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hmmm funny guys

wooow

hmmm atiku wast of time for u

wooow that is great

that is good

dramers

how do u know

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y declaring of asset

too bad

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yes we need free and fair election

yes that is good

hmmm ok let see the end of this

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ok, hope is important discousion

so painful

hmmm nija hope u see

ok, that good

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so serious

pdp is gone

Comrade Issa Aremu, a notable labour leader, is the
governorship candidate of Labour Party, LP, for Kwara
State. In this interview, Issa explains his vision and
prospects.
Your five-point agenda, which seeks to better the
lives of Kwarans, seems to resonate what the
average Nigerian needs. How realistic is it
considering that similar promises had been made
without being fulfilled?
I agree that many lives have been ruined by promises
not fulfilled by political office holders. According to Ben
Okri, my favourite novelist, our days are poisoned with
too many words, not meant to be. Health-for-all by year
2000 is one of such promises. Kwara has witnessed
much official words said not meant. In 2003, for
instance, Governor Bukola Saraki, who later served
two terms, at his inauguration, launched a charter of
education reform tagged, ‘Every Child Counts’. 16
years after, having passed the baton to his successor,
Fatai Ahmed, many children are still not counted in
schools. There is actually a new level of illiteracy in
Kwara. Adult literacy is less than 50 percent.
There was a Kwara State that was the ‘education
capital’ of the old Northern Region.
We had a pool of human capital, entrepreneurs,
educationists, lawyers, doctors, accountants and clerics
among others. But, today, many children are out of
school due to the collapse of infrastructure, poor
income of parents who could not afford private schools
and non-payment of teachers. Our agenda is different
from the past failed promises because my party and I
live with the reality of deprivations in the state
perpetuated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Our agenda is driven by the people for the people with
implementable strategies that are inclusive of all.
Comrade Issa Aremu
Your pledge of making conditional transfer to the
old, the unemployed and those with disabilities is
something that also appeals to many. Even if you
succeed in starting the programme, how do you
fund it?
The (Kwara) 2019 budget is N157. 8 billion. For a
population of three million, there is enough for the
needs of all including the aged and the physically
challenged. Budget per capital is more than national
average. Sadly, resource distribution disproportionately
gives privileges to those in power. The 1999
Constitution says the primary purpose of governance is
security and welfare of all, not the elected and
appointed government officials. It must start with me
as a governor. Aristocratic style of governance must
stop. Conditional transfer to the needy is a smart and
kinder means of reactivating Kwara economy which is
already in depression. The disabled, the unemployed,
widows and aged will buy food, pay rents and pay for
services that would in turn boost productivity and create
jobs. Transfers are no costs and no less than they are
incentives. A few of us are already helping the needy,
but what of others not so connected? It should be
made a right for all, not undignified precarious charity.
You pledged to run a government that is not elitist.
How would you achieve that in a state like Kwara?
We have the five-point agenda, known as the 5ps. It
means people, prosperity, popular participation,
partnership and peace. We are for inclusive
governance within the context of Sustainable
Development Goals 2030. Ekiti State was created in
1991 compared to Kwara which came into existence in
1967. Governor Fayemi has commendably signed the
SDG laws. 2019 election would put an end to state
capture in Kwara and terminate dictatorship. There is a
bi-partisan alliance to liberate our state.
How do you leverage on the agricultural potentials
of the state?
Kwara has a total land mass of 32,705 sq km. It is the
eleventh largest state in Nigeria with a cultivatable area
of 75 percent, which is 2,447,250 hectares of land.
But there is no food security in the state due to poor
governance. Only 24.7 percent is cultivated despite
the fact that the state has population and land
advantage for commercial agriculture.
2019: Buhari, too weak to rule Nigeria—Secondus
Our charity would start with poor small farmers
through long term loans, grants, inputs and
commodities exchanges that stabilise products’ prices.
Of course, there is room for large scale farmers, but
incentives cannot be for only privileged big time
farmers, certainly not for only nomadic white Zimbabwe
farmers but all our farmers who, in any case, are the
ones who have been feeding us for ages. Of course,
there should be roads to farm gates back to the
markets. However, the farmers lack access to loans,
agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and tractors and
