Challenges Will Give birth To A Better Nigeria, says Tinubu

All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu said at the weekend that the challenges facing Nigeria will give birth to a better nation.

He noted that the process of achieving the required result, though difficult, would lead the country to good fortunes, if undertaken.

Tinubu explained that the challenges demanded that the country changed from dependent on oil or fall by the wayside, adding that there was no third option.

The former Lagos State governor spoke in Abuja on Saturday at the dinner/award ceremony organised by the Ahmadu Bellow University Alumni Association.

Saraki Should Step Aside As Senate President By Reuben Abati

The present Senate serving the Nigerian people runs the risk of being remembered as the worst since 1999.  Public Relations Consultants and media officials of this particular Senate have done their part flooding both the print and the online media with details of how productive the Bukola Saraki-led Senate has been, and they have been quite aggressive in telling us about 30 important Bills which when passed, will change the face of Nigeria and deliver change. 

The Senate according to one report has considered over 125 bills, debated over 48 motions, and passed three bills. But nobody is apparently impressed. During the Jonathan administration, the Senate was the better regarded of the two legislative chambers. While members of the House of Representatives in the Seventh Assembly behaved as if they were a band of students’ unionists, the then Red Chamber projected an image of maturity and temperance, even if it was also self-serving! With the 8th Assembly, the House of Representatives, apart from the shameful resort to physical combat over the distribution of “juicy” committees in November 2015, has shown itself to be better organized than the present Senate. The critical difference is that of leadership. It is one of management. It is a matter of weight and politics.

Gbajabiamila Writes Chinese Leader•’Fayose’s Letter Amounts To Constitutional Sabostage

House of Representatives Majority leader Femi Gbajabiamila has described Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose as a meddlesome interloper following the letter he wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the alleged $6 billion loan sought by Nigeria from China.

In a letter to the Chinese leader yesterday, Gbajabiamila said Fayose ignorantly overreached himself and wilfully breached the constitution by failing to defend the oath he swore to.

The House leader, who said members of the lower chamber were worried by the flagrant abuse of office by Fayose, however, asked the Chinese leader to ignore him as he showed lack of understanding of the workings of the federal system of government.

LEGISLATIVE SACRILEGE: PURPORTED AMENDMENT OF THE CCB&T & ACJA ACTS by Senator Babajide Omoworare

Instead of making uninformed contribution on Senate Bill 248 - A Bill for an Act to Amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap. C15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and for other Related Matters proposed by Senator Peter Nwabuoshi; I have decided to have a deep breath and have a second look at the laws and other ancillary matters. Let me say ab initio without mincing words that I oppose the Bill in toto on points of law and I am averse to same for moral reasons, having taken more than a cursory look at the Constitution, the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, the Bill in question and the Lead Debate of Senator Nwabuoshi.

It is important to note that another Bill is pending before the Senate: Senate Bill 249 - A Bill for an Act to Amend the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; and for Other Related Matters by Senator Isah Misau. The purport of the amendment is to amend Section thereof and ensure that the ACJA does not apply not only to Court Martial, but also to such other Courts and Tribunals not listed in Section 6 (6) of the Constitution. I have also looked at the ACJA and this Bill and I do not agree with same.

It Is Now Sahara Reporters VS Saraki & NASS

The battle between Sahara Reporters and NASS is getting hotter. The Tweet below confirmed that: 

FLASH: @bukolasaraki spent N150million in three days to discredit Code Of Conduct Tribunal chair, Justice Danladi Umar

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 17, 2016

FLASH: Kwara state government has made available $900,000 to @bukolasaraki through BDCs via a lady named "Fatima Suleiman" from Jigawa/Edo

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 17, 2016

FLASH: @bukolasaraki has spent thousands of dollars in attempts to discredit operators of @SaharaReporters, creating fake pages and website

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 17, 2016

Nigerian Senate Buys 108 Toyota Landcruisers At twice The Original Price | Sahara Reporters https://t.co/ahJFba5T6v

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 17, 2016

OperationCallYourSenators From SaharaRepoters Is Causing Trouble O!

FLASH: #OperationCallYourSenators Senators are feeling it! Senator T. A Orji Ochendo testifies pic.twitter.com/LRhRDt55uy

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 17, 2016

Yuan Swap Deal: Sublime or Ridiculous?

