PRESIDENT BUHARI’S 2019 EASTER MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS

I rejoice with all Nigerians, especially our Christian brethren on the glorious occasion of the celebration of Easter 2019.

Easter is the most important feast in the Christian calendar and represents God’s redemptive mission over humanity, the triumph of light over darkness, hope over despair and good over evil.

The Christian festival commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ is also a time to emulate the virtues of love, sacrifice, forgiveness, humility, courage and endurance, which Christ embodied and remarkably demonstrated during His earthly ministry.

Let us use this auspicious season to show love to our neighbours, and cater to the needs of the less-privileged in our midst.

Our nation is currently gripped with gloom over unfortunate killings, kidnappings and violence, as seen in the recent tragic incidents in some states of the federation.

This should not be. We must reinforce the bond of brotherhood and good neighbourliness that citizens of a cohesive country must share. We must not allow the few bad elements in our communities to put asunder our communal tendencies and chords of unity.

I know from my regular interactions with security chiefs, state governors, victims and members of communities caught up in the unfortunate cycle of violence, that Nigerians are united against the evil minority.  

This administration will do all it takes to adequately equip and motivate our armed forces and other law enforcement agencies to enable them successfully confront these security challenges. We will not allow merchants of evil and death to overwhelm the nation. Under my watch, the nation will triumph over them – terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and the like.

On this holy occasion, I enjoin all Nigerians to intensify prayers for peace and security to return to all parts of the country. I also urge you not to lose hope of a brighter and greater future for the country when we do the right things in love. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

I do not take the import of my re-election for granted, especially the expectations of majority of Nigerians towards providing adequate security, fixing the economy and fighting corruption.

The obligation of this administration as we prepare to take governance to the Next Level, is to continue to provide dedicated and honest leadership, where every citizen irrespective of religion or ethnic origin, feels secure to live, invest and prosper; where public office holders are accountable; and law breakers are brought to justice.

Once more, I wish all our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria and around the world celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a Happy Easter.

Muhammadu Buhari
April 18, 2019

ONNOGHEN REJECTS CCT’S JUDGEMENT, FILES NOTICE OF APPEAL.

Justice Walter Onnoghen has rejected the judgement of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) which convicted him of six counts of false declaration of assets preferred against him by the Federal Government.

Shortly after the judgement delivered on Thursday, the judge filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge the ruling of the Tribunal.

In the notice, a copy of which was sent to Newsmen “Federal Government of Nigeria” was listed as the only respondent.

Part of it read, “Take notice that the appellant herein, Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel being dissatisfied with the rulings/judgement of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Coram Danladi Umar (Chairman), William Atedze (Member I) and Julie A Anakor (Member II) delivered on the 18th of April, 2019, wherein it ruled on the application challenging its jurisdiction and to recuse itself from the proceedings as well the judgement on the substantive matter against the appellant, do hereby appeal upon the grounds set out in paragraph 3 hereof and will at the hearing of the appeal, seek the reliefs and orders set out in paragraph 4.”

In one of the 16 grounds, Justice Onnoghen said the CCT erred in law when it dismissed his application challenging its jurisdiction and thus, occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice.

 He added that the Tribunal erred in law when it dismissed his application seeking the chairman to recuse himself from further proceedings on the ground of “bias”.

Justice Onnoghen, however, sought an order of the appeal court allowing his appeal and that the CCT lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.

He also asked the court to set aside his conviction as well as discharge and acquit him, among other prayers.

The Tribunal had convicted Justice Onnoghen and removed him from office as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

It also banned him from holding public office for the next 10 years and ordered the judge to forfeit all five accounts said not to have been declared by him between 2009 and 2015.

The Tribunal held that the government proved beyond reasonable doubt that Justice Onnoghen breached the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

THE CAMEROONIAN VICE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA 1999-2007

... AS LOGIC SUFFERS UNDER THE APC.

How more comedic can those who have lowered our moral and intellectual bar become?

Has the desperation to hold on to power reduced NIGERIA, Aso Rock and indeed the Operators of State to Circus Acts? And have they sunk so deep in the morass that they seek to rewrite history?

What a shame!