other infrastructure like good roads to transport
perishable food items to the market. We will definitely
provide the farmers with necessary farming inputs to
enable them engage in commercial farming that will
boost agricultural produce in the state.
You are so confident about your prospects despite
not being a core politician. What makes you think
you will emerge victorious in a state where
governorship election outcomes are often defined
by the influence of known political actors?
20 years after uninterrupted democracy, there is the
need for quality control of our democracy. We need
credible, tested and popular leaders. I have always
been an activist, from secondary up to undergraduate
days. Thanks to good public education that inspired
civic knowledge, patriotism, pan-Africanism, anti-
imperialism as well as anti-apartheid consciousness. I
am proudly a democratic socialist, in terms of
ideological leaning. I have spent almost three decades
in trade unionism, organising workers into unions and
defending their rights against exploitation and
oppression. We fight precarious situations against
work, and advance the frontiers of decent workplace.
All these equal politics in great measure. But not in the
sense of the recent commonplace crass corruption,
greed of the few elected amidst mass poverty of the
electorate and sheer violence. I believe in popular
politics which is authoritative allocation of resources for
the good of many. I have always been engaged in the
politics of redistribution through collective bargaining in
the world of work. And politics of production in reviving
collapsed factories, ensuring beneficiation, value
addition and sustainable jobs for our youths.
Annually and even daily, we ensure that owners of
capital and means of production share profits with
working men and women who actually produce wealth
through negotiation and dialogue. Workplace
democracy is politics. I currently hold a number of
positions in the labour movement. I emerged through
elections. As the Vice President of global Union
IndustrialAll , I was elected by some 40 million workers
from Asia, Europe, America, Latin America, Maghreb
and, of course, my dear continent, Africa. I am also a
member of the National Institute, Kuru, Jos, the highest
policy and strategic studies institute in the continent.
Our motto is, ‘Towards a better society’. Many
philosophers have analyzed the worsening
underdevelopment of Nigeria, including myself. It is
time we changed things for the better as the great
German philosopher, Karl Marx, rightly once said. I
have paid my dues like many of my comrades in the
struggle against military dictatorship. And for
democracy. From my students days in Ahmadu Bello
University,ABU, Zaria and later University of Port
Harcourt, we demanded an end to military rule, and for
democratization, with the attendant repressions. It is a
scandal, today, that those who never appreciated nor
dared to fight for democracy are the reckless drivers of
this process with all the mess that trails it.
In this election, you are not only contesting against
the incumbent but a ruling party that could possibly
not spare anything to win. Are you not bothered?
I agree with legendary Nelson Mandela that said,
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph
over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel
afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” If a few
individuals were audacious to capture a state of three
million, why would millions fear to reclaim the state
back?
You recently raised the alarm that your life was
being threatened. Does not imply that the playing
field in Kwara is not level?
I often pray at Al Nur Mosque, Wuse 2 along Ibrahim
Babangida Way. At the Mosque for Fajr (the dawn
prayer) prayers on Monday, January 21, 2019 in Abuja
at 5:30 am, I noticed, a few meters away from the gate,
two cars with hazard lights. I left the mosque at 6:15
am. I curiously noticed again the two cars were still
there with same hazard lights on. Being security
conscious, I paused. At that point, the two cars with
Kwara and NASS number plates respectively sped
past the mosque gates, parked some meters away
from the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
Two persons came down from the cars apparently
waiting for me to come in their direction. I also noticed
they were carrying what looked like arms. They were
also positioned for God knew what. At that point, I had
to drive off in the opposite direction with the legitimate
suspicion that I was being trailed by some criminal
elements. I thank Almighty Allah that I arrived home
safely. I have since notified the new Inspector General
of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu. I commend
security agencies in Kwara for creating a level-playing
field.
What are your areas of concern regarding the
buildup to the general elections?
All contestants in 2019 elections must promote
peaceful issue-based campaigns. The eyes should be
on the political ball, not on the legs. It seems
impossible until it is done as Nelson Mandela said.
Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/those-who-
didnt-fight-for-nigerias-democracy-are-the-reckless-
drivers-of-current-process/

