Seeing Is Believing!

L-R: Chief Gani Fawehinmi, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, and ANPP’s Lagos State gubernatorial candidate, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, at Fawehinmi’s house... yesterday

Yea! Your eye is not deceiving you, this is Chief Gani Fawehinmi Endorsing Buhari, and Tokunbo Afikunyomi for Lagos state Governor. This image was published by Thisday online of 19/03/2007

Medical care abroad for Nigerian leaders By Uzoma Gbulie

I HAVE always marveled at the state of ruin the Nigerian health system has fallen to. I cannot claim first hand knowledge - at least not in the last five years - but I do avidly monitor news articles about the goings on in Nigerian hospitals and indeed Nigeria as a whole. And having trained and practised in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), I do have a baseline for comparison.
With the nation now focused on the up-coming elections, an eye-opener to the state of our health system is the fact that two prominent contestants - for the number one position no less - have recently been flown abroad for medical attention:
* Governor Yar'Adua the PDP aspirant who was treated in Germany for complications for renal disease.
* Vice President Atiku Abubakar just recently flown to the UK for a knee injury.
Much as I feel no ill-will towards either man, I think this speaks volumes of how our current and intended leaders view our own country and its health care system. Both individuals in question have access to the highest available level of care in the country - including the doctors in the State House and the touted National Hospital Abuja - yet sought succour in European health facilities.
My view is this: You cannot keep running away from the garbage in your own back yard. Our leaders past and present have treated the issue of healthcare in Nigeria like a step child only because they know that they can fly out of the country to receive medical attention elsewhere.
Nigerian doctors and nurses are found the world over. Here in the United States I daresay we comprise at least 30 per cent of all foreign health care workers - rivalled only by the Indians and Asians. The majority of these providers practise outside Nigeria not by choice, but because the environment in the country remains unfavourable. In 2007, the basic facilities needed for tertiary care are lacking in the country, and there is no initiative - from government nor the private sector - to improve upon what we have.
And even when doctors or other health care professionals resort to strikes to protest non-payment of salaries and benefits, our government turns a deaf ear - again only because the leaders have other options.
As Nigerians, we are unfortunate that we have a short memory. We fail to realise that society and infrastructure are inseparable, and what we do today has ramifications for everyone else as well as for ourselves in the future - hence when Gen. Abdulkarim Adisa died - after being flown to a hospital in the UK - it takes not a great mind to infer that his death was avoidable.
The auto crash he was involved in could have been avoided if the roads were in good condition (General Adisa was at one time Minister for Works and Housing). Urgent medical attention within the 'Golden' hour following his accident would probably have saved him - not an intervention days later - but where are the medical facilities needed?
Our own first lady died following complications from plastic surgery in Spain - yet another example of our dependence on foreign health care facilities - and yet there is no guaranteed salvation therein. Every so often even such care is inadequate and unfortunately the ultimate price of death is the result.
Nigerians die everyday - for reasons that in the rest of the world have ceased even to be acceptable excuses. Whenever there is any large-scale accident or explosion it highlights the absence of even basic emergency care: ambulances, emergency personnel, fire services, even the availability of common water. It is only when there is such a mass casualty incident, or when a relative or prominent individual dies, that we acknowledge these gross inadequacies of health care delivery (or the lack thereof) in Nigeria.
But being Nigerians, we mourn, we forget and then we move on - with no sustained effort at correcting the problem.
My prayer is that sometime soon we will realise how we harm ourselves by not addressing important issues in health care, as well as in education, basic amenities, power supply and industry in Nigeria. And until that day comes, the leaders will continue to erroneously seek attention abroad for such insignificant tests as plain X-rays, the common man will continue to die because he cannot get basic medical attention - neither for cerebral malaria nor after a road traffic accident, and Nigerian-trained doctors and nurses will continue to provide care in ungrateful foreign countries because they see no way to come home. And this only because of the uncertainty, frustration and dissatisfaction such a move would portend.

• Dr. Gbulie is Chief Resident - Surgeon, Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC. This piece was published in the Guardian Newspaper of 18/03/2007

Nigeria: Vips' Health - When Charity Begins Abroad...

I am sure you are all aware of the vice president trip to the UK on a minor medical treatment. The editorial below says it all, when are we going to kick this bunch of shameless politicians in Nigeria out of power . Power To The People (PTP)

Read On.....

