Good Governance Ministry,the first political Ministry in Nigeria pursuing good Governance and public accountability wishes to confirm that the present political class have failed woefully to live up the expectations. Their failures to execute simple public policies that would have solved problems instead of creating suffering and avoidable death is an indication of dearth of ideas .
GGM pleads with the ordinary people to endure the current ugly condition where prices of crude products have climbed to the high heavens in a country that was endowed with abundance oil resources as well as manpower. The CBN decision to redesign naira notes was well intended but poorly executed . Nigeria with a population size of above N200M and with majority unable to use electronic channels to effect financial transactions,CBN should have been proactive in flooding the money market with lower bills months ago. The ordinary people of Nigeria should not be exposed to the current suffering because of well intended objective of discouraging vote buying and selling as well as making naira unproductive.
However ,GGM calls for understanding and urges the people to lie low at least ,till after election and use the anger to vote out wicked and selfish politicians . Note that at Presidential level ,GGM has endorsed Peter Obi and asked all her supporters and followers to vote for Labour party come February 25, 2023.
The present political class is destroying the future of the youths .
The youths should shine their eyes . Their future is at stake!
The political class is using the ignorance of the youths to further enrich themselves .
Nigeria with over 200 million people operates the worst kind of federal – unitary system of Government,with FGN presiding over the sharing of our major sources of revenue. We are presently in state of quagmire with N12 trillion budget deficit. The implication is that we have nothing to share!
What is the problem with Nigeria and what do the Igbo people want ?
The problem with Nigeria is military imposed Constitution!
Igbo people simply want a system of Government that will guarantee equity , fairness and justice. For you to be somebody in Nigeria , you must serve corruption and the masters.
Therefore ,the youths should stop worshipping the agents of the corrupted system and demand for their rights .
I have not seen senators ,assembly members discussing our fundamental issues – which is the fraudulent constitution of Nigeria . I have not seen these people discussing their efforts in amending constitution. I have never seen their holding constituency meeting to enlighten the electorates about their activities in National Assembly!
All I hear from them is empowerment! Which empowerment! Out of thousands of youths in a constituency ,how many will be empowered,what happens to the rest ! Okay ,let only those empowered go and vote for them . But a single law will make millions productively engaged ! I have heard some Senators boasting of constructing roads and I asked; what is the role of the executive branch of Government and what is the primary function of a legislative officer- to make quality law for the generality of the people.
Enough of the youths ignorance! Peter Obi has made this political season interesting by discussing issues and how to address them . The quality of presidential debate is quite encouraging ,however ,it is expected that those trying to be our Representatives should be saddled with public interest project and not how to share cakes and peanuts . Nigeria consumption system is about to collapse while our senators still talk about empowerment and sharing of federal appointments as achievement. May God save us from slave mentality .
Ndubuisi Anaenugwu is an Ambassador of Good Governance Ministry
The leading presidential candidate, Peter Obi who’s set to Visit Zaria and Jigawa today had moved a step ahead in his Campaign strategy to release mobile phone numbers for his followers to be able to reach out to them incase they need more clarity on issues regarding the campaign and eventual winning of the general elections.
You’d recall that Labour Party had Launched Townhall Mobile App (video) and made a didactic video on how to use it by all the Obidients worldwide for better synergy before and during the elections.
We are pleased to introduce our interactive contact centre.
Kindly reach us on
092206333
092206555
07000811478
Also download our mobilisation apps (Structure Media or Townhall) from app store and join the obidient structure to be part of the final push to victory. -PO
Members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum on Friday urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to prevail on the Central Bank of Nigeria to allow the old and new naira notes to co-exist.
They believe that this would ease the current scarcity of naira notes and its ancillary effects.
Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, who spoke to journalists in Hausa, revealed this shortly after governors elected on the All Progressives Congress ticket met the President at the State House, Abuja.
El-Rufai argued that the move had become necessary as the CBN mopped up over N2tn of the old notes but only printed N300bn of the new ones.
According to him, the new notes in circulation are insufficient for Nigerians.
The former FCT minister said the CBN’s cashless policy should have been preceded by the printing of at least half of the amount mopped up, N1tn.
He lamented that many Nigerians were suffering even as traders of perishable goods are daily losing their wares from low patronage.