Atiku is a Cameroonian and does not qualify for President, what a defense? Laughs. But the dude was Vice President for 8years. The dude was a Director in the Customs. The dude was a Presidential Aspirant in 1992/93. The dude was a Presidential Aspirant in the APC in 2014/15. The dude has been NIGERIAN and funded Buhari's campaign in 2014/15. And the dude's nationality is in question today because he trounced the APC in the 2019 Presidential election, and is determined to reclaim his stolen mandate. How comical and comedic has the APC become!

Not having sufficient argument on which to predicate their claim to the Presidency come May 29, 2019. Not having enough grounds to substantiate their claim to electoral victory. And not having enough substance to validate the most flawed electoral victory in our recent history, the APC weaves a tangled web. What a Pity!

They cried that Atiku hacked the INEC Server, and when that failed to resonate, they peddled falsehood that he paid lobbyists to compel the US to recognize him as the Authentic winner of the 2019 Polls, when that isn't holding any water, Atiku Abubakar is a Cameroonian they bemoan. How much lower can they go?

But our solace is the fact that the lifespan of falsehood is short, and even shorter is the lifespan of propaganda, for in the very end, truth shall overcome falsehood, and light shall subsume darkness. NIGERIA WILL WORK AGAIN most definitely because #ATIKUISCOMING.

*Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr.
Convener COUNTRYFIRST MOVT.

Initiator: FORUM FOR UNIVERSAL PEACE & ONENESS FUPO.
Director Of Comm/Spokesperson TURAKI VANGUARD.

LIKE ATIKU, LIKE SHUGABA DARMAN

By Turaki Hassan

On January 24, 1980, in the heydays of the administration of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Nigerian immigration officers, acting on an order from the then Minister of Internal Affairs Bello Maitama, arrested and summarily deported the Borno State (Borno+Yobe then) House of Assembly Majority Leader, Alhaji Abdurahman Shugaba Darman to Chad Republic on the pretext that the government had discovered that he was not a Nigerian but a Chadian.

Alhaji Darman was a politician of note and very charismatic, a man who attracted and wowed large crowd at political rallies due to his oratory and stout criticism of the NPN regime. He was also a grassroots man and stalwart of the opposition Great Nigerian Peoples Party (GNPP) and seen as the de factor governor, due to his influence in the government. The old Borno state was the stronghold of the GNPP while the federal government was controlled by  NPN.

While Darman was cooling his heels in a Chadian village, his political party, the GNPP instituted a legal action, challenging his illegal deportation. In its defense, the federal government brought  an old woman who claimed to be the mother of Alhaji Darman. The woman testified that she was the biological mother of Darman and wept profusely, claiming that she wanted her lost son back to his fatherland of Chad. In his defense, Darman denied ever knowing the woman, insisting that his mother was alive and lived in Maiduguri and was a well known person.

In the end, the court revoked Darman's deportation order and even awarded to him, the sum of N350,000 damages. The government also lost the appeals in both Court of Appeal Kaduna and the Supreme Court.

The deportation, the court case and the drama that ensued made Alhaji Darman a hero and popularized him, such that the case became authority in law -Shugaba Darman Vs Federal Government.

Almost 40 years after, the All Progressives Congress(APC) is threading the same ignoble path. It appears that Nigeria is the only country on earth where lessons are never learnt. APC's  submission to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal that former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not a Nigerian, is laughable.

Atiku was born in Jada Adamawa state, did all his education in Nigerian schools, was in the Nigerian Customs Service for 20 years, until he retired as the second in command, was presidential aspirant of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1992, was elected governor in 1999, and was Vice President for eight years. For all the over 70 years he has lived in Nigeria, nobody, no one has ever raised issues with his citizenship until now and it came from a very unlike and unexpected quarters-The APC-Nigeria’s ruling party. Wonderful. If not that the APC stated this in a court filing, one will have taken it for a joke, even at that, a very expensive one.

Definitely, this is not a joke, it is a very very serious issue and maybe, a deportation order might have already been signed by Interior Minister Abdurahman Danbazau, ordering that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar be deported to Cameroon. So, while  he cools his heels there, his legal challenge of  President Muhammadu Buhari's election would be statute barred, as argued by  APC in the court filing.

Section 131 of the 1999 constitution provides for qualifications to the position of the President which states that: “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of President if he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth.”

Thus, the APC is arguing  that since Atiku is not a Nigerian citizen by birth, he was not qualified to run for the office of the President of Nigeria and as such does not have the locus standi to even challenge the results of the presidential election.  Coming from the ruling party, this should not be taken lightly. Nigerians should give it all the needed attention because what the APC is saying is that the area where Atiku came from is not part of Nigeria even as at today or they have limited rights and privileges unlike the rest of us.

