FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED NIGERIANS

-Lagos Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Adeyemi Sabit Ikuforiji in this interview with selected newsmen at the newly completed chamber of the House said the Lagos State Government is ahead of the Federal Government as the state cannot afford to fail the people whose expectations are so high, AYODELE SAMUEL was there Can you compare the achievements of Lagos State with that of the Federal Government within the last one year? Honestly that is one topic I don’t want to dwell on because we are living in two different worlds, but I can understand, the Federal Government has larger room to mess up and get away with it, Lagos is rather compact, we know ourselves, what you can do and get away with at the federal level, be it executive or legislative, you cannot get away with such here. How many times have you seen the president aside seeing him on the television and how many times have you been in close proximity with the Governor of Lagos State, not on the television, but physically? How many times have you met with the Senate President or Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives this year and how many times have you had the opportunity of getting close to or touching the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly. So these are things that when you are talking about performances, if we don’t do it here, don’t forget this is the home of 60 to 70 percent of professionals in Nigeria. This is the home of the Nigerian media, the home of the cream of the Nigerian society. Everybody centres his or her attention on Lagos. So, I don’t think a reasonable person, who is saddled with responsibility in Lagos has any escape route, where do you go? The media are here watching you, your people are there watching you, from here to Epe area takes an hour, that is the extreme side of the state, from here to Badagry, the same thing, it is the other extreme side of the state, so you don’t have more than 5 or 10 minutes of judging. We cannot compare the two, we all know that the Federal Government is slumbering and they are snoring, so somebody needs to wake them up. Our nascent democracy is now 13 years old, would you say your expectations have been met so far Honestly, I am a very ambitious person, I tend to be optimistic all the time, but I must confess , the Federal Government in particular should have done a lot more to win the confidence of Nigerians, to make Nigerians really feel happy or for the democratic dispensation to be better. I don’t’ know what the problem is over there, but even simple things that a mere fool can get done is not being done, to construct roads, to maintain the existing roads are some of the simplest things to do when the money is there and the money has always been there for the Federal Government. I wouldn’t understand why Shagamu-Benin Road remains death trap till today, Lagos-Ibadan Road is nothing to write home about, from here to Abuja is like going from one end of the world to the other, it shouldn’t be so, to construct roads, what does it take, it doesn’t take nuclear engineering, it doesn’t call for super money to do that. Anybody, any fool can call on construction companies to construct roads and I think with the size of the Federal budget, Nigeria should be awash with roads, not even advanced means of transportation, but roads, anybody can construct it, it is only here that I see that we are not able to do anything. If we cannot construct roads, why are we talking about energy? Look at the trillions of naira that had been spent on energy and we still don’t have light. Sir, the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero said that if state police is established, it will lead to disintegration I think he is thinking mechanically, he is just being technical about it. Many people forget that the string that binds Nigerian nationality together to make Nigeria a nation is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals, I think it is the work of God, it has nothing to do with our ability to come together, live together or love one another. Love does not even exist amongst us, even in our homes, if you go to your father’s home and you look deep, you will know that love is not there. Some of your uncles, aunties, cousins and so on are not even happy about your progress. People are no more their brother’s keepers. This country has nothing to do with any ethnic group or anything and when you look at it like I often say, yes the scripture told us that God loves the Israelites, what I have observed, I know that the Israelites may be the children of God, Nigerians are the first born’s children, first born sons and daughters of God. If you look at what we do and get away with, even smaller and thinner nations don’t get through a quarter of those things before they go into blazes, but over here, we just get away with it. If God does not love us, how come with former president Umar Yar’Adua’s death, and the fact that a part does not want the then vice-president, Goodluck Jonathan to act, we did not disintegrate, the fact that when the then president was sick, the president could not act, who are the ones who shouted, are you telling me the Bayelsans are the ones who got President Goodluck Jonathan to power, what is their voting power? Don’t forget, at the last minutes, we know those who spoke and the nation shook and came to its senses, just one front page in The Punch Newspaper and others, and people said ‘oh these people said this,’ the whole thing changed. Though we all know that the election was not free or fair, one thing we all know, rigging may have taken place somehow, it was true that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan got more votes across the nation than any other candidate at that election. Even here in Lagos, he won the election, even if they rigged to put additional votes, we all know who Lagosians are, if his votes were only 200,000, there was no way they could write over one million votes and get away with it in Lagos, he definitely won, Lagosians voted for him, so it was across the nation, what does that tell you? I mean that same election could have led to civil war, but from across the divide, people didn’t care, they just said, let him do it and they gave it to him, now whether he is now doing it well or not is another thing, we know that some people had strong feelings against his candidature, we could have run into problems. But God loves Nigeria more than He loves any other nation. What is your advice to Nigerians at this critical period? I think we need to be more godly, I am not talking of going to church or mosque, I am talking of being godly from within, being honest with ourselves, being loving, brotherly, above all, each and everyone of us owes this nation a duty of being a good citizen, a good people. You don’t hide behind any from of shield and do evil and tell the world that you are born again. To build Nigeria and to make it a dream nation of our founding fathers, each of us owes this nation a duty of being a good citizen, when I say a good citizen, I mean a real good citizen, don’t cover me, when you know I am doing something that can harm the nation, the state or others, don’t say because he is your friend or brother you want to cover him. People who are doing evil here and there are known to all of us, they are not masquerades. They are humans, they are men and women like you and I, how come they get away with it easily. Why are we not asking questions from our so-called leaders, our elected representatives, elected officials, why are we not demanding what we supposed to demand from them, each and everyone of us wants to take just for himself or his family, forgetting the larger society. So, if you can get from Mr. Speaker for yourself, you don’t care if he doesn’t do what he ought to do for the rest of the society, you just get away with your own and that’s all, with that attitude, we will get nowhere. If we all resolve to be good citizens, it would be better, yes we are humans, we can make our mistakes, we can commit sin, God even allows us to, but He will forgive us when we ask for it. The building of a nation is not the job of one man, when you say president is not doing this, the governor is not doing this, the speaker is not doing this, but even you, your own job, how much do you do it to ensure you are doing the very best for the nation. It is for everyone of us to resolve to be a better person. That was what Honourable Rotimi Olowo was trying to say on the floor of the House that there should be a global change and we will be known as global change agents, when things are done from your own end, it affects the entire world and the whole world will change for the better.