Citing tomatoes as an example, El-Rufai said some sellers from the North who travelled to Lagos with their goods experienced wastage because buyers lacked the cash to purchase them.
Therefore, the governors appealed to the President to consider their request.
Asked about Buhari’s response, he said the President did not reply with a “yes” or “no.”
However, the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Abubakar Bagudu, is meeting the President behind closed doors hoping to get a definite response.
As of this report, Bagudu was still meeting the President.
He is expected to brief State House Correspondents afterwards.
Gunmen on Thursday murdered Nnaemeka Ugboma, the chairman of Ejemekwuru Customary Court in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
He was killed by gunmen who operated in motorcycles, while presiding a court session, our correspondent was told by close sources.
The incident brought the court sitting to an abrupt end as lawyers, court staff and litigants fled.
The killing of the jurist who our correspondent gathered hailed from Nnebukwu community in Oguta LGA caused panic in Ejemekwuru community as natives and residents alike fled their homes.
One of the sources said,” The jurist was a law graduate of 1991 set. He was killed in his court while sitting. His killers came with motorcycles. They came into the court, dragged him out and shot him dead and drove off.
His corpse was there as people in court fled. The whole thing is confusing because nobody knew any reason while they killed him. He was from Nnebukwu community in Oguta LGA here.”
When contacted, the chairman of the Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ugochukwu Allinor, who confirmed the killing said that the branch would communicate the public on its actions in regards to the incident.
A renowned scholar and Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Dr. Sam Amadi, has slammed the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Olusegun Agbaje, for calling some Permanent Voter Card, PVC, registrants from the Southeastern part of the country as “migrants”.
Speaking via a post on his Twitter handle on Thursday, Amadi said Agbaje was a disaster, insisting he should be called to order.
Recall that Agbaje had, while featuring on Channels television’s programme on Thursday, denied the state was having serious challenges with the distribution of the PVCs.
He claimed migrants from the Southeast were the ones who had issues with the collection of PVC.
He said, “Lagos State INEC is trying its best, and I don’t think there is a serious problem in the state. We are not having any challenges. The challenge we have is that many people that ought to have done a transfer last year did new registration, and by the commission’s guidelines, anybody with new registration cannot get another PVC because it is assumed he already has one PVC. The only area with the majority of people in that category is in Oshodi, particularly Okota, in Oshodi Local Government Area.
And so we have told the people that they cannot have PVC because many of them are from the South Eastern part of the country. Last year because of the insecurity in their area they ought to have migrated to Lagos. But what they did was to go and do another registration which is double registration.”
However, Amadi accused Agbaje of stigmatizing Nigerians as migrants.
He wrote, “This man is a disaster. In response to failure to give PVC to registrants, he talked about people who ‘migrated’ from the Southeast. Haba. Is it southeast Mexico?
“Instead of explaining and promising to look into the issues he is accusing and stigmatizing Nigerians as migrants or immigrants”
President Muhammmadu Buhari is holding a closed door meeting with Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’Forum (PGF).
The meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, is being attended by PGF Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.
Others in attendance are: Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Hope Uzodimma (Imo); Bello Matawale (Zamfara); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Mai Bala-Buni (Yobe); Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Abdul Rahman Abdulrazak (Kwara) and Sani Bello (Niger) and among others.
“Was Tinubu planning to be the president of the living or the dead?…”
Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller was a German theologian and Lutheran pastor. He is best known for his opposition to the Nazi regime during the late 1930s and his widely quoted 1946 poem featured on the United States Holocaust Memorial, it reads: “First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out -because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Tinubu’s anguish reminds one of Martin Niemöller’s reviling of self. Like Martin Niemöller, Tinubu did not speak out when it mattered the most; when his perishing countrymen looked out for men. Even the First Lady of Nigeria at one point shouted, “Where are men in Nigeria”? Tinubu kept mum, maybe he saw the First Lady as an irritant. He was not there for Nigerians when they needed him the most. Why then should he expect Nigerians to rescue his dying presidential bid?
