alone can tell you who his friends are or vice-versa . He has ideas, he knows where he is going, what to do.
Look at what we are doing in Delta State. Whom can you tell me that Uduaghan is likely to hand over to? I don’t know. All of us are guessing.

What type of person do you think is fit to succeed Uduaghan?
All of them are my children. All the aspirants are my children particularly from the North. I made a statement the other day and many people misunderstood me that I probably sold out. I can’t sell out at this stage; I am 85 so what am I selling out for?
President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)

President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)

You don’t expect that after Uduaghan, another governor should come from the South.
It will be unreasonable, so people will expect that another governor should come from Delta North. But what I am quarrelling with our people is that for anybody to think that he can go to bed hoping because of rotation that governor will come to Delta North I don’t believe in that. So that was what I was opposed to.

Do you support the call on President Jonathan to run for a second term?
He has to go back. He has done reasonable well. I voted for him in 2007 because I had no alternative as I couldn’t have voted for Buhari.

Are you satisfied with the way corruption is been tackled?
It is the mindset of leaders of a country. Take Jerry Rawlings of Ghana for instance. He set out to clean Ghana and cleaned up the place. I am not saying that there is no corruption in Ghana anymore. But definitely, the situation cannot go back to what it was before Rawlings.

Are you saying Nigeria needs the Rawlings method?
We need that type of revolution. We have not seen a revolution; something drastic has to happen to make people behave.
I cannot even send my cook to the market today. I can’t afford the rising cost of food at Ibusa market, then somebody is hoarding billions not even naira but dollars. So somebody has to come out and decide to stop this thing called corruption.

Well, that is my idea. All these military coups have not even helped us. They have not done exactly what I would have done if I were a young man, if I were a soldier and I wanted to clean up the place. They are merely changing batons and from one bad ruler to the other that is all.

Looking back when you were in the Senate and now, any comparison?
There are two different scenarios. They can never be the same. My salary when I was in the Senate was N15,000 per month.
When I told my constituent at Agbor, they couldn’t believe it. And we were paying five percent to the party. At the end of every month, the cashier from the UPN office would come with his receipt.

As what?
Contribution to the welfare of the party and for the building of the party. When people said I brought College of Education Agbor, I didn’t go to build the place. It was the same thing I did for Asaba College of Education.
I did not go to build it or look for a contractor, I only influenced the siting of the colleges to those places. But it is not so now; now they give you the money. It is in the budget, then you take it and do what you like.

President Jonathan

President Jonathan who is currently in Katsina State on a 2-day working visit, went to pay a courtesy visit on Hajia Aya Dada, the mother of his late boss, President Umaru Yar'Adua. He showed her great respect by kneeling before her to greet her.

Anambra Governor Peter Obi

Yesterday at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Anambra state, Anambra Governor Peter Obi presented a cheque of N160 million which is to be disbursed to 160 first class graduates who are origins of the state. The Governor said it was a gesture by his administration to encourage undergraduate students to strive for academic excellence.

He directed that none of the recepients should be given cash but the money should be paid into their various accounts for better utilization.

Mercy Johnson Goes Begging Marketers To Lift Her Ban

 

Still on Mercy Johnson iss, aside the fact that she's expecting her second child, all is not well for mercy Johnson, hmm sources revealed that no  producer has paid her for any movie since this year cos of the ban issue. 

Marketers gave order that nobody should pay her for any new movie until she finishes all the piled job she has collected money for. 

Knowing fully well she would need money for the birth of her second child, Mercy Johnson went with Solo amaco, (a popular Nollywood Producer) to beg marketers to lift the ban, the marketers said they will look into the matter and get back to her.

“I Would Have Flogged Donjazzy For Disrespecting Me”- Eedris Abdulkareem

     

  Sometimes ago Donjazzy tweeted “If you are a rapper, your father will never be proud of
you.’..He is still angry over that statement and when Punch asked him he said Donjazzy was lucky he didn’t mention his name because he would have flogged him..lol

” First of all, why didn’t he stay in London for the British government to give him a record deal? Shebi all of dem stayed in London, while some of them, like Banky W, went to America? But they all rushed back to Nigeria because it is here they could make such money. Of course, in America, they will not get paid $10, 000 for a show. Even some of the Americans like 50 Cent, the highest they will get for a show in their country is $50, 000. But they get paid $500, 000 here. If you could make such money here, you don’t have the right to stand up and say as a rapper, your parent will never be proud of you. Fortunately, it was money from rap music money that I used to build my houses. It was through rap music that I could venture into other businesses and do my agricultural project. It was rap money that I used to sponsor other guys on their trips to Europe.

When Don Jazzy posted that Twitter message, he specifically said: ‘For example, Mode 9’. He did that because he knew Mode 9 will not do anything to him. Why didn’t he mention Eedris? I would have sent people to bring him and get him flogged very well.

But I would have used that to teach him a lesson. Some people may call it controversy, but I will say controversy loves me. It is important to address that issue. This guy has allowed everything to get into his head quickly. He was feeling like Meen, so na Nigeria we dey make all this money now? The British government wouldn’t have given him that opportunity. So, it is we that made rap and R&B possible to the extent that you get paid nicely that you are now insulting. Apology or not, it was important that I addressed that issue.”

Funny enough, I am happy that they called me a thug. At least, I am an educated thug. People can say whatever they want. Some even say Eedris is proud. I am proud because hip-hop is proud. But the problem is that dem no know my secret. Dem no know how I dey take dey survive. I never come to dem papa house come ask for money before. The money some of these guys are making in the industry, I am the one that ignited the revolution for them to make it. I am fine and happy that I am doing very well. I am a musician, farmer and businessman. I know what I export to Europe. Germany is my base. I speak German. I am a businessman. I know where I am coming from. I am not an idiot.  Let them call me anything; I have friends in the industry, but I am very choosy. 2Face Idibia is my very good friend, Dr. Fresh is my friend and Terry G is my brother. If I am not friends with you, that mean say we no dey the same level and I’m not going to force myself. Na Eba I wan chop, you say make I chop amala. Na by force?

Ex-president General of Ohaneze Ndigbo

Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, one-time president of Ohaneze- Ndigbo, a pan-Igbo sociocultural body, has died. Chief Wechue died yesterday afternoon March 13th at an Abuja hospital.

Elected in November 2008 to head Ohaneze, Chief Uwechue was a envoy leader during the Obasanjo administration where he supervised conflict resolutions in Africa  and was also appointed to lead the ECOWAS Peace mission in Cote d’Ivoire.

An illustrious son of Ogwashi Ukwu Delta state, Chief Uwechue was aged 79. May his soul rest in peace...amen.

Man Arrested With 18 Human Skulls In Ogun

Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 38-year old man who was found in possession of 18 human skulls during a Police stop and search along Ado-Odo, Owode in Ogusn State yesterday. The incident happened around 6.48am.

The police spokesman in the state gave the assurance that every person involved in the crime would be arrested and arraigned after investigation.