Watch out all you dollar hoarders: the Chinese yuan is coming for you. Many financial analysts think the dollar under your pillow may soon be worth less than the rate at which you bought it. They think you run the risk of vomiting most of what you have swallowed since the forex crisis started. With the yuan going to be directly available to Nigerians — effectively eliminating the “middleman” called dollar — it is safe to say the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made a bold move in its controversial management of the exchange rate crisis, a move that some analysts believe may ease the demand pressure on the dollar, even if the gains would only be marginal.

Be grateful to God, Adeboye counsels Nigerians

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has again urged Nigerians to express gratitu-de to God by rededicating their lives to Him with abounding faith in Him. 

Adeboye made this known during a special prayer and thanksgiving service for tenants and their families at the RCCG national head-quarters, Throne of Grace Parish, Ebute-Metta, Lagos with a theme: "Building My Own House". 

He explained that God owns all nations and anyone who wants to enjoy His mercy and favour must have faith in Him, noting: "God is the master builder and when we let Him know how much we depend on Him for sustenance and be grateful with the little He has done, we will make it." 

Speaking after the service, the Special Assistant to Pastor Adeboye on Personnel and Administration, Pastor John-son Odesola, said before Festac 77, the naira was equivalent to a dollar and the economy was stronger and better, until Nigerians forgot God and brought all idols in the world to the country. 

He said: "Shortly after Festac '77, we started exp-eriencing negative dev-elopment in the country. We didn't appreciate God with our oil boom. If we really want God to build this nation, we must return to Him and let Him occupy our national life and know how to manage our successes." 

Odesola also urged Fed-eral and state governments to construct more low cost housing estates to curb the challenge of housing in the country because of the geometric population grow-th in the nation. 

"They should address the acute housing deficit in the country.  As a religious organ-isation, we are partnering with government to supplem-ent their efforts by providing affordable houses to the preponderance members of our church," he said.

MY CANDID LETTER TO THE SENATE PRESIDENT BY DELE MOMODU

Your Excellency, I’m convinced the time has come to write you this letter despite the fact that I have some measure of access to you. I decided to do this in order to tackle the mischief makers who believe I’m your very close friend and as such must be a rabid supporter of yours. I have been accused of all sorts of garbage including being paid heavy sums of money from your bottomless pocket. I’m aware that most of these guys can never believe that anyone could stand up for principle without pecuniary gains. But before I go into the meat of this letter, I need to state my background briefly as I’m sure you don’t even know me well enough to understand and appreciate my socio-political trajectory.

APC Has No Political Solution To Saraki CCT Trial – Banire

Former Commissioner for the Environment, Lagos State and the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire, yesterday, said that the rule of law would strictly be followed in the ongoing Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. Banire (SAN), disclosed this in an interview…”

Former Commissioner for the Environment, Lagos State and the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire, yesterday, said that the rule of law would strictly be followed in the ongoing Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Who Governs Nigeria? By Reuben Abati

During the Jonathan administration, an outspoken opposition spokesperson had argued that Nigeria was on auto-pilot, a phrase that was gleefully even if ignorantly echoed by an excitable opposition crowd. Deeper reflection should have made it clear even to the unthinking that there is no way any country can ever be on auto-pilot, for there are many levels of governance, all working together and cross-influencing each other to determine the structure of inputs and outcomes in society. To say that a country is on auto-pilot is to assume wrongly that the only centre of governance that exists is the official corridor, whereas governance is far more complex. The question should be asked, now as then: who is governing Nigeria? Who is running the country? Why do we blame government alone for our woes, whereas we share a collective responsibility, and some of the worst violators of the public space are not even in public office?

JAGABAN: The Political Wizard

Born on March 29, 1952 in the city of Lagos, Tinubu attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos and Children’s Home School in Ibadan. He went to the United States in 1975, where he studied first at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, Illinois and then at Chicago State University. While at Chicago, he contested for the President of the Accounting Society in his final year and won. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

SELECTING MERIT OVER QUOTA: COMMON SENSE BY BEN MURRAY BRUCE

If the reason we do not apply quota system in sports is because we want to be successful, then what is the reason why we apply it to politics? Nigeria knows that she cannot win in sports if she chooses her sportsmen and women on the basis of tribe and religion, so if we want to win as a country, why are we choosing our leaders on the basis of tribe and religion?

No nation on earth can make progress if she sacrifices merit on the altar of tribe and religion whether you call it quota system or any other name. That is why Nigeria is not winning on the economy and in international trade.