Nigerian Youths meet on good governance

The role of young people in nation building cannot be over-emphasized, thereby providing a dire need for youths to be prepared for challenges ahead towards strengthening our leadership and participation skills. Acting on the above, Network for Talent Discovery (NETAD)- an organisation committed to talent discovery and development, leadership development and fostering patriotism among teenagers and youths in the African continent - is organising a Young and Emerging Leaders Summit meant to engage young and emerging leaders in leadership deliberations towards exploring strategies and concepts of leadership through participation, and fostering active youth participation in decision making processes, thereby aiding quality governance. In a release signed by the Executive Coordinator of the organization, Aanu Damola Morenikeji, it was learnt that the summit, which has the theme 'Building Tomorrow Today' is scheduled to hold on Thursday, 21st June, 2012 at the Aduke Maina Hall of Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State (Nigeria), commencing at 10am prompt. Facilitators at the summit include Kingsley N.T. Bangwell (Team Leader, Youngstars Foundation, Jos) and Oladayo Ogunbowale (President, DESPLAY Africa Republic). The keynote address titled 'Youth participation in qualitative governance; mirage or reality? will be delivered by Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun (the Ogun State First Lady). Expected at the summit are Rt. Hon. Adekunbi Suraju; Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Mr Olugbenga Otenuga; Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Ogun State, members of the Ogun State house of assembly, Dr. Ozuzu Promise; President, International Youth Council, Nigeria, ….. and …… Also expected at the venue are members of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, International Youth Council, Nigeria, National Youth Council of Nigeria, States Youth Parliament, executives and members of youth organizations and students' organizations, other young and emerging leaders. Intending participants are however advised to register online via http://bit.ly/LPmigX. Participation for the event is totally free. It is true that one voice can make a difference, but a million can change the world. Make a date with history and development at the summit; it is time to emerge! Together we learn, together we emerge! Aanu Damola Morenikeji Executive Coordinator, Network for Talent Discovery (NETAD). +234 703 956 3908