Everything you need to live well
Renowned Nigerian author and feminism advocate,
Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie has taken to her
Instagram page to shower praises on legendary
Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka.
In her post, Adichie expressed awe for and gratitude to
Soyinka describing him as a “guiding light”.
The “Americannah” author shared a photo of herself
posing beside the literary giant and wrote,
You are, for me, a guiding light:
Your courage. The ease with which you inhabit
your skin, speaking your mind, unburdened by
apology.
Your kindness and humour.
Your utter coolness.
The urgent, terse poetry of The Man Died, the
exuberance of Ake; your faith in possibility, in
adventure, in progress.
Yes indeed, ‘the mindless ones are neither the
total sum nor the true face of humanity.’
Thank you, Prof.
CNA
Source:
guardian.ng/life/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-
shares-photo-with-wole-soyinka/

From the moment Toyin Sokefun, now Toyin Bello,
better known as TY Bello, emerged on the scene as a
member of the defunct group Kush, an acronym for
Kinetically Ushering Salvation into Hearts and Homes,
it was obvious that she had the sky as her beginning.
Even when Kush band, whose other members
included, Lara George, Dapo Torimiro and Emem Ema
went under, the irresistible Toyin took up photography
fully and was a member of Depth of Field (DOF), a
collective of photo artists with the objective of
redefining the photography landscape of Nigeria.
DOF’s members were, Emeka Okereke, Kelechi Amadi-
Obi, Amaize Ojeikere, Uche James Iroha and Zainab
Balogun. The group later had one of its biggest
showings at the Maison De France, Ikoyi, in the early
2000s. Toyin later moved to commercial photography,
and at a time was former President Goodluck
Jonathan’s official photographer.
Even at this, she held on to her music tenaciously.Not
only has she released three albums, Greenland, in
2008, The Future in 2011 and The Morning Songbook
in 2014, her experimentation with spontaneous worship
sessions, which she started in 2015, has created a
platform for new album with the sonorous singer Tope
Alabi: A collaboration, which seemed the icing on the
cake for Toyin.
Alabi, a successful gospel musician with 10 albums to
her name, has one of the most unique voices on the
gospel scene. Her songs are evocative and rhythmical,
with deep Yoruba language paeans.
The lady, who is said to have scored over 1000 original
soundtrack for Yoruba movies, is the voice of the very
established Yoruba movie arm of Nollywood. For TY,
the collaboration was “purely inspired by God”.
In a statement titled, Unscripted, she said: “It
happened in a room with white walls. A polished grand
piano, a keyboardist, a lead guitarist, a talking drummer
and an audience of friends who were eager to tune
their minds to songs never written, never heard and
never performed.”
She continued, “and then we all waited, waiting for no
one in particular but waiting for the one in particular.
The sound engineers had readied their microphones,
adjusted the decibels of every technology that would
aid the smooth production and recording of excellent
sounds.
“And then He arrived the room. The One we had all
been waiting for showed up like He owned the air that
filled the room. Like He Had waited for us to recognise
His presence at our discretion.” She added, “Tope
Alabi felt a sensation and approached the microphone
in a hurry, taking a posture of reverence as she sang,
welcoming the presence of the sweet Holy Spirit who
was already in our midst and we hadn’t noticed
earlier.”
TY Bello followed, listening keenly to the direction that
has been impressed on Tope’s heart. “Then came the
spontaneous songs, as easy as a breeze- all
seventeen songs, racing towards each other in
worship, warfare, admonition and encouragement such
that the listener has a full experience of God’s
presence no matter where there were tilted in the
journey called life,” TY Bello said. “The smooth blend
of eloquent words of eulogy in brilliant Yoruba
language from Tope Alabi was a lesson in pure
palpable worship. Like reading the book of Jobs and
Psalms simultaneously, but in slow hurry.”
Titled, The Spirit of Light, the album has 17 unscripted
songs performed live over a three-hour period. It
features the already successful single, Logan Ti O De
and sets the pace for other hit singles such as Awa Gbe
Oga and All The Glory Belongs To You.
From songs of welcome to the beautiful presence of the
Holy Spirit, We Have Come and Emimimo to
evangelical songs like, Imole De, Oba Mi De, Logan Ti
O De. Songs of worship- Awa Gbe O Ga, Iwo Lawa O
Ma Bo, No One Else Like You, Kabiyoosi, Adonai, Eru
re to Ba, All the Glory and finally Angeli, a song of
admonition, the voice of these two artistes explode and
drop in rivulets. In fact, the collaboration best establish
a tradition that will come to define the pace, tempo and
content of gospel in years to come.
TY Bello said, “the album is a labour of love, put
together for a period of four months after fresh songs
from heaven had already been recorded. This involved
the input of brilliant musicians and worship leaders
including Wole Oni, Folabi Nuel, Wole Adesanya,
George Ade-Alao, Segunfunmi, Josh Keys, MELA
Music, Chuks Kalu and David Joshua of Ideal Concept
Solutions.
“This album is a testament to how we should live our
lives unscripted before God because he has designed
the contents and directions that our lives must follow to
find fulfillment. More than a worship experience, this
body of work is a lesson in faith because God always
shows up when we make ready our heart and lives for
his purpose.”
Source:
guardian.ng/art/tope-alabi-ty-bello-in-the-spirit-
of-light/