This Day
EDITORIAL of ThisDay Newspaper March 18, 2007Posted to the web March 19, 2007
Lagos

Against the background of what seems a season of injuries and sudden illnesses for presidential candidates of major parties in the upcoming elections in Nigeria, the state of the nation's medical establishment comes under a sharp focus. Even more, Shaka Momodu examines how the failure of a national health delivery vision has turned foreign countries into medical Mecca for Nigerian political leaders - even for minor ailments...

First, it was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua. A little over two weeks ago, Yar'Adua who arrived Abuja from Kano was said to have collapsed in his house from exhaustion and was subsequently flown on a presidential jet at about 8.30pm to a specialist hospital in Germany through the presidential wing of the Abuja International Airport.

The Katsina governor who suffers from a kidney condition, made his first public comments about his health last month when he declared: "I am fit and healthy. I will invite them (opponents) to a game of squash. If they can play 12 straight sets with me, they are welcome." In the last couple of weeks, the hitherto reclusive governor has criss crossed the country on campaigns and had been in Kano and Abuja within the last 48 hours to his medical incident.
But the PDP National Secretary, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, in Lagos, described Yar'Adua's medical condition as requiring no more than "routine medical check-up."

According to Maduekwe, "Our candidate in the general election, His Excellency Governor Umaru Yar'Adua, took time off today from what has generally been a grueling
national campaign schedule for everyone, to present himself for a routine medical check up at a clinic in Abuja.

"In full consultation with his personal physician, a decision was subsequently taken today that the process of medical investigation could benefit from facilities overseas at this early stage of the campaign since more weeks of a challenging campaign still lie ahead."
At press time, Yar'Adua is back in Nigeria and is on the political stumps again - in obvious good health.

He is firing from all cylinders. But some 24 hours after he returned to the country, Vice President Atiku Abubakar took his turn to fly to a London hospital after a reported fall in his private gym at the Vice Presidential Lounge at Aso Rock Villa where he was said to have torn a knee ligament.

Notwithstanding that the fall was described as a "mild domestic accident", Vice President Atiku Abubakar was flown to London on the presidential Jet for surgery on his knee after President Olusegun Obasanjo had called to wish him well. Interestingly and incidentally what comes off as a temporary truce between Obasanjo and Atiku came a day after the VP had written Senate President Ken Nnamani, drawing his attention to what he described as moves by the President to derail the transition programme.
The Vice President who had chattered a private plane for the trip traveled on a presidential jet instead.

Obasanjo made the jet available after he was informed of the Vice President's accident by his chief of staff. According to the media adviser to the Vice President, Garba Shehu, the President made the Presidential plane available for the Vice President's trip after he was informed of the accident involving his deputy and the need for him to have immediate surgery.
Gleefully, they announced to the public. "We had already chattered a plane for the trip but when the president got wind of it because we have to get landing right through the Chief of staff, he called the Vice President and offered him the use of the presidential plane."
The issues..
.
The emerging consensus of analysts is that the extant national health sector situation apparently commands zero confidence by the country's leadership themselves. This scenario could then explain why after eight years in the saddle, conceptualising and driving a health delivery policy, a key member of the presidency - the vice president - would jet out of the country to London for medical attention after tearing a knee ligament during a gym workout.
Further, the fact that another key personality of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential flag-bearer had to be flown to Germany for a 'medical checkup' is a stinging indictment on the eight-year presidency of the Obasanjo administration.
Many other prominent figures both in political and business field have availed themselves of this course.

It could be recalled that participants at the Nigerian National Health Conference (NHC2006) held at Abuja between November 28 and 29 2006 succinctly captured the nightmare that the country's health sector is in.
Samplers: "The Nigerian Health System is dysfunctional and grossly under-funded with per capita expenditure of US$9.44 on health (World Bank, 2005); Nigeria still has one of the worst health indices in the world and sadly accounts for 10% of the world maternal deaths in child birth whereas she represents 2% of the world population, as at year 2000."
And more..."The national health management information system is still weak thus the country lacks an integrated system for disease surveillance, prevention and management; Key social correlates of ill-health including hunger, poverty, illiteracy, lack of clean water, poor sanitation, poor housing, gender disparity and unemployment are still prevalent; There is disconnect between policy making process, research activities, and ownership of research agenda by key stakeholders."