Group assures Oshiomole of winning Esan land

Group assures Oshiomole of winning Esan land From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos The Concerned Citizens for Good Governance in Nigeria has assured Edo State Governor of Comrade Adams Oshiomole of more than 2,000 votes from Edo Central in the July 14 gubernatorial election. The group in a statement signed by its patron Mr. Francis Onabis, a Presidential aspirant in 2011 general election, said the group had since commenced rigorous campaign for the governor's re-election bid after an assessment of projects carried out throughout the five Local councils making up the Esan land of the state. Onabis said "Our people are set to turn out en-masse to vote for Oshiomole in order to ensure further transformation of the state and good governance." The group said projects carried out in Esan land by Oshiomole administration remained visible landmark of good governance in the region, thus making mobilizing the Esan people for his re-election easier. He urged Esan people not to be deceived by politicians playing ethnic and money politics in the region saying "one good term deserves another." The group stressed that voting politicians without manifestoes will lead to retrogression and more year of impoverishment of the masses. 'We Esanians believe that re-electing the ACN party in the election will bring more massive developmental projects to the region and indeed the entire Edo." The group however warned politicians contending for the governorship position against introducing ethnic and religious bigotry insisting that election of governor or other political officers should be based on merit and ability to deliver dividend of democracy to the people and not on ethnic sentiment. http://www.peoplesdaily-online.com/politics/politics-today/36369-group-assures-oshiomole-of-winning-esan-land-

PRESS RELEASE

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Taraba State has said it had strictly adhered    to the new posting policy as directed by the Director General Brig. General N.T Okore-Affia for the 2012 Batch " A"  corps members , saying it  will fast track  grassroots development.   NYSC Taraba State Coordinator Hajiya Zainab Isah in a press statement laud the posting policy, she describe as "a welcome development to us in Taraba State." The Federal government had announced a new posting policy of corps members to  only four sectors namely; Health, Education, Rural Infrastructure and Agriculture. Giving a breakdown of deployment of corps members to these sectors, Hajiya Isah said about 130 corps members were posted to Rural Infrastructure and Agriculture respectively; about 260 corps members were posted to Ministry of Health while Education gulped about 780 corps members. She said the state was able to achieve zero rejection of corps members because of the proper arrangement it had earlier made with the ministries before the posting commenced. "initially corps members were posted to establishments according to their areas of specialization yet some establishments rejected or under-utilize these corps members but with the new posting policy corps members no longer face such." She added that the new posting policy was received as a welcome development in the state as the four commissioners overseeing these areas met to ascertain their absorption capacities which enabled us project properly and avoid rejection of corps members by their employers"   Hajiya Isah however urged corps members to be dedicated to duties assigned to them in the interest of national development.   She called on corps members to reciprocate the good gesture and goodwill of the people and government of the state in protecting them by working very hard in contributing to the development of  Taraba state.   She added that the main aim of this new policy is to restore national integration and youth empowerment which are the core objectives of the NYSC Scheme.                                                 #