This is a very  dangerous path that the party is threading- it is setting a negative and bad precedent which may eventually lead to dismemberment of Nigeria.

The APC hinged its case on section 25 of the 1999 constitution which deals with citizenship by birth. To be qualified to run for the office of a Governor or President one must be a citizen by birth while those who acquire their citizenship through naturalization can only contest for other positions, other than the two mentioned.
Section states that: “(1) The following persons are citizens of Nigeria by birth-namely-
(a) every person born in Nigeria before the date of independence, either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents belongs or belonged to a community indigenous to Nigeria;
(b) Provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Nigeria by virtue of this section, if neither of his parents nor any of his grandparents was born in Nigeria.
(c) every person born in Nigeria after the date of independence either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria; and
(d) every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.
(2) In this section, "the date of independence" means the 1st day of October 1960.

Indeed, the framers or drafters of the 1999 constitution, which is a replica of the 1979 constitution, omitted the issue of citizenship by plebiscite. The 1963 constitution captured but it was omitted in the 1979 and 1999 documents. This is the lacuna the APC is capitalizing on to advance its case.

“The man who saw tomorrow “

In the 7th Assembly, Hon Barrister Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, a one time Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in Taraba state, sponsored a Constitutional Amendment Bill to address this defect or lacuna. The bill scaled through and even got more than 2/3rd of votes from the states houses of assembly but unfortunately former President Goodluck Jonathan refused to sign the entire amendment into law.

Honorable El-Sudi had then argued that one day a “busy-body may wake up “and deny them the right to run for the office of the president or even that of governor of Taraba state and here we are today.

As at today, the areas affected include some parts of Cross Rivers state,  four Local Governments in Adamawa, five in Taraba and about six in Borno states. They were the places where the United Nations conducted the plebiscite in 1961 and opted to be part of Nigeria while southern Cameroon voted to remain in Cameroon.

Section 10 of the 1963 constitution clearly defined and recognized citizenship by plebiscite and accorded them all rights and privileges as citizens by birth under “Special Provisions as to Northern Cameroons”. The section states thus: “For the purpose of determining the status of persons connected with the part of Northern Nigeria which was not included in the Federation on the thirty-first day of May, 1961, the foregoing provisions of this Chapter and subsection (3) of section 17 of this Constitution shall have effect as if –

(a)     for any reference to a particular date where there were substituted a reference to the last day of the period of eight months beginning with the day next following that date; and

(b)    for any reference to the former Colony or Protectorate of Nigeria (other than the second reference in section 7) there were substituted a reference to the part aforesaid; and

(c)     that other reference included a reference to the part aforesaid.

(2)     Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall prejudice the status of any person who is or may become a citizen of Nigeria apart from that subsection.

Regrettably, APC is blinded by its quest for political power and is playing dangerous politics with such a sensitive issue, not minding the grave consequences and the inherent dangers it portends.  Unwittingly, what the ruling party seeks to do may  open a gateway for dismemberment of Nigeria and secession  of the Trust Territory from Nigeria.  Under the United Nations Charter, any plebiscite that is conducted must be duly registered with the UN for it to be recognized. Unfortunately, the 1961 plebiscite was never registered which legally and technically rendered it invalid.

If the courts rule in favour of the APC and shuts out Atiku, it will surely lead to agitations for secession from citizens of the affected areas and with the Ambazonia crisis in the English speaking  Southern Cameroon raging, it will only be a matter of time before they align and join forces to chart a common future for themselves. APC is playing with wild fire.

® Hassan, is the Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs to the Speaker of the House of Representatives

THE PARADOX OF PHILANTHROPY IN NIGERIA.

Mr Lagbaja is  awarded a N1billion contract by the NDDC to fix a 10km road that leads to his own village that is impassable all season.

He is mobilized to do the work. Mr Lagbaja being a crooked character, connives with certain NDDC officials/project managers to do Rochas kinds of roads to his village for less than N200m.

He gives N300m to the rogue project managers and supervisors. He then deploys N20m out of the N500m heist now in his possession to buy 30 okadas for his village boys. Award scholarships to 20 indigent kids and throws cash here and there at Church fund raising programs and settles some Ndi Eze and political edi abalis. He doles out grants of N5000 or N10,000 to petty traders here and there. He now has N480m in his pocket.