According to Dr. I.O Ogunbekun, "Excessive bureaucracy and a dearth of skilled management have crippled health services in Nigeria over the past ten to fifteen years, despite an administrative structure which allows for adequate decentralization of the decision-making process. Overdependence on tax-based funding has further threatened the survival of these services. Innovative management, coupled with greater efficiency in health sector spending and the introduction of risk-sharing arrangements could, however, bring about considerable improvement in the quality of publicly provided health care."
Some years ago, the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, while announcing a coup and trying to justify the sack of the civilian government by the military, described the nation's hospitals as having degenerated into mere consulting clinics under the ruling civilian class. Today, it's obvious Nigerian hospitals are back to the consulting clinic status. Most of the competent and experienced doctors to consult are no more available. They have escaped from the nation's harsh economic conditions and the pervading general insecurity.
Elite Conspiracy?

The political elite, whose negligence has led to the parlous situation in the health and other sectors usually jet out of the country to seek medical attention in foreign countries rather than bringing the health care in the country to the required efficient standard. The utter neglect of the sector continues because the ruling class always has alternative in foreign countries where the health sector is accorded priority attention. Unfortunately, many of them end up dying in the foreign land. This fact has been demonstrated in successive upper class deaths abroad. The nation's two excellencies could be said to be lucky.

Today, as far as health matters are concerned for this ravenous privileged class charity begins abroad instead of home. Against this background one can attempt to understand why a torn ligament by Atiku would warrant a junket to a London clinic. Torn ligaments are common conditions sustained by Ajegunle boys in Lagos while playing street soccer. None has been known to have flown abroad for treatment. Not too long ago, frantic efforts were made on how to fly out the embattled former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha for medical attention. It is assumed that no hospital in Nigeria has the capability to attend to his ailment and that of other members of the elite class. This explains a major source of avoidable drain in the country's foreign exchange earnings over the years.

In the face of this often frivolous health-related junkets, quite a number of Nigerians are pitching for an outright ban on such foreign trips. But the question is can such a restriction really be imposed to stop the privileged class from enjoying this exclusive foreign medical attention?
Another dimension in many cases is the unending foreign trips for medical attention is just a camouflage for members of the political class to stash their loot in foreign banks away from the prying eyes of the deprived and hungry poor who constitute more than 90% of the population.
Some say such a law would serve the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. If the ruling elites refuse to accord required attention to the health infrastructure and institutions in the country, it is better they also face what the rest of Nigerians are facing. Like the masses, they should stay here and possibly die here. There is no doubt that Nigeria has the resources required to bring the nation's hospitals to any world standard if there is indeed some sincerity.

How possible is it that no hospital in Nigeria can treat Atiku's knee injury? What is the qualification of his personal physician who at the slightest and most frivolous pretext recommend travel abroad for medical treatment? If they can't treat a swollen leg or torn ligament how can they treat more serious ailments? Or is there a hidden motive for these frequent junketing abroad?
Ironically, 95 per cent of the people they want to vote for them can hardly afford two meals a day.

The vulcanizers on the road side, tailors, mechanics, recharge card sellers and the very ordinary people on the streets, and all those who cannot afford to buy travel tickets let alone chatter a plane to fly abroad for more serious ailment die everyday in the country. Atiku has been in government for eight whole years and yet no hospital in Nigeria can treat his knee ligament. It is indeed a shame.

Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns Mr President

Happy birthday mr President, 70 years old is a long way, though I don't know if people like me can live long enough to reach that age as I do not have the money to travel abroad for medical treatment nor do I have money for my 3 square meal, this is however compounded by a pitiable state of our health care delivery system. Mr president , How much is a tin of Gari,I bet you don't know.

In 1966 , when you and your colleagues plunged the nation into war, that makes you to be only about 30 years old then, perhaps that was the main reason we fought that senseless war that killed over 1 million Igbos and thousands of other Nigerians, it was just a quarell between a bunch of 30 years old military officers.

Have you heard about the health care workers strike in parts of the country?, you probably did, hundreds if not thousands of people will lose their lives because of this strike that I am sure from your own perspective is caused by unscrupulous individuals within our healthcare system.

After all our hospitals are well funded and equiped.

Happy Birthday Sir and please enjoy your anniversary afterall you will be to the funeral of a lot of Nigerians who are years younger than you even as I am writing this some are either dying of hunger or from accident which is a result of bad roads and policies that is if they are not beign roasted alive from one of those pipeline explosions.