Media Rights Agenda condemns Bombing of offices of ThisDay and other newspapers

Media Rights Agenda condemns Bombing of offices of ThisDay and other newspapers Ayodele Samuel,Lagos Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned today's bombings of the offices of ThisDay newspapers in Abuja and Kaduna as well as the offices of The Sun and The Moment newspapers in an apparently coordinated plan. The Abuja office of the newspaper was bombed at about 11.30 this morning with scores of lives reportedly lost while several others were injured. At about the same time, a building in Kaduna, housing 'Thisday', 'Sun' and 'The Moment' newspapers, was also bombed with no less than three deaths also reported at the incident. In a statement on behalf of the organization, MRA's executive director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo condemned what he called "a cowardly and dastardly" attack on media freedom and a shocking disregard for human life. He said: "We are extremely concerned by the apparent helplessness of the Federal Government as well as the law enforcement and security agencies in the face of this relentless onslaught on the Nigerian people which has caused hundreds of innocent citizens their lives in the last several months." Mr. Ojo called on the Federal Government to live up to its primary responsibility of ensuring the security and welfare of the people saying that it appeared to have failed woefully in this regard. He asked the Government to devote all the resources at its disposal to find those responsible for these ongoing acts of terrorism and bring them to justice in order to end this climate of fear and impunity which has paralyzed governance, commercial and social activities in many parts of the country.

Tinubu condemns blasts at media houses

Ayodele Samuel,Lagos : Tinubu Media Office Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), has condemned the blasts at media houses in Abuja and Kaduna, saying it is a serious attack on Nigeria's democracy. He however offered the opposition's cooperation to President Goodluck Jonathan, to curtail the present dire security situation and end the drift in the polity. "The attacks on the Abuja office of This Day and the Kaduna offices of This Day, Daily Sun and The Moment adds a different and dangerous dimension to the level of insecurity in our country," Tinubu said in reaction to the blasts.  "We have never had it so bad in this country." He said the brazen attack on the three newspapers, in two different locations in the country was red signal that it was time to confront and conquer the precarious political situation in the country, adding that a free press was key to democracy, which, he insisted, underscored an American president's saying that given a choice between having a government without the press or the press without government, he would glad choose the press. "The fact that Boko Haram continues to attack buildings and kill innocent Nigerians un-apprehended is a symptom of the failure of intelligence and security breakdown," he said.  "Even then, any government worth its salt ought to be extremely worried about this new but dangerous trend of attacking media houses.  It must therefore be jolted to take actions to stem the tide." However the former governor of Lagos said it was not time to trade blame, but time to put heads together to face and defeat a common insecurity monster, adding that the opposition was ready to work with President Jonathan. "We call on all leaders of thought, and all religious and political leaders to rally and let us together find a way to resolve this problem.  Whether it is religious or political Boko Haram, we must root it out by ensuring justice and fairness," Asiwaju Tinubu appealed. He assured the president that the opposition was ready to work with him on the insecurity question, but stressed that the president must consult wide on this rather delicate issue. "We in the opposition are ready and willing to cooperate with the president to solve this problem," he offered.  "But the president must consult wide and show good faith in a reasoned and collective solution.  That is the way we can solve the problem together." Asiwaju Tinubu condoled with the management and staff of the newspapers involved and sympathised with the victims of the blast. "I wish to sympathise and condole with everyone affected by this avoidable tragedy.  May God comfort them all.

Journalists Forum tasks NYSC, Governors on Corp members' safety

Journalists Forum tasks NYSC, Governors on Corp members' safety The Young Journalists Forum (YJF) has tasked the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and state Governors on the safety of the recently mobilised graduates across the nation. In a statement signed by the forum's President, Ayodele Samuel and Secretary,  Zacheus Somorin, they urged the NYSC to give attention to the security of lives and property of the corp members as the commission will be held responsible for any attack on corp members especially in the Northern part of the country. "We call on all security agencies and Nigerians to partner with the commission in ensuring an absolute protection and safety of all corp members in their states. "The aim of scheme is to achieve national unity and not national disaster in the course of serving their nation and humanity." While recalling that more than 50 corp members lost their lives last year due to insecurity insurgence in the country, the forum hailed the non-posting of corp members to some Northern States. "Twenty-five corp members lost their lives in the April bombing at the INEC office, Suleja, another 11 members in Bauchi during the post election violence that rocked the state and many more were injured in the process. Nigerian youths and the young journalists in the country will not continue to watch helplessly the killings of the nation's futures." The Forum also urged State Governors' to improve their security alerts for the corps saying that they will be held  responsible for any  attack and harassment on any corp members in their state. "We urge corp members to be security conscious, responsible, dedicated and avoid trouble spots where their safety is not guaranteed."