With 25 days to D-day, it is only dawning on Tinubu that the underwhelming performance of the Buhari government will be his greatest undoing. Yes, some patriotic Nigerians warned but his minders and spin doctors wouldn’t listen. They said no, Tinubu’s achievements as Lagos governor nearly 2 decades ago would do the magic. But it has not. Not enough at all to make any difference Nigeria-wide and assuage the tragic suffering of Nigerians.
Now late in the day, Tinubu has turned back to where he ought to have started. Six months of shadow-chasing and shadow-boxing was all they offered since Tinubu talked about emilokan (it’s my turn). To frighten Nigerians the most, Tinubu promised to continue from where Buhari stopped. Such an existential threat! What he promised is akin to burying alive Nigerians who Buhari’s govt has literally killed. It is only a tree that hears of its impending death and still stands there waiting.
Furthering these killer grips on Nigerians’ national economic, social, and political life means these indicators will get worse and result in more deaths. The dollar will then exchange for over 1,000 Naira and fuel will most likely hit N800 a litre.
Tinubu seems to have realized that his promise to start from where Buhari stops has alienated a few Nigerians who still have little sympathy for his vaporizing presidential ambition. He has now turned to his party and called it a failure, giving the damning verdict: “Today, they moved the exchange rate from N200 to N800. If they had repaired it, if they had arrested this, we won’t be where we are today, we will be greater. They don’t know the way, they don’t know how to think, they don’t know how to do.”
Tinubu is now speaking the language of opposition and not that of a ruling party. However, Tinubu as a citizen has the right to criticize his party. But at what point did Tinubu realize that his party cannot think? Is it now that his chance in the 2023 presidential race is irretrievably vanishing that he is waking up? If so, it means he does not genuinely care about the suffering masses.
The real question is: what did Tinubu do or say when the nation was seized by the jugular by the incompetent APC government? He and the governor of Lagos state, Sanwo-Olu both were said to have played key roles in the EndSars brutality by involving the army. The massacre resulted at Lekki Toll Gate, a business concern in which it is believed he has an interest. Did Tinubu condemn the brutality with which the EndSars protest was crushed? How many such deaths and massacres did Tinubu condemn? Is it the Owo Catholic Church massacre or which one else meant anything to a man who wants to rule Nigeria as a lifelong ambition? Was Tinubu planning to be the president of the living or the dead?
In the area of poor governance, Tinubu also kept mum till the nation’s debt profile rose to an unprecedented N77trn and debt servicing has now hit over 80% of the nation’s total revenue.
Tinubu has never said anything about insecurity in the country or blamed his party for not thinking well about it. Or, spoke tongue-in-cheek when he managed to utter a word not to annoy the power donors. Bandits that were brought into the country by his party to force Goodluck Jonathan from power (many thanks to Hon. Baraje for the great revelation) have grown into a full terrorist group, according to the latest status confirmed by the Nigerian courts.
The Killer herdsmen have taken over most Nigerian forests and killed, raped, and maimed. Suspected herdsmen killed the daughter of 97-year-old Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the national leader of the Pan Yoruba Socio-cultural organization, Afenifere. Fasoranti’s daughter was one of the many high-profile Nigerians they killed in the South West alone. Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Olu Falae escaped by the whisker and his police orderly was killed.
The rampaging killer herdsmen have killed even more in the South East. Before Obadiah Mailafia died, he told Nigerians that over 100 communities in the middle belt have been sacked by herdsmen and the displaced communities replaced by them. Tinubu never saw anything wrong. To say nothing about the spiraling unemployment and inflation that now stands at an unprecedented 22%.
The APC came to power brandishing a whopping 222 campaign promises, which included restructuring, state police, and even fiscal federalism. Not one of these mouthwatering promises has been fully met. But let us leave the APC promises out for a moment and look at Nigeria’s misery index which has grown worst on all counts since Nigeria gained independence with unemployment now at 33.3%.
Here are incontrovertible comparisons between Nigeria that Tinubu wrestled from Jonathan and handed over to Buhari: Dollar exchanged for N190 in 2015, but now exchanges for N740 or more; Fuel went for N87 in 2015, now it’s N300; Kerosene sold for N150 in 2015, and now N1,000; Diesel went for N155, now selling for N900; Cooking gas sold in 2015 for N180, but now N850; Rice was N8,000 in 2015, now N45,000; Bread was N300 in 2015, now N1,000; Chicken went for N2,500, now N10,000; flight was N13,000 in 2015, now N80,000; Insecurity was only in the North East zone, now all over the country; Debt profile was $9.7bn, but now $98.6b or N77trn.