Hip hip hip Hurray! Many happy returns of your years, not many of the same results we have had over the years.

This same message goes for all our past military leaders , police and custom bosses.

BY
Oppressed Nigerian

Adedibu's Interview, an eye opener

Fellow Nigerians, this video is an insight into the problem with Nigeria.

Please watch it and let me know what you think.

I saw it on nigeriaworld.com the best Nigeria News Website.

Adedibu Interview

If you think Adedibu is making his comment on Obasanjo up, read what Obasanjo said at a campaign rally in Ibadan as reported by thisdayonline.com on 03/07/07 in reference to Adedibu's thuggery.

“Baba is like a dry fish that cannot be bent. We have to manage him. He can't be reformed. It is his experience that we need. He is not God or an angel. He has his shortcomings but if we must correct him, it has to be in the secret not in the open. “We should not hesitate to tell him his weak and good points. If he does good, we should appreciate it and if he does bad, we should be diplomatic in telling him and not in the public but in the secret."

Calling Nigeria From Abroad

For those of us calling our relatives back home it is quite frustrating if you happen to use any of the calling cards, from experience I have had in the past with this cards I prefer using New cards as they are introduced because I found out this is when they are still good, this is the time when 30 minutes actually means 30 minutes, after a while you no longer get the number of minutes promised for the value of your card.

My wife uses an online service called pennytalk, it was good at first but now when I called I really don't like the quality of the call, I don't know if this is a general thing but using it to call Ghana and Nigeria has been a very unpleasant experience for me. Most of the time, it is either you can't hear the other party or they can not hear you.

If anyone know the best card to use to call please post it here for other readers , make sure to mention your city state & country and why the card is good. We need to make these companies accountable for the kind of service we get from them.

I am working on a list of companies in my area and should be posting them soon.

Third Term Agenda, How did your senator voted?

Culled from vanguard Online
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/headline/f112032006.html

Third Term: How senators’ll vote
Emmanuel Aziken,
Posted to the Web: Sunday, March 12, 2006




*Supporters, opposition woo undecided 15
*71 in support, 22 against
Supporters of elongated tenure for President Olusegun Obasanjo and their antagonists are in a race against time for the votes of about sixteen wavering senators in the bid to actualise or scupper the proposed constitutional amendment for a third term tenure for the president and governors.

Sunday Vanguard tracking of senators based on comments, antecedents and political circumstances showed that not less than seventy-one of them are inclined to vote for the amendment and twenty two determined against it. There are sixteen senators, mainly from the North, who, at press time, were yet undecided and their likely voting intentions remained unknown.

Seventy three senators representing two-third of the 109 senators are required to pass the constitutional amendment in the Senate.

Only last Thursday, the Constitution Review Committee of the National Assembly had endorsed the proposal to amend the Constitution to provide three terms of four years each for the president and governors.


Some senators who confirmed their voting intentions as projected by Sunday Vanguard nevertheless said that the possibility of decisions being altered were very likely in the face of what they alleged were mouth watering offers.


One senator from the South-South already projected to vote yes, however, pleaded to be cast as undecided, jokingly noting that he wanted to be lobbied! All three senators from Kwara State are believed to be yet undecided in the face of alleged intensive lobby on Dr. Olusola Saraki, the pre-eminent factor in the political affairs of the state. Saraki’s group, the Northern Union, has been mounting a campaign against the third term proposal which the group believes will deny the return of the presidency to a Northerner.

Opposition to the third term agenda amongst southern senators is limited to a few senators in the South-East with only Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, known to oppose it, reportedly on principle.
Support for the third term amendment in the North is surprisingly in the affirmative with many senators from the area kowtowing to their governors. Senators from Jigawa, Borno and Yobe States, even though in the heart of the core North, are almost all in support and were not, opposing it owing to their own gubernatorial ambitions.

The race to win the support of the undecided sixteen senators is generating much interest with repeated allegations of financial inducements being offered to members. Last week, as members of the Senator Ibrahim Mantu-led Constitution Review Committee arrived for the compilation of the reports of the public hearings at the just concluded retreat in Port-Harcourt, there were allegations of each member getting an allowance of $37,000.
As the week dragged to an end, the figure for inducement was allegedly raised to N20 million per Committee member. Sunday Vanguard analysis of the voting intentions of the lawmakers is as follows:

SENATOR LIKELY VOTE COMMENT

ABIA
Uche Chukwumerije No Implacable leader of the anti-third
term agenda in Senate
Adolphus Wabara Yes Will continue to appease Aso Rock
Villa, perhaps it may yield a reprieve
from the woes of the Wabara family.
Chris Adighije U Close associate of Governor Kalu,
but could spring a surprise as
Obasanjo is said to admire him for
his honesty.

