HIGHEST PAID 'LEGIS-LOOTERS' ON EARTH?

NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING

Nigerian Senators have been able to come out with a rebuttal of their purported remuneration as listed below which has gone viral among Nigerian social media enthusiasts:

(The Nigerian Naira exchanges at the rate of about N160 to US$1.)

A Senator's Salary And Allowances In Nigeria 
Basic Salary (BS) = N2,484,245.50 
Hardship Allowance: 50% of Basic Salary = N1,242,122.75. Constituency allowance: 200% of BS = N4,968,509.00.
Furniture Allowance: 300% of BS = N7,452,736.50.
Newspaper allowance: 50% = N1,242,122.70.
Wardrobe allowance: 25% = N621,061.37.
Recess Allowance: 10% = N248,424.55.
Accommodation: 200% = N4,968,509.00.
Utilities: 30% = N828,081.83.
Domestic Staff: 35% = N863,184.12.
Entertainment: 30% = N828,081.83.
Personal Assistance: 25% = N621,061.37.
Vehicle Maintenance Allowance: 75% = N1,863,184.12.
Leave Allowance : 10% = N248,424.55
One off payments (Severance gratuity): 300% = N7,452,736.50. Motor Vehicle Allowance: 400% of BS = N9,936,982.00.

TERRORISM IN NIGERIA STARTED IN PLATEAU STATE

Jos Main Market Before 

After Terrorist Bombing in 1991

Opinion... 

Terrorism in Nigeria began in Plateau State. The alleged 'fire incidence' at the Jos Ultra Mordern Main Market was no fire- such edifice of reinforced concrete could never be affected by a simple fire albeit arson...
The collapse of point columns and load bearing beams could only be as a result of professional advise from a structural engineer or architect...Osama bin Laden's right hand man at one time was a medical doctor.
In summary - what befell the Plateau the day of the so called 'fire ', and events following, were attempts to cripple the ECONOMY of the Plateau... with or without the approval /ignorance of individuals / groups / officials of goverment in Northern Nigeria...
The reverse has been the case- the economy of the North is being destroyed by Northerners- individuals / groups / officials of government in Northern Nigeria...
Plateau is not through it all - but bruised and battered the state and the people are regrouping- despite and inspite intractable differences and petty differences...
THE SUN CANNOT BE STOPPED- FROM SHINING.

Culled from the FACEBOOK wall of Inji Stephen Lonewolf Makama.

JUNE 12 - ABIOLA ON MY MIND

From my Facebook wall today:

Today is June 12 and I vividly remember queuing to vote in the Presidential elections of 1993 on Faseun Street, Okota, Lagos. It was a very sunny day and everybody was in high spirits. I casted my vote in favor of Chief M. K. O. Abiola, candidate of of the Social Democratic party. Unfortunately, the then military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the elections a few days later though Prof. Humphrey Nwosu's Option A4, adopted by the electoral Commission, proved to be the most transparent elections ever conducted in Nigeria till date. Abiola was to later claim his mandate by unilaterally declaring himself the President of Nigeria. He was subsequently arrested and detained. He died in detention on July 7, 1998. He was born on August 24, 1937.

Nigeria has known no political peace ever since. It's as if it is the greatest political injustice ever meted to us. 20 years on and Lagos and Ogun States are commemorating June 12 1993 by a observing a work-free day. Sadly, no one has deemed it fit to address the injustice.

My wish is that the 7th NASS addresses that injustice by amending our Constitution such that the office of the President is rotated evenly among he federating units in the country. Also, my vision of the federating units is not the current 36 States but sic regional governments along the administrative geo-political zones. This amendment should be crowned by a devolution of powers from the 'too-powerful' Federal Government to the new Regional Governments. In my opinion, the recently recommended constitutional amendments do not go far enough and mainly self-serving, giving the NASS even more powers.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LATE CHIEF M. K. O.ABIOLA

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (August 24, 1937 – July 7, 1998), often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, was a popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Yoruba Egba clan. He ran for the presidency in 1993, and is widely regarded as the presumed winner of the inconclusive election since no official final results were announced. He died in 1998, after being denied victory when the entire election results were dubiously annulled by the preceding military president Ibrahim Babangida because of alleged evidence that they were corrupt and unfair.

EARLY LIFE

Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State. His name, Kashimawo, means "Let us wait and see". Moshood Abiola was his father's twenty-third child but the first of his father's children to survive infancy, hence the name 'Kashimawo'. It was not until he was 15 years old that he was properly named Moshood, by his parents. MKO showed entrepreneurial talents at a very young age, at the age of nine he started his first business selling firewood. He would wake up at dawn to go to the forest and gather firewood, which he would then cart back to town and sell before going to school, in order to support his old father and his siblings. He later founded a band at age fifteen where he would perform at various ceremonies in exchange for food. He eventually became famous enough to start demanding payment for his performances and used the money to support his family and his secondary education at the Baptist Boys High School Abeokuta, where he excelled. He was the editor of the school magazine The Trumpeter, Olusegun Obasanjo was deputy editor. At the age of 19 he joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons ostensibly because of its stronger pan-Nigerian origin compared with the Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group.