Since the return of democracy in 1999, Nigerians have
always waited in vain for the candidates of the ruling
party to participate in a debate. In 1999, 2003, 2007
and 2011, the candidates of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) did not show up. The 2011
edition took the format of drama as 3 of the candidates
appeared in one debate at one platform while the then
President, Goodluck Jonathan later undertook a one-
man debate in his preferred platform. It was only in
2015 that the main opposition candidate, General
Muhammadu Buhari shunned the debate of the time.
Many however did not blame him for his decision
considering that much earlier, there were numerous
personal attacks on him and his family by certain media
outfits that were part of the debate organizers. As a
result, no meaningful debate was held in 2015. Only
two weeks ago we witnessed the failure of the
candidates of the two main political parties to
participate in the 2019 edition. While President
Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress
APC claimed to have had other commitments which
made it impossible for him to attend, Atiku Abubakar of
the PDP declined to participate because of the absence
of Buhari.
The candidates had ample notice for the debate.
Indeed, their running mates had theirs more than a
month before the main presidential one scheduled for
January 19, 2019. On this note, the argument by the
APC candidate that he was otherwise engaged is not
strong. The PDP candidate who rushed back from as far
as the United States on the day of the event appeared
ready for the debate but his last minute refusal to
participate deprived Nigerians of getting fully educated
on his electoral mission. Why do our politicians
especially incumbents detest debates? Why are they
never willing to employ the powerful medium of
television to explain to voters their manifestoes and
election promises? What exactly are they hiding? To
unravel the inexplicable posture, we call for another
debate and appeal to the candidates to attend. It is
true that we have seen them at open rallies canvassing
for votes, but television debates are no doubt the most
effective form of political broadcasts. In the first place,
television ably shows how persuasive the speaker is as
well as the level of confidence he radiates. In other
words, television visibly portrays the competence of a
candidate in putting across a diametrically opposed
view-point to enable voters use comparison of
performance for informed decision making.
Reps Suit: Court warns parties against trial delay
While the concept of campaign rallies is not bad, the
Nigerian variant hardly educates anybody as our
political parties have over the years mastered the use
of rallies to deceive voters. A typical Nigeria political
rally which may take five to six hours devotes less than
15mns to the message segment. The better part of the
rally features dances, acrobatic displays and merriment
which add little or nothing to the voters’ understanding
of the capability of the candidate to improve the living
conditions of society. The message segment is often
puerile as the speakers merely repeatedly shout the
acronyms of their political parties. This is usually
followed by unnecessary denigration of the symbols,
emblems and logos of opposing political parties.
Thereafter, the speakers become intemperate, dishing
out hate speeches and abuses on all others who donot
belong to the political party organising the particular
rally.
Whereas television debates can enlighten the people,
rallies are fast becoming death traps for Nigerians
through stampedes. Our politicians have successfully
confused many citizens into believing that large crowds
at rallies signify popularity and ability to win an election
but we all now know that the crowds at Nigerian rallies
are rented. My former staff who is now a political scout,
claims to disburse huge funds for renting the same
people every other day for different political parties. If
scarce resources are so squandered to give a false
impression of popularity, of what use are political
rallies? Perhaps, the development further escalates the
commercialization of our election process. It is
therefore not irrational to describe the development as
the first leg of vote buying which everyone claims to
deprecate. If rallies are capital intensive whereas
presidential debates, by virtue of the provisions of the
Electoral Act, are free, why then do the big parties run
away from what is free? Why should we allow such big
parties to stop the free flow of ideas among all parties
especially those that cannot afford expensive large
rallies?
Unfortunately, rather than using a political rally to focus
on the challenges of society, politicians at rallies, divert
attention to cosmetic and indeed annoying matters.
The other day, one speaker at a rally explained that
voters should not bring back the political party whose
members looted our treasury for 16 years. It was
obviously annoying that only a few months back, the
speaker in question had been a chieftain of the alleged
looting party where he served as governor for the last 8
of the 16 corruption-ridden years. In earnest, the
social environment of rallies appears to make the
speakers destroy their own parties; otherwise, how else
are Nigerians expected to appreciate the fight against
corruption if the national chairman of the ruling party
says the sins of anyone who joins the government party
would be forgiven? When the argument was that Atiku
had been barred from visiting the US, everyone clapped
for the APC, when Atiku’s eventual visit to the US was
publicised, everyone clapped for the PDP. No one
appeared to have paused to imagine how the places
Atiku or Buhari can go or not go helps the rest of us?
Based on the adage ‘ seeing is believing’ Nigerians
want to hear and see on television, not just what a
candidate says he would do, we want to hear how he
plans to do it. That is what normally happens in the US
which has a long history of presidential debate. In that
country which Nigerians often look up to and from
where we copied the presidential system of
government, the practice is that three days are set
aside before any presidential election for the
candidates contesting the election to engage one
another in a series of televised political debates that
are usually also relayed on radio. Their own debates
are not on mundane issues such as we entertain here.
Quite a large number of voters make up their minds on
who to vote for only after hearing what each candidate
offers. This is why we must urge our political class to
follow global realities and desist from taking our nation
back to the analogue days while at the same time
promising to move us forward.
We still have room for another presidential debate
where the candidates should spell out the modalities for
implementing their campaign promises. Let’s have it.
Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/wanted-in-
nigeria-another-presidential-debate/