ADAMAWA
Iya Abubakar No Inspirational leader of the Northern
establishment and will not rock the
boat.
Jubril Aminu Yes If not, but to spite Vice President
Atiku Abubakar
Silas Zwingina Yes Will vote yes despite his
gubernatorial ambition as he could
bank on Gov. Boni Haruna going
down with Atiku

AKWA IBOM
Effiong Bob Yes Will not mind Governor Attah
getting another term in office
Bob Ekarika No He has his eyes on replacing Attah
and would not vote to sustain him.
Udoma Udo Udoma No Will on principle and family honour
vote no.

ANAMBRA
Ben Obi No Together with Chukwumerije lead
the anti-third term crusade in the
Senate.
Ugochukwu Uba Yes It is a family project.
Joy Emodi U Strong woman of principle who got
her Senate seat fighting the Ubas and
Governor Ngige but with PDP
structure firmly under the Ubas, she
is believably under strong pressure of
supporters to vote yes.

BAUCHI
Abubakar Maikafi U
Baba Tela Yes Bauchi State position
Bala Adamu Yes Will align his gubernatorial
aspiration with State position of
four more years for Goveror Muazu.

BAYELSA
John Kojo Brambaifa Yes
Initami Rufus Spiff Yes
David Brigidi Yes

BENUE
Daniel Saror No Will vote no on principle.
David Mark Yes Espirite de corps. When duty calls,
Brig-Gen. Mark could take
instructions from Obasanjo, his
former C-in-C.
Ati Yes Even if it will hurt Atiku, but could
benefit his immediate godfather,
GovernorGeorge Akume.
BORNO
Omar Hambagda Yes A strong yes from the alleged author
of the third term and himself from a
rabid pro-third term State
Mohammed Aba Aji Yes Recent statements on stability of
polity indicate his support.
Mohammed Daggash Yes Would have done anything up to
voting No to spite Governor Sheriff,
but with his Senate seat still dicey,
will not want to create more enemies
in Villa to join SAS. Will also be
prompted to vote yes in for the sake
of his friend, billionaire Aliko Dangote.

CROSS RIVER
Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN)Yes A close associate of Governor Duke
plays according to the rules in Cross
River politics which is that
continuity is good.
Bassey Ewa-Henshaw Yes Businessman, would want ongoing
reforms to continue
Greg Ngaji Yes Even though allegedly with a
gubernatorial ambition, will give heed
to the Cross River State political
establishment.

DELTA
James Manager Yes Close associate of Governor Ibori
and would cave in to Ibori’’s strong
support for a third term. A third
term could preserve the Governor in
office and probably keep him away
from Obasanjo’’s trouble.
Patrick Osakwe Yes System man.
Felix Ibru Yes

EBONYI
Chris Nshi Yes State position
Emmanuel Agboti Yes Will bury gubernatorial ambition to
maintain State position and maintain
Senate seat in 2007
Julius Ucha Yes State position.

EDO
Daisy Danjuma Yes Hubby’s (Gen. Theophilus
Danjuma) wish, Chief Tony
Anenih’s instruction, State desire.
Osherienmen Osunbor Yes
Kassim Isa Oyofo Yes To preserve the system

EKITI
James Kolawole Yes State position
Clement Awoyelu Yes State position
Bode Olowoporoku Yes Could have voted no to spite
Governor Fayose, but would
support in order not to give his
enemies a strong reason to hang him.

ENUGU
Ike Ekweremadu Yes To preserve the system
Fidelis Okoro Yes If available will vote yes.
Ken Nnamani --- Will likely not vote unless there is a
tie and may not vote in support of
the majority.

GOMBE
As‘ad Mohammed Yes Will vote along State’s official
position.
Haruna Garba ` No
Tawar Wada Yes Will vote along State’s official position

IMO
Ifeanyi Ararume Yes Acclaimed linkman for the third term
project,. allegedly used the influence
of the Southern Senators Forum
which he leads for that purpose.
Reward could be Imo governorship
in the face of Governor Udenwa’s
alleged bad record in Aso Rock Villa.
Eze Ajoku Yes Candidate of the Abuja politicians
expected not to rock the boat.
Arthur Nzeribe Yes Will vote yes for political survival,
though he is unusually sidelined in
such a controversial project as the
third term campaign.