CAREER

In 1956 Moshood Abiola started his professional life as bank clerk with Barclays Bank plc in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria. After two years he joined the Western Region Finance Corporation as an executive accounts officer before leaving for Glasgow, Scotland to pursue his higher education. From Glasgow University he received a first class degree in accountancy. He also received a distinction from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. On his return to Nigeria, he worked as a senior accountant at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, then went on to Pfizer, before joining the ITT Corporation, where he later rose to the position of Vice President, Africa and Middle-East of the entire corporation, which was head-quartered in the United States. As a result, Moshood Abiola spent a lot of his time and made most of his money in the United States, whilst retaining the post of chairman of the corporation's Nigerian subsidiary. In addition to his duties throughout the Middle-East and Africa, Moshood Abiola invested heavily in Nigeria and West Africa. He set up Abiola Farms, Abiola bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder bakeries, Concord Press, Concord Airlines, Summit oil international ltd, Africa Ocean lines, Habib Bank, Decca W.A. ltd, and Abiola football club. In addition to these, he also managed to perform his duties as Chairman of the G15 business council, President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Patron of the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, Patron of the WEB Du Bois foundation, trustee of the Martin Luther King foundation and director of the International Press Institute.

PHILANTHROPY

Moshood Abiola sprang to national and international prominence as a result of his philanthropic activities. The Congressional Black Caucus of the United States of America issued the following tribute to Moshood Abiola:

Because of this man, there is both cause for hope and certainty that the agony and protests of those who suffer injustice shall give way to peace and human dignity. The children of the world shall know the great work of this extraordinary leader and his fervent mission to right wrong, to do justice, and to serve mankind. The enemies which imperil the future of generations to come: poverty, ignorance, disease, hunger, and racism have each seen effects of the valiant work of Chief Abiola. Through him and others like him, never again will freedom rest in the domain of the few. We, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus salute him this day as a hero in the global pursuit to preserve the history and the legacy of the African diaspora.

From 1972 until his death Moshood Abiola had been conferred with 197 traditional titles by 68 different communities in Nigeria, in response to the fact that his financial assistance resulted in the construction of 63 secondary schools, 121 mosques and churches, 41 libraries, 21 water projects in 24 states of Nigeria, and was grand patron to 149 societies or associations in Nigeria. In this way Abiola reached out and won admiration across the multifarious ethnic and religious divides in Nigeria. In addition to his work in Nigeria, Moshood Abiola was a dedicated supporter of the Southern African Liberation movements from the 1970s and he sponsored the campaign to win reparations for slavery and colonialism in Africa and the diaspora. Chief Abiola, personally rallied every African head of state, and every head of state in the black diaspora to ensure that Africans would speak with one voice on the issues.

REMEMBRANCE OF CHIEF M K O ABIOLA

Chief MKO Abiola's memory is celebrated in Nigeria and internationally. June 12 remains a public holiday in Lagos and Ogun states. There are also remembrance events arranged across Nigeria. MKO Abiola was known for his charisma and for being a man of the people. As a prominent social activist, democratic freedom fighter, and successful business figure, the continuing support for MKO Abiola is part of his legacy. MKO Abiola Stadium was named in his honour. There were also calls for posthumous presidential recognition.

Despite his popularity or because of it, MKO Abiola occasionally attracted criticism from political activists and detractors. Controversy was caused by a song by Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti. Kuti was a charismatic multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and human rights activist - famed for being the pioneer of Afrobeat music as well as a controversial figure, due to his unusual lifestyle and apparent drug use. It is believed that Kuti had entered into an acrimonious dispute relating to a contract with MKO Abiola's record label. He used the abbreviation of International Telephone & Telegraph (IT&T) in a song criticising big multinational corporations. The song, ITT accuses such companies of draining Africa's resources and makes specific reference to MKO Abiola ("they start to steal money Like Obasanjo and Abiola").

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Moshood Abiola was twice voted international businessman of the year, and received numerous honorary doctorates from universities all over the world. In 1987 he was bestowed with the golden key to the city of Washington D.C., and he was bestowed with awards from the NAACP and the King center in the USA, as well as the International Committee on Education for Teaching in Paris, amongst many others. In Nigeria, the Oloye Abiola was made the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. It is the highest chieftaincy title available to commoners amongst the Yoruba, and has only been conferred by the tribe 14 times in its history. This in effect rendered Abiola the ceremonial War Viceroy of all of his tribe’s people. According to the folklore of the tribe as recounted by the Yoruba elders, the Aare Ona Kakanfo is expected to die a warrior in the defence of his nation in order to prove himself in the eyes of both the divine and the mortal as having been worthy of his title.

INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS

Abiola's involvement in politics started early on in life when he joined the NCNC at age 19. In 1979, the military government kept its word and handed over power to the civilian. As Abiola was already involved in politics, he joined the ruling national party of Nigeria in 1980 and was elected the chairman of his party. Re-election was done in 1983 and everything looked promising since the re-elected president was from Abiola’s party and based on the true transition to power in 1979; Abiola was eligible to go for the post of presidential candidate after the tenure of the re-elected president. However, his hope to become the president was shortly dashed away for the first time in 1983 when a military coup d'état swept away the re-elected president of his party and ended civilian rule in the country. After a decade of military rule, General Ibrahim Babanginda came under pressure to return democratic rule to Nigeria. After an aborted initial primary, Abiola stood for the presidential nomination of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and beat Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to secure the presidential nomination of the SDP ahead of the June 12th 1993 presidential elections. Abiola had managed to work his way out of poverty through hard work and symbolised the aspirations of many downtrodden Nigerians. His commitment to the plight of ordinary Nigerians included establishing Abiola bookshops to provide affordable, locally produced textbooks in the 1980s when imported textbooks became out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians as the naira was devalued. He also made available daily necessities such as rice and soap at affordable prices in the market.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

For the 12 June 1993 presidential elections, Abiola's running mate was Baba Gana Kingibe. He overwhelmingly defeated his rival, Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention. The election was declared Nigeria's freest and fairest presidential election by national and international observers, with Abiola even winning in his Northern opponent's home state. Abiola won at the national capital, Abuja, the military polling stations, and over two-thirds of Nigerian states. The reason why the election was so historic was because men of Northern descent had largely dominated Nigeria's political landscape since independence. The fact that Moshood Abiola (a Southern Muslim) was able to secure a national mandate freely and fairly remains unprecedented in Nigeria's history. However, the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, a political crisis that ensued which led to General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year.^[18] During preparations for the 2011 Nigerian Presidential elections there were calls from several quarters to remember MKO Abiola.

The famed Nigerian Pastor Tunde Bakare is said to have predicted the annulment to Abiola and warned him against contesting.

IMPRISONMENT

In 1994 Moshood Abiola declared himself the lawful president of Nigeria in the Epetedo area of Lagos Island, an area mainly populated by impoverished Nigerians. He had recently returned from a trip to win the support of the international community for his mandate. After declaring himself president he was declared wanted and was accused of treason and arrested on the orders of military President General Sani Abacha, who sent 200 police vehicles to bring him into custody. MKO Abiola has been referred to as Nigeria's greatest statesman

Moshood Abiola was detained for four years, largely in solitary confinement with a Bible, Qur'an, and fourteen guards as companions. During that time, Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and human rights activists from all over the world lobbied the Nigerian government for his release. The sole condition attached to the release of Chief Abiola was that he renounces his mandate, something that he refused to do, although the military government offered to compensate him and refund his extensive election expenses. For this reason Chief Abiola became extremely troubled when Kofi Annan and Emeka Anyaoku reported to the world that he had agreed to renounce his mandate after they met with him to tell him that the world would not recognize a five year old election.

DEATH

Abiola died under suspicious circumstances shortly after the death of General Abacha. Moshood Abiola died on the day that he was due to be released, on July 7, 1998. While the official autopsy state that Abiola died of natural causes, Abacha's Chief Security Officer, al-Mustapha has alleged that Moshood Abiola was in fact beaten to death. al-Mustapha, who is still being detained by the Nigerian government, claims to have video and audiotapes showing how Abiola was beaten to death. The final autopsy report, which was produced by a group of international coroners, has never been publicly released. Irrespective of the exact circumstances of his death, it is clear that Chief Abiola received insufficient medical attention for his existing health conditions.

As recounted at the time in a BBC interview with special envoy Thomas R. Pickering, an American delegation, which included Susan Rice, visited Abiola and during their meeting with him, Abiola fell ill, with what was presumed to be a heart attack which caused his death.

(Culled from Wikipedia.com)

Governors Forum Crisis: Fashola Sues Jang To Court

The fight for the control of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum between Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang, took a different turn on Friday as pro-Ameachi governors, represented by Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola, went to court to stop Jang from parading himself as the chairman of the NGF.

Fashola, who filed the suit at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in his capacity as a member of the forum, asked the court to declare that Jang is not competent to be called the elected chairman of the NGF.

Apart from Jang, other defendants in the suit are the Director-General of the NGF, Asishana Okauru; the Sole Administrator purportedly appointed by Jang, Osaro Onaiwu, and the Registered Trustees of the NGF vested with the power to administer and manage the trusts of the NGF.

In the writ of summons filed by a former Lagos Attorney General, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and former West African Bar Association President, Femi Falana (SAN), Fashola maintained that 35 governors participated in the election that returned Amaechi as the NGF chairman.

He, therefore, asked the court to stop Jang from parading himself “as the elected chairman of the NGF in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.”

Fashola is also seeking a declaration that the first defendant (Jang) is not competent to relocate the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum from No. 1, Deng Xiaoping Street, Off AIT Junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja to No. 2, Nana Close, by Ene Crescent, Off Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja or to any other place.

The plaintiff revealed that Okauru had been under pressure from Jang to handover the assets and documents of the NGF to him (Jang).

He therefore asked the court to declare that Okauru “is not competent to handover the assets and documents of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to the first defendant, his agents, privies and servants in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.”

Apart from these, the Lagos State governor also asked the court to declare that the second defendant (Okauru) is not competent to use the name Nigeria Governors’