I’m being tempted to agree with those who say that
women are a necessary evil, a desirable calamity and a
domestic peril. How do you explain this? A politician
like the People’s Democratic Party’s vice presidential
candidate Peter Obi would ordinarily want to protect his
wife from the life and shine of politics but necessity
warrants him to expose her to the campaign fields for
the purposes of winning the 2019 elections. She
needed to come out to work with other women because
her husband’s party needs to win the election.
For the same purpose, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential
candidate of the PDP had unleashed all his wives on
the electorate to go campaign for the success of the
PDP. At this moment, it doesn’t matter who should
become the first lady when he wins. The most important
thing is to win and the women are all cooperating to
ensure that.
After raving and ranting about the cabal that hijacked
power from her husband, Wife of the President, Aisha
Buhari‘s emerged from the kitchen and the other room
to head her husband’s women and youths campaign
train. She has since forgotten her threats about never
going to support her husband’s re-election because of
the cabal she alleged had hijacked power from the
president.
In an interview with the BBC in 2016, Aisha Buhari had
threatened to withdraw support for her husband if he
chose to seek re-election unless he shakes up his
cabinet and includes more people who worked for his
success in 2015. She said although the victory of the
APC in 2015 was a collective effort of millions of
people, the government is being operated by a few
people.
Again last month, Aisha Buhari lamented that two
powerful personalities have constituted themselves as a
clog in the wheel of speedy development of the
country. She claimed that her husband would have
achieved more or even achieved all he had promised in
one year but for two people in government who will
never allow things to move fast. The President’s wife
said that she was disappointed in men who rather than
fight these two men, will go to them in the night
begging for favour But before the end of December last
year, Buhari had denied claims by his wife that two
persons she referred to as cabal were controlling the
affairs of his government. The President even
challenged his wife to prove the existence of the cabal
or remain silent, stressing that no one or group of
persons were dictating the affairs of his government as
being claimed.
But all these are now history.
In this period of electioneering campaigns, no woman
belongs to the kitchen and the other room anymore.
Women constitute the highest number of voters and are
professional composers of praise songs for candidates
seeking elections in various categories. Women have
the strength of a horse and can combine campaigns
rallies and travels with taking care of the home front and
still be active in the other room.
How lovers turned killers are sending partners to early
graves
Despite her challenges, the Nigerian woman never
ceases to amaze. She is always at her best doing what
she knows how to do and would still remain s*xy,
sassy, stimulating, scintillating and sensual for her
husband, including being a stabilizer in the home front.
Yet, while an Obiageli Ezekwesili would announce
decision to withdraw from the 2019 presidential race
and end her membership of the Allied Congress Party
of Nigeria (ACPN), another woman in her position
would push on.
Ezekwesili had cited divergence of values and vision
with the leadership of the party as her reason for
resigning, pontificating that Nigeria and Nigerians
deserve a new order of ethical, competent and capable
leadership.
According to her, she had assumed that the ACPN
was aligned with her to offer that, until it proved
otherwise.
In other words, her party betrayed her cause.
And the party’s next step proved her right. It quickly
endorsed the candidate of APC, Muhammadu Buhari, a
decision announced by Ezekwesili’s erstwhile VP
candidate who is also the chairman of ACPN.
We should also remember that as the presidential
candidate of ACPN, many have always believed that
Ezekwesili was campaigning for Buhari. Those who
believed that had their reasons and it seemed current
developments have proven them right too.
Many women who dabbled in active politics have had
disappointing tales to tell. Only a few went far to
achieve their goals and even then, it was not easy for
them.
The thing about the women is a huge challenge. Apart
from being used as a back-up, a lot still needs to be
done to give women more room for participation in
politics.
As stated by Afe Babalola, it does appear that the huge
and overwhelming representation of women at most
political rallies has not transformed to increased
opportunities for women to contest election .
What do you think?
Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/this-thing-
about-women/