4-6 months after commissioning the road, the first downpour or drop of rain washes away the roads and reverts the community to their parlous and miserable state.

Mr Lagbaja comes out in 2023 to contest elections for one position or the other without any plan or clue of what he plans to do for his people. He is contesting against an honest and accomplished technocrat with clearly defined blue print of what he plans  to do for his people and community .

Do you know what will happen? The same people/ communities that were shortchanged.  The same people , who still drives on the washed up road that was used by Mr Lagbaja to steal their common patrimony will forget all these issues and be screaming like demented zombies, he is a philanthropist. He empowered us. Some will scream, he is the  commander of empowerment . Vote for him. They will demand from the able technocrat to show them how many Okadas he purchased and how many people he dashed monies.

The illustration above is the general concept of philanthropy in Nigeria today. This is not only tragic, but shows clearly why we are locked up in the trap/vice grip of con artists, scammers and incompetent junkies as rulers. This is one reason why Nigeria is a shithole jungle.

God have mercy on us all.

Dr Nnaemeka Onyeka Obiaraeri, FICA, MIRA.

HOW FORMER NIGERIAN PRESIDENT, JONATHAN, PDP ORCHESTRATED ATIKU’S CITIZENSHIP CRISIS.

More facts are emerging about the citizenship debacle facing Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigerian Vice president and the presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP in the February 23 presidential election

Our reporters  have learnt that Atiku Abubakar’s problem with others affected could have been resolved under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, but the then leadership refused to address the problem deliberately to punish Atiku after defecting to All progressive Congress, APC. It was alleged that Jonathan government refused to address the problem to ensure that Atiku would never be qualified to rule Nigeria.

The Bill passed all the parliamentary processes, got the requisite constitutional 2/3 votes from the National and State Assemblies but the PDP-led government headed by President Goodluck Jonathan rejected the entire amendment bill leaving those affected like Atiku Abubakar in limbo.

confirming the whole saga, a legal practitioner and human rights activist, Dr. Kayode Ajulo said PDP and former President Goodluck Jonathan should carry the blamed for the predicament of Atiku.

Ajulo said:

“I have to refrain myself from saying anything that may prejudice the case before the court. I am, however, taken aback by the PDP and Atiku’s personal attacks on the APC counsel, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

"Former president, Goodluck Jonathan refused constitutional amendment that could have addressed and resolved citizenship by referendum.

“Having said this, I make bold to say that if there should be any blame on the issue, the PDP and former President Jonathan are to be blamed.

I recall that while the PDP was in full power and glory, a Constitutional Amendment Bill to address the grey area of being a citizen by birth as one of the conditions to run for the office of the President was passed to accommodate those from former Saudauna Province/Northern Cameroun among other proposed amendments.

“The Bill passed all the parliamentary processes, got the requisite constitutional 2/3 votes from the National and State Assemblies but the PDP-led government headed by President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR rejected the entire amendment bill.

“The implication of such a monumental slip and another failed project by the PDP and former President Goodluck Jonathan is today being faced by the party and it’s Presidential-candidate in the 2019 election".

Dr. Kayode Ajulo says Jonathan and PDP should carry the blame for Atiku’s citizenship debacle.

APC had alleged in its response to Atiku’s suit challenging the victory of president muhammadu Buhari that “Our dear Atiku Abubakar was born on November 25, 1946 in Jada, situated in the then British Northern Cameroon.

He was born a Cameroonian. Atiku is a Cameroonian citizen by birth and became a Nigerian by referendum.

He is not a Nigerian by birth. We have to get that right.

“The constitution of Nigeria is very clear on the requirements for vying for the office of the President. The candidate must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth. Citizenship by referendum is not recognized by our constitution for the purpose of elections.

“Section 131(a) of the 1999 Constitution clearly states that ‘a person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President of Nigeria if he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth.’

Atiku became a citizen of Nigeria by referendum and not by birth. So, Atiku is a Nigerian citizen by referendum. He ought not to have taken part in Nigeria’s presidential election in the first instance.

“It is like this in the United States, too. You must be born on American soil to contest for the office of the President. So, you can see that it is not a Nigerian thing.

Why I Love Nigeria, What Made Us Different?

A Russian saw me in my office and said where are you from, I said am from the greatest country in the world. He looked at me with a very strange look and said let me guess, you are from Nigeria, I said yes!