When the gloomy future loomed on the horizon before unleashing, where was Tinubu? But today, barely three weeks to the 2023 presidential election he says, ‘They Don’t Know How To Think’ for Buhari’s Govt moving Exchange Rate From N200 To N800. Fact is: the failure of the Buhari govt was well predicted but the lust for power blinded the likes of Tinubu.
For this February 2023 General elections, Nigerians should offer the prayer of Josiah Gilbert Holland –
‘God give us men’
“Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty and private thinking;
For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,
Their large professions and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land and waiting for Justice sleeps.”
Yes not men who will keep silent while the nation perishes for fear of injuring some pride and stepping on toes of power donors. Nigerians desperately need men and women who can provide total leadership and who possess the courage to restructure the polity and move the country to nationhood and make Nigeria the pride of Africa and the envy of the world. Not the likes of Tinubu that are only after the capture of state power rather than the welfare of Nigerians.
With less than 23 days to the forthcoming February general elections, Dr Uche Ekwunife, the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, has shocked Nigerians following her sudden switch of support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to that of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi.
Ekwunife, a member of the PDP ,disclosed her decision during a stakeholders’ meeting, made up of men and women leaders at the Agulu town hall on Sunday.
Speaking in Igbo, she said, “Vote for me in PDP. In the presidential election, we all know where we are going to vote. We are politicians. We know this game very well. It’s on our fingertips. Peter Obi is our son and my mentor; we can’t work against him.
“But what I’m asking you is to vote for me in PDP. At the presidential level we all know who is our preferred candidate. That one is not in dispute. It’s settled. She spoke in Igbo.
Though, Ekwunife had at the official flag-off of the presidential campaign of PDP held at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in October, 2022, said Nigeria didn’t need a kindergarten president.
In the video which went viral, the senator while campaigning for the PDP Presidential candidate, Mr Atiku Abubakar said Nigeria would not need someone who would always remind the country of her problem, but one who knew how to solve it.
Many followers of Peter Obi in Anambra State and beyond had interpreted the video to be referring to Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of LP.
Many supporters of Obi also lashed out at Ekwunife, who had before now, declared herself a political daughter of Obi, before his (Obi) departure from PDP to LP.
But in a press statement, Ekwunife who seemed to have realised her mistake had recanted, saying she was not referring to Obi.
A press statement by her media assistant, Mr Kingsley Ubani said the video was being misinterpreted. It said: “The Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Ekwunife PhD, earlier today (in October) stated that Nigeria needs a President that can transit its economy from consumption to production, adding that the country does not need a kindergarten President.
“Ekwunife who spoke at the PDP Presidential Campaign flag-off in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state was addressing Nigerians on the need to support her Party’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“The interpretation in some or that Senator Ekwunife was referring to the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi or the candidate of any other political party in her speech, is wrong.
“Senator Ekwunife’s statements were in line with the fact that Nigeria needs a President who is well rounded, and has the resume’, experience, mindset and qualifications to lead the country out of the woods.”
Labour Party (LP) standard-bearer, Peter Obi, has yet again emerged the most preferred candidate to win next month’s presidential election, according to a new poll.
The poll which was conducted by Nigerians Decide, an independent research think-tank based in the United States of America, was concluded on Monday
Peter Obi garnered 1,856,537 to lead his closest rivals Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC); and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Atiku had 1,539,568 votes, Tinubu garnered 1,486,401 and Kwankwaso polled 12,907 votes according to the latest poll released by Nigerians Decide.
According to the US-based organisation, the online opinion poll was launched on December 6, 2022 and concluded today, Tuesday, January 31, 2023. The poll was launched to determine and predict the possible direction and outcome of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
We are glad to launch www.nigeriansdecide.com, a United States of America-based non-profit and independent research think-tank. We conduct opinion polls on matters of public policy, like public engagement and participation in democratic exercise,” the agency’s project director, Rosalynn Carte had said in a statement.
It’s gathered that the poll had no connection or relationship or link with any politician or organisation interested in Nigerian politics, but purely for data collection.