Three weeks to the 2019 general elections, the gloves
are off for the two leading presidential candidates. To
President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, his main rival and candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,
should be rejected by the electorate because,
according to his handlers, a vote for the PDP means a
return to Biblical Egypt where the people toiled and
laboured in anguish.
Following his defection from the APC to the PDP on
which platform he was Vice President for eight years,
the ruling party has serially accused Atiku of corruption,
a claim he consistently denies, challenging anyone with
evidence to present same to the anti-graft agencies for
action.
Atiku and Buhari
In what appeared to be an ace in its pack of cards,
however, officials of the ruling party always reminded
Atiku of the long years it had taken him to visit the
United States, US, daring him to set his foot on the US
soil as a proof of his innocence in a case of corruption
in which he was allegedly involved there.
For more than 13 years, Atiku had kept away from the
US.
Meanwhile nine years ago, there was a US Senate
Committee report alleging money laundering activities
against him, including being a recipient of a bribe by
Siemens. The Committee, known as the Senate
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, was
chaired by Senator Carl Levin.
The probe was motivated by the US government
concern about corruption in the Third World and its
corrosive effects on the development of honest
government, democratic principles and the rule of law.
“It is also blamed for distorting markets, deterring
investment, deepening poverty, undermining
international aid efforts, and fostering crime. Some
have drawn connections between corruption, failed
states, and terrorism. Corruption also continues to be a
massive problem. The World Bank has estimated that
$1 trillion in bribes alone exchange hands worldwide
each year,” the committee noted in its bulky report.
Onnoghen: It’s unfortunate FG has no regard for rule of
law- Ohanaeze
Atiku was not the only foreign Politically Exposed
Person (PEP) probed by the committee. He had
company in Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, now the
48-year-old son of Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo,
the President of Equatorial Guinea (EG), the late
President of Gabon, Omar Bongo, and three Angolan
PEP accounts, involving an Angolan arms dealer, an
Angolan government official and a small Angolan
private bank.
The committee submitted its report on February 4,
2010, three years after Atiku left office as Nigeria’s vice
president.
The report alleged violations of the US laws by Atiku
and his fourth wife, Jennifer Douglas, and is said to
have provided the basis for the former VP’s being
barred from entering the US since then.
Safe arrival
But penultimate week, Atiku stunned not just Buhari’s
camp but many Nigerians as well when he tweeted his
safe arrival in Washington DC, the capital of the US,
alongside members of his campaign team, including
the Director General, Senator Bukola Saraki, and a
former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka.
A statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, quickly
followed, detailing the itinerary of his principal in the
US.
The Federal Government, through Information and
Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed, immediately
responded, saying it was not bothered by the trip,
warning, however, that upon the PDP presidential
candidate’s return to Nigeria, he would answer
questions on his alleged complicity in the N156 million
slush funds belonging to the defunct Habib Platinum
Bank, Bank PHB.
After spending two days in the US, Atiku returned
home.
Two days later, Atiku, who had earlier pledged to
reveal “the corruption” in the APC government, listed,
in a statement, prominent leaders of the APC facing
corruption allegations, daring the President to do the
needful.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public
Communications, Phrank Shaibu, the PDP presidential
candidate said the alleged corrupt associates of Buhari
should be investigated without further delay.
He noted that so long as those listed were walking the
streets free, the President war against corruption was
nothing but a ruse.
Atiku premised his argument for listing the APC leaders
on corruption allegations levelled against them, saying
there had not been full – scale investigation not to talk
of prosecution.
This reasoning may have prompted some eminent
Nigerians to argue that the war against corruption, as
waged by the incumbent administration, is a selective
one, with little chances of rooting out the vice in the
nearest future.
Speaking exclusively to Sunday Vanguard, human
rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Mike
Ozekhome, SAN, maintained that what is described as
an anti-graft crusade is nothing but a move
orchestrated to cut opposition figures to size.
According to him, ratings by international agencies
since the assumption of office by the APC-led
government are a testimony that not much has been
achieved.
He said, “Buhari has never been serious with fighting
corruption. He has merely been using it to browbeat
and terrorize the opposition and critical voices over his
massive failure in governance, heightened corruption
cases and worsening insurgency that have all
combined to bring Nigeria to her knees.
“With Nigeria now the world capital of poverty, one of
the 168 most corrupt nations, coming second as the
most corrupt nation in West Africa and moving 16 steps
back in the rating of the anti-corruption perception index
of Transparency International, TI, it is clear that the
Buhari government has woefully failed on all indices of
governance.”
In veiled reference to the remark made by the National
Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole,
last week, that “once you defect to the APC, your sins
are forgiven”, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria said thus
far, members of the ruling party alleged to have
perpetrated one form of corruption or the other are
enjoying patronage from government, without
demonstrable eagerness on the part of government to
do the needful.
“The so-called fight against corruption is stimulated in
favour of the APC, the Presidency and their cabalistic
clique. Once you defect from another party and join the
APC, your sins of corruption are immediately forgiven
and you are heralded into the party with encomiums,
applause and celebration. You are immediately given
the front pew of the APC, inducted into the hall of fame
and put in the presidential electioneering council to
campaign for ‘Mr. Integrity,’” he added.
While listing what he called the flaws of the Buhari
government to include “favouritism, cluelessness and
mediocrity”, Ozekhome stressed that the past three and
a half years would be remembered for gates such as
“Babachirgate, Adeosungate, Mainagate, NNPCgate,
NHISgate among others.”
Also speaking on the issue, a former Education Minister
and chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, SDP,
Professor Tunde Adeniran, called for seriousness on
the part of government, saying, “The fight against
corruption is an agenda that, if properly pursued, would
change Nigeria for the better. It should not be pursued
based on partisan motivation or selectively on the basis
of unpatriotic considerations.”
U-turn
However, it appears that the Buhari-government may
prosecute, after all, some of those associated with the
President but have corruption allegations hanging on
their necks, following the statement by Vice President
Yemi Osinbajo that Buhari had ordered the trial of a
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Mr Babachir Lawal, and a former Director General of
the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke.
Osinbajo said Lawal would be prosecuted for allegedly
stealing money earmarked for displaced victims of Boko
Haram insurgency.
According to the vice-president, Buhari had prevailed
on anti-corruption agencies to prepare criminal charges
against Lawal, who served as SGF from 2015 until he
was disgraced out of office on October 31, 2017, after
being accused of stealing millions of emergency funds.
On Oke, Osinbajo said the former NIA chief was also
recommended for prosecution.
Oke was the NIA head when a large vault of money
was found in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos in April
2017.
“The President has directed that the SGF and former
DG of NIA should be prosecuted,” the VP was quoted
as saying at a Lagos dialogue organised by Christian
youth affiliated to the GRILL, Ikeja Branch.
The government had faced criticism for its snail
progress in bringing charges against Lawal, who was
first alleged to have diverted millions of IDP funds using
firms linked to him in a December 2016 Senate
investigation.
Buhari initially argued that there was no substance in
the Senate investigation only to succumb to public
pressure to remove him and ward off any political
garbage that the administration could suffer from the
scandal.
Even though he was removed from office, the disgraced
SGF continued to associate with Buhari.
Lawal is said to be the President’s point man in
Adamawa State where he hails from, as well as a major
player in the re-election campaign team.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) invited him for questioning at least twice,
although it was unclear whether any charges were
filed.
Nevertheless, Osinbajo said, “We are expecting that
prosecution will take place.”
“The next of course is that criminal allegations will be
filed against them and the prosecution process will be
completed,” he added.
But while the opposition is quick to dismiss this as a
belated move, Nigerians will no doubt heave a sigh of
relief if government can go the whole hog to prove that,
indeed, there are no sacred cows in the crusade to rid
the nation of graft.
Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/buhari-vs-
atiku-the-politics-of-the-anti-corruption-fight/