JIGAWA
Muhammad Ibrahim Yes State’s (or rather Governor
Turaki’s) position
Bello Maitama Yusuf Yes -do-
Dalha Ahmed Danzomo Yes -do-

KADUNA
Ahmed Aruwa No Thrown out of JCRC for his alleged stubborn opposition to third term project.
Isaiah Balat Yes Though with gubernatorial ambition, Balat could under the circumstances vote yes.
Dalhatu Tafida Yes Allegedly a point man of the third term project in the North

KANO
U. K. Umar U Umar had been thought to be a
passionate anti-third term activist,
but some colleagues say he is playing
to the gallery of the Talakawas.
Bello Gwarzo Yes A system man, friend of El-Rufai,
Rabiu Kwankwanso, would vote yes..
Rufai Hanga No Kano sentiment

KATSINA
Umar Tsauri Yes Would vote yes under pressure from
the Yar‘Adua family.
Kanti Bello No One of the trusted anti-third term
activists in the Senate.
Abu Ibrahim No With some political links to Atiku,
Ibrahim also has his own
gubernatorial ambition which the
third term amendment could hinder.

KEBBI
Farouk Bello U
Usman Sani No Third term project could scupper the
presidential ambition of his close
associate, Gen Ibrahim Babangida
Sani Kamba U Kamba could vote either way depending on the lobby effort of the yea and nay campaigns.

KOGI
Tunde Ogbeha Yes Espirite de corps. Gen. Ogbeha
would vote yes only if he believes
his former C-in-C., Obasanjo, really
wants a third term
Mohammed Ohaire Yes A former MMRD activist, he is
being through carrot and stick wooed
back to the mainstream.

Nicholas Ugbane Yes Though sitting on the ANPP bench,
he is alleged to be the points-man of
the PDP chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali,
in the Senate.

KWARA
Ahmed Mohammed U There are allegations that pro-third
term activists are bringing undue
pressure including blackmail on
Oloye to get the votes of the Kwara
legislators all of who will do as he
instructs. But son, Governor Bukola,
seems not to be forging along with
Oloye’s anti-third term chorus
Simon Ajibola U --do--
Gbemi Saraki U As daddy pleases.

LAGOS
Olurunnimbe Mamora No Frontline anti-third term activist.
Tokunbo Afikuyomi No
Musiliu Obanikoro Yes Frontline pro-third term activist

NASARAWA
Emmanuel Okpede Yes Even though with his own
gubernatorial ambition, pressures
from Governor Adamu would swing
his vote to the yeas.
Abubakar Sodangi Yes Trusted ally of Governor Adamu
John Danboyi Yes Would succumb to Governor
Adamu’s injunction.

NIGER
Idris Kuta No Long term desire is power shift to
North
Isa Mohammed U Between state’s crave for IBB and
personal loyalty to Obasanjo and PDP
Nuhu Aliyu No Seeks power shift to North

OGUN
Iyabo Anisulowo Yes Home turf for third term. Life cannot
be better for Ogun State with
another term.
Tokunbo Ogunbanjo Yes Third term activist
Ibikunle Amosun Yes Obasanjo’s Senator

ONDO
Gbenga Ogunniya Yes Gives inspiration to the third term
campaign
Titus Olupitan U AD Senator, unapproachable, does
not speak in the Senate, views
unknown
Hosea Ehinlawo Yes Will support PDP direction.

OSUN
Iyiola Omisore Yes Third term strategist
Felix Ogunwale Yes Enforcer for the third term project
Akinlabi Olasunkanmi Yes

OYO
Abiola Ajimobi U Ajimobi has gubernatorial ambition
of his own and would be hard
stretched to support it.
Robert Kolesho Yes
Teslim Folarin Yes Strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu’s right hand man in the Senate.