Verdict : Nigeria and the Fragments of History By Olusegun Adeniyi

I cannot remember the last time I picked the biography of a Nigerian and could not put it down. That was until last week when I was given a copy of “Audacity on the Bound: A Diplomatic Odyssey” by Ambassador Olusola Sanu, a masterpiece that tells the story of our country and continent from the perspective of a diplomat.

Incidentally, when my friend, Fola Mosuro–whose famous family publishing house in Ibadan produced the book—came to my office to hand me a copy, he had no inkling that Sanu actually taught me in my final year at the Department of International Relations in Ife. However, although that was what aroused my initial interest, it was the fascinating story that got me hooked to the riveting 514-page book.

Nigeria: A Confederacy of Rough Ideas, By Pius Adesanmi

All pleas to Nigeria to opt for divorce and end her marriage of 56 years to mediocrity have fallen on deaf ears. I tried to check out Ogbeni Adamu Adamu’s mandate at the Federal Ministry of Education. Before going to the Ministry’s website, I borrowed myself some brain and took the precaution of lowering my expectation to the barest

I’ve been away from my preoccupations with the Nigerian tragedy for a little over a week. That is because the academic unit that I head at Carleton University, the Institute of African Studies, is preparing for one of the biggest annual events on its extremely busy calendar of activities. Once a year, we partner with the Group of African Ambassadors and High Commissioners in Ottawa to organise a major international conference on a burning African issue.

The Law and WS’s Appointment by Femi Falana

A segment of the political elite has decided to follow in the shaky footsteps of the American extreme rightwing politician, Mr. Donald Trump, by attempting to constrict the democratic space in our country. This is manifest in the diversionary debate over the constitution of a committee by the Lagos State government to supervise the activities lined up to mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of the state.

It is common knowledge that Professor Wole Soyinka’s parents were from Ogun State.

Fuel scarcity, power crisis: Deregulation and the social goods theory By Femi Pedro

Ex-Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Pedro, in this piece,  examines the fuel scarcity and the power crisis in the context of deregulation and social goods theory. 

After inheriting a colossal mess from all the previous administrations combined, it is fair to say that this 10-month old administration is facing enormous challenges under mitigating circumstances. I do not envy the burden it continues to bear because for decades, we have grappled with challenges in virtually all the critical segments of our economy. Everything from education to healthcare provision and infrastructure development has been a grapple. Perhaps, the mother of all challenges has been the persistent fuel scarcity and erratic power supply currently plighting the nation. Nigerians have simply grown tired of having to queue for long hours to fuel their cars because it is counter-intuitive and counter-productive.  In developed countries, the provision of this simple amenity has evolved into business ventures that governments and private entities jointly handle with minimum fuss and little controversy.  This is certainly not the case in Nigeria, and the time has come for a holistic change in this regard.

OutLook: Lest we should be the last By Femi Adesina

If my memory serves me right, the above title is taken from a poem I had studied for secondary school leaving examination 36 years ago. The poem was written by the Ghanaian, Kwesi Brew.

Why is the title of the poem relevant now? It came to mind as we were about to land in Muscat, Oman, Monday morning, on the way to China, where President Muhammadu Buhari is to pay a weeklong state visit. We had flown seven hours from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and it was time to refuel and refresh in Oman. Time was 5.15 a.m (2.15 a.m Nigerian time).

As the Nigerian Air Force 001 made a descent into Muscat, I looked out through the window. The city was bathed in dazzling, incandescent light from corner to corner. As far as the eye could see, there was no darkness anywhere. I shook my head.

What Is On Senator Saraki’s Mind? By Joe Igbokwe

Given the overwhelming weight of evidence against Saraki and the excess baggage of cartons of corruption dating back to his days at Societte General Bank, his days as Governor of Kwara State for 8years, his heavy financial deals across Nigeria via salaries even after serving the State as governor, his massive involvement in Panama Papers scandal, his fraudulent manipulation to get the Senate Presidency, his trials at CCB, High Court, Supreme Court and now CCT, I had not thought that the Senate President, Senator Saraki will learn his lessons and quit the stage when the ovation has ceased.

See How Nigerians React To The Missing Sections In The Budget 2016

FLASH: Presidency source said Sen. Danjuma Goje and Abdulmumin Jibrin favors completion of Lagos-Kano rail instead of starting another one

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 10, 2016