The Director General of the National Youth Service
Corps (NYSC), Maj. Gen Suleiman Kazaure has
warned Corps members who will take part in this year’s
election against collecting gifts from politicians.
He warned that any corps member caught engaging in
electoral malpractice of any sort would be prosecuted.
Maj. Gen Kazaure, who stated this while addressing
Enugu State corps members at the Enugu East LGA
Secretariat, Saturday, said they must not give room to
any form of inducement.
“Study your environment and be security conscious.
When faced with obvious danger, secure yourself first.
“Do not enter vehicles belonging to politicians and
strangers as the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) will provide all your needs.
“The participation of corps members in the election as
ad hoc staff is not by compulsion, but a voluntary
service to their fatherland,” he said.
He advised all corps members on election duty to
appear in their uniforms with their identity cards, stating
that such will help for easy identification.
Speaking at the event, the INEC Resident Electoral
Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Emeka
Ononamadu, said that corps members participating in
the election would have insurance cover.
Ononamadu said that adequate logistics that covered
incentives and vehicles for easy movement to areas of
deployment had been put in place.
He said that 2,958 Presiding Officers would be sourced
from the NYSC in the state, with additional 1,188
Electoral Officers from other Federal Government
agencies in the state.
“It is a rare privilege to have all the presiding officers
from the NYSC,’ Ononamadu said.
Highlights of the visit of Maj. Gen. Kazaure to Enugu
state was the inauguration of a new office block at the
NYSC secretariat, completed by the coordinator in the
state, Alhaji Ahmed Ikaka.
Source:
dailypost.ng/2019/01/27/2019-polls-nysc-dg-
speaks-corps-members-receiving-gifts-politicians/