Out of curiosity he said considering what's happening in your country now why would you say she's the best in the world and I asked him to sit down and let me tell him what he and most people don't not know about Great Nigeria and I told him these.......

 1. Are you aware that all over the world Nigerians are setting the pace and becoming the standard by which others measure themselves? Do you know???

2. In the US, Nigerians are the most educated immigrant community. Type it into Google and you’ll see it. Not one of the most educated, the most educated!

3. 60% of Nigerians in the US have college degrees. This is far above the American national average of 30%.

4. Nigerians in US are one of the highest earners, typically
earning 25% more than the median US income of $53k.
5. In Ivy League schools in Europe and America, Nigerians routinely outperform their peers from other nations.

6. A Nigerian family, the Imafidon family, have officially been named the smartest family in the UK.
7. The designer of the famous car, Chevrolet Volt, Jelani Aliyu, is a super-talented Nigerian from Sokoto State.

8. The World’s fastest supercomputer was designed by a world renowned inventor and scientist, Philip Emeagwali, a full-blown Nigerian whose patency was awarded in 2015. This means Nigeria has the patency to the world’s fastest computer: a Nigerian!

9. The wealthiest Black man and woman on earth are
Nigerians, Aliko Dangote and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija. Both have no trace of criminal record of any kind.

10. South Africa couldn’t have ended apartheid & achieved Black rule if not for
the leadership role Nigeria played.

11. Of the 3 South African Presidents who ruled after apartheid, two of them once
lived in Nigeria under asylum. Both Nelson Mandela (60s) and Thabo Mbeki (70s) lived in Nigeria before becoming President of South Africa.
We gave financial support, human support, boycotted an Olympics and our politicians, musicians and activists campaigned relentlessly.

12. Nigeria spent over $3 Billion and lost hundreds of soldiers to end the wars in both Liberia and Sierra Leone which the world ignored because they have no oil.

13. When there was a coup in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2003, Nigeria restored the
elected President back to power.

14. Before there were street lights in European cities, ancient Benin kingdom
had street lights fueled by palm oil.

15. 500 years ago, Benin casted metal alloys to create magnificent art including the world famous Queen Ida Mask.

16. Amina was a warrior queen who ruled Zaria Emirate in Kaduna state, Northwestern Nigeria 400 years ago in 1610. Google and see what she means to Africa.

17. We gave monetary gifts to Ireland during our oil boom and
built a statue for France free of charge. We are not poor blacks. Nigeria is rich and don’t be lied to.

18. The first television station in Africa was NTA Ibadan (1960) long before Ireland has their RTE station.........

Wherever you look in this great country, Nigeria, heroes abound both now and in our recent and ancient past. If all you do is listen to mainstream Western media, you’ll not get the full & true picture of your Nigerian heritage.
Do not listen to any leader who says Nigerians are criminals, no matter who he is, or his height and position.
We’re not a nation of scammers, drugs & corruption, but a people with a verifiable track record of greatness........

Here is what CNN, BBC, Aljezeera and western media will not tell you about Nigerians:

19. On the 7th of May, 2016 at Howard University in Washington D.C history was
made. Out of 96 graduating Doctor of Pharmacy candidates, 43 of them were
Nigerians and out of 27 awards given, 16 went to Nigerians. The entire world still envies our uniqueness as a NATION, living together despite our ethnic diversity. One single country with over 400 languages! They will only tell you how Nigerians are scammers and cheats, how Nigerians are into drugs overseas. If you don’t blow your trumpet, no one will blow it for you.

VIVA NAIJA!!!

20. There are over 180,000,000 Nigerians world over and only about 25,000 of this figure have traceable criminal records. This is about 0.14% of our entire national population in the last 20 years: nothing close to 1%. Shame on global
media.
21. Nigeria took care of Ebola with no help from other countries. US have sent delegates to Nigeria to know how we did it with our own resources.  
               
Listen Nigeria, don't let anybody woo you into believing that you are a criminal just because you are a Nigerian.
Nigerians are NOT criminals. You are NOT a criminal.
You are topnotch; second to none around the world.
I am proud am created a Nigerian, thank you God. Be proud of Nigeria wherever you go. Take out your Passport with pride. He couldnt talk and just walked away. I am proud to be a Nigerian and be from that country.... God bless Federal Republic of Great Nigeria.

Be proud of your country like I do.

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