PLATEAU
Ibrahim Mantu YES
For him nothing better has happened to Nigeria than Obasanjo
Timothy Adudu U Could have voted yes, but at 40 years, he has his future bright and thus remains undecided.
Cosmas Niagwan Yes A retired military officer, takes instructions from Gen. Obasanjo

RIVERS
Azuta Mbata Yes
Lee Maeba Yes Would do anything to please Governor Odili
Ibiapuye Martyns Yellowe Yes

SOKOTO
Mohammed Maccido No On the basis of principle
Umar Dahiru No Desires power shift to North
Sule Yari Gandi U Watching the situation

TARABA
Abdulazeez Ibrahim Yes System’s man, a yes vote could
soften the zeal of the alleged bribery
case against him.
Saleh Danboyi Yes The only temptation to vote no
would be to spite Governor Nyame,
but lacks the capacity to fight
Nyame and Abuja at the same time.
Ambuno Zik Sunday Yes

YOBE
Usman Albashir U Has gubernatorial ambition to
succeed Bukar Ibrahim. But with
Governor Bukar now a fervent third
term or life term enthusiast, Albashir
is undecided.
Mamman Ali No Has gubernatorial ambition but
Bukar is now a stumbling block.
Jisalo Darani Yes

ZAMFARA
Saidu Dansadau No One of the committed anti-third term
activists in the Senate.
Lawali Shuaibu No ANPP leader
Mohammed Anka No

FCT
Isa Maina Yes Retired army intelligence officer and
one of the Senate’s most reticent
members. Obasanjo’s returning
officer will vote in support of his C-
in-C.

CNN, Jeff Koinange , Nigeria and the Niger Delta

The Nigerian government today accused CNN of fabricating a story that ran over the weekend, it was a story by their correspondence in which he portrayed Nigeria as a country on the verge of collapse / civil war and totally under the control of a fake MEND (the real MEND have denied any association with the story) More on CNN and the fabricated? story.

Jeff Koinange refered to the the group as MEND more than 4 times in his report and actually confirmed exchanging emails with one of their leaders named Jomo Gbomo before embarking on his journey to produce this story, the ironic thing is that Jomo Gbomo have come out to deny that that was his group, he actually went further to state that Jeff Koinange actually solicited the group for a show for this story

" "On Monday January 22, 2007, we were approached by Mr. Jeff Koinange who implicitly acknowledged this email account to be the authentic voice of MEND.
"He requested we stage some scenes for a very important CNN programme which was supposed to air in the first week of February. "

Something is troubling about all this, first Jeff Koinange claimed that he was approached by Jomo Gbomo over email, but reading the statement above made by the same Jomo Gbomo you could see that the two stories are different oboviously one of them is incorrect.

He showed us a Major Tamuno that even his own contact claim doesn't exist actually here is a statement by his contact

"We stated clearly we would not be disposed to fit into his tight schedule. Our struggle is much more to us than parading before everyone willing to film fighters. I'm sure the world has seen enough of that.
"What CNN has presented as the truth to its unsuspecting viewers, is a collection of thugs, pirates and bunkerers put together by Jeff Koinange and CNN to meet up with the deadline given to Mr. Koinange by his editors in CNN. It is far from the truth.
"The band of criminals paraded by CNN as MEND have nothing to do with MEND. They are indeed the kidnappers of the Filipinos and as earlier stated, carried out this act at the behest of politicians and some misguided so-called Ijaw leaders to prevent an Itsekiri man emerging as governor in Delta State.
"It is astonishing that a network of high repute such as CNN would descend this low in its search for a sensational story. We are reluctant to release our correspondence with Mr. Koinange but will circulate this if our claims are refuted."
In an earlier release, Gbomo had stated: "From the inception of our campaign, all statements from MEND have been released through this email account only and we categorically denied taking the Filipinos.".
Apparently refering to another group which claimed to have kidnapped the Filipinos, Gbomo said the so called Major General Tamuno "is unknown to us and is a fraud."
The Filipinoes, he said, "were abducted by a community in Gbaramatu with the connivance of FNDIC in Warri who were paid by local politicians to blackmail the government into annulling the PDP primaries in Delta State"

One thing I will like to say now is, Gbomo need to release whatever correspondence they had with Jeff so that we all know what actually took place, we deserve to know the truth because this kind of development is not good for the struggle of the people of the Niger Delta (though I do not support any kind of violence)

What amazes me is that there is no single Nigerian official interviewed for the story and CNN as a reputable news organization does understand the implication of that action, I wonder if anyone vetted the story, Jeff Koinange did however in his own defense on Anderson cooper program (who also described Nigeria as darkness and the Niger Delta as the heart of Darkness) said that he put in a request for an interview with the president of Nigeria and the Nigerian navy but they could not accomodate his request.

I have two problems with this, that story does not deserve an interview with the Nigerian president or Navy (the issue of Niger Delta however does deserve their attention and actions to resolve this peacefully and give them back what they deserve) , I hope someone will help tell him that Nigeria have a ministry of information and he could talk to anyone there, asking to speak to Nigerian president on this issue is like a Nigerian journalist requesting an interview with an American president about a story on Iraqi militants, so in other words his request for interview might have been purposely misdirected so as not to get a reply.


His report made it very clear that the militants were better armed than the Nigerian navy, he described them as terrifying, disciplined angry youths , I can't say much about his description (since there is even an issue of authencity in the story itself) other than the angle of his camera that was shown to us. But I need to let him understand something , he saw a couple of militants armed for a show and he reaches a conclusion that they were better armed than the Nigerian navy? he must be kidding or just wanted to exagerate a little bit for his unsuspecting American viewers, even the militants will laugh at such an assessment by a journalist working for a well known News organization like CNN.

If the Nigerian Navy is not fighting back, it is not because they are unable to, or because they are underarmed, but rather because we know what war meants, he has been a reporter covering wars, we have been the victims in the past, there is a big difference between the two.

CNN have also come out to say that it did not pay anyone for the story other than the $700 that what was paid to rent a boat and the $450 for a local journalist that worked with Koinange for the three days that the filming took place. While I have no reason to believe that CNN paid anyone for this story, (unless something turn up in future) . Lets take this into perspective, the amount paid by CNN equals roughly about 150000 naira (one hundred and fify thousand naira) which is like three year salary for a Nigerian police officer, an entry level journalist perhaps take home about 15000 to 22000 a month, while the cost of renting the boat is still been worked on (will make it available once we have a figure) it certainly may not be up to $700 for three days. I will do a major analysis of the amount paid by CNN as this story develops, the bottom line is in Nigeria $700 for three days rental is a lot of money so also is $150 a day for the translator.This is however not to say CNN did not pay this amount we just needed to put things in perspective so that we all understand that $700 in America does not mean $700 in Nigeria, it is a lot more.

Militants Disown CNN Report

More on CNN and the fabricated? story

Obasanjo's EFCC and Dr Tejuosho

Wonders they say shall never end, the EFCC have indicted Dr Lanre Tejuosho, this is really not news or shouldn't be surprising considering the level of decay and corruption in the land however I think we need to take a new look into the operational efficieny or deficiency of the EFCC, I personally do not know Dr Lanre Tejuosho and have no reason not to believe EFCC is right or seems to be doing the right thing, but the fact that he is contesting against the daughter of President Olusegun Obasanjo worries me, is he really corrupt and the EFCC have a reason to believe he is guilty as indicted or this is just a political ploy on the part of the president.

After a serious thought about this issue, I have more questions than answers and hope somebody out there can provide me with an answer.

1. Why is the EFCC just publishing names of supposedly corrupt politicians rather than take people to court and let the justice system decide who is (or not) guilty, I will understand the case of Governors and other elected public official who have immunity (though I still believe it is wrong to publish a name if the person have not been convicted in a court of law) what about those without any kind of immunity.
2. Is this issue making EFCC less powerful or let me put it this way, is it making this noble organization lose it's importance, is it rightly or wrongly been perceived to be another arm of the PDP that is wielded only at those who oppose the president and his co-horts, time will tell.
3. Is there a law that stipulates that a man is innocent until found guilty in a court of law? , by publishing this names the EFCC is becoming the Judge and the prosecution and I think this should be checked. I really believe that the EFCC can be very effective if it stays clear of this kind of publicity as it serves no one any good.

I am still at a loss as to what the EFCC hope to gain with this, it is time the EFCC is made to understand that the issue shouldn't be a matter of publicity stunts but if someone is truly believed to be corrupt , don't start publishing names that don't serve anyone any good, go to court and prove your point, if not then please keep quiet and do your investigation. I know election is near and they perhaps want to prevent people that are perceived to be very corrupt from taking over power in Nigeria and I have no problem against that but just do it within the law, as I honestly don't think this is within the law.

There are those who believe that the EFCC is only after Obasanjo's opponents I don't necessarily subscribe to this as that now is everyone's excuse and knowing Nigerian politicians I am not surprised this is even an issue, this is why it is pertinent to have the EFCC operate within the law and stop all forms of perceived interference in our political process.