As the world marks Leprosy Day today, medical experts
have advocated more focus on the disease. They
advised that government and health workers embark on
intense public health awareness to reduce ignorance
about the disease and knowledge of clinical
management of active cases, including management of
contacts. The teaching should also focus on educating
patients confirmed to have leprosy and encouraging
close contacts on the importance of seeing a doctor for
a thorough physical examination and regular follow up
visits.
Describing leprosy as a chronic infectious disease
caused by an acid-fast, rod shaped bacillus
mycobacterium leprae, the experts explained that it is
an age old disease that has been present since biblical
times, and patients have a reduced quality of life due to
the stigma attached to the disease, as well as the
physical symptoms.
Dr. Erere Otrofanowei, a Consultant Physician,
Dermatologist and Genitourinary Specialist with the
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), urged
everyone to get well informed about the disease via
different media, where the information is in the public
domain. She said: “Information and the right
application of knowledge garnered is power. The
vaccination with the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG),
given at birth as part of our National Programme on
Immunisation is partially protective against Leprosy.
“This year’s theme: Ending discrimination, stigma and
prejudice against people living with Leprosy, is a call
on people to stop discrimination against patients. New
cases of leprosy are still being recorded in our
hospitals today, and it is unfortunate that most patients
present at the late stages of the disease. This is
largely, due to ignorance and stigma attached to the
disease, which prevents patients from coming forward
and failure to detect the disease early. It is important
that the public know that both male and female can
contract leprosy and it can occur at any age though rare
in infants.
“Contrary to some myths, it is not a result of “home
trouble” or “juju.” The organism that causes the
disease divides slowly and it takes a long time for
anyone who has contracted the mycobacterium to
actually come down with the disease. This is referred to
as the incubation period and it ranges from a few
months to almost 40 years with an average of about 10
years.
“If possible, leprosy should be separated from
tuberculosis in the NTBLCP, as it is cast aside in favour
of its bigger competitor for resources. All hands must
be on deck to ensure that Nigeria achieves and
sustains the World Health Organisation (WHO) leprosy
elimination target. A healthy nation is a wealthy
one.”She explained that this would lead to increased
awareness of the disease, as well as early presentation
and effective management, with the added measure of
reduced stigmatisation.
“The Leprosy Elimination Programmes across the
country would do well to ensure harmonisation of all
stakeholders’ efforts in the industry at all levels of
healthcare delivery.
“Mycobacterium leprae primarily targets the skin and
peripheral nerves of the body. The earliest symptom of
Hansen’s disease is a well-demarcated, discoloured
skin patch or blemish with reduced or no sensation.
Thus, an individual with few innocuous pale or light
coloured skin patches one to five in number, who
cannot feel cold or hot sensation, or touch at those
specific spots needs to have it checked out further by a
doctor.”
A Neurologist and former President, Association of
Resident Doctors at the Lagos University Teaching
Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Olubunmi Omojowolo said: “The
absence of sweating at those specific light coloured
patches is a sign to investigate further. The above
suggests paucibacillary leprosy, where there are five or
fewer skin lesions with undetectable bacteria in skin
smears and this type or stage of the disease is where
treatment is most effective. Sadly, this is the disease
that is mostly missed or overlooked by both individuals
and even some healthcare professionals, allowing a
progression to the multibacillary leprosy, with more
than five skin lesions and bacteria easily detected in
skin smears, where the more recognisable features
occur.
“These signs and symptoms include multiple swellings
or lumps along the earlobes, nose, face, paraesthesia
tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, enlarged or
thickened painful peripheral nerves, at the elbow,
behind the ears, behind the knees, painless wounds or
burns. The later signs include loss of digits fingers and
toes, blindness, loss of eyebrows and eyelashes,
weakness of the hands and claw fingers and collapsed
bridge of the nose to name a few. These are seen in
advanced stages of the disease and are indeed the
result of a failed healthcare system.”
Omojowolo noted that leprosy certainly constitutes
public health hazard as enumerated above with respect
to the mode of transmission and the resulting clinical
features.He said: “Hansen’s disease is still considered
one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTD), as its
impact on the patient, care givers and country, is grave.
In some parts of the world, the stigma of the disease is
isolating the patient; promote mental health disease
and even suicidal ideation.
“In suspected case of Hansen’s disease, the next step
is to present oneself to a healthcare professional at
primary, secondary or tertiary centres. A detailed
clinical history and physical examination will be carried
out and some investigations ordered, including some
blood tests, skin slit and smears to detect the acid-fast
bacilli or a skin biopsy.
“Early detection and proper management can,
however, prevent lasting debilitating sequelae and
reduce the impact of disease on the patient and the
country. The disease is not limited to any particular
race, though is seen more in the tropics. Nigeria is one
of five countries where leprosy is still considered
endemic alongside India, Brazil, Indonesia and
Bangladesh. This status fluctuates from year to year,
probably because the health records are not well
updated. Despite achieving the elimination target of
less than one case detection per 10,000 population, as
stated by WHO in 2000, there are still pockets or
clusters of leprosy with high endemic rates in different
parts of the country.
“The disease is most likely transmitted via the
respiratory system, through nasal droppings from
untreated persons with disease. It may also enter the
blood stream through broken skin. Whether or not a
newly infected person goes on to develop the disease
depends on a number of factors, including the person’s
immune status, the type of leprosy contracted, whether
paucibacillary or multibacillary, the person’s age and
some genetic factors, among others.
“Generally, most people do not develop the disease
following exposure to the organism. Paucibacillary and
Multibacillary leprosy, are WHO’s classification of the
disease, which employs simple measures as the
presence of skin lesions and detection of bacilli in skin
smears to determine what arm of treatment a patient
should have. It is mostly used to stratify patients in
developing countries, where there may be dearth of
specialists.”
Dr. Chukwuma Ogunbor, a Consultant Family
Physician said treatment of leprosy is effective with a
combination of medicines for a specified period.He
said: “Drugs for Hansen’s disease may be two drugs of
rifampicin and dapsone at weight-based doses for
paucibacillary leprosy or three drugs with clofazimine
added to the above two. Some of the drugs are to be
taken daily, while some are taken monthly. After taking
only a few doses of the medication, patients become
non-infectious, hence there is no need to isolate them
from family and friends.
“There are a few sophisticated tests like polymerase
chain reaction and serology, which may be employed in
doubtful cases. Some hospitals may not be well
equipped to do a few of the above and the patient may
need referral to any of the teaching hospitals in the
country for further management by a specialist.
“The duration of treatment is determined by the disease
classification, but the drugs are usually taken for about
12 months or more. It is laudable that patients with
Hansen’s disease can get drugs for free at designated
National Leprosy Control Centres in all 36 states of the
country, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“This is a result of the National Tuberculosis and
Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) of the Federal
Ministry of Health, which became operational in
1991.“It is important to complete medications for as
long as prescribed because poor drug adherence can
contribute to drug resistance, causing a need to move
patients from the above first line therapy to a second
line or alternative therapy. Sometimes, patients may
develop some immunologic Leprae reactions during
leprosy treatment that may require additional drugs,
such as corticosteroids.”
Source:
guardian.ng/features/health/public-health-
awareness-immunisation-curb-leprosy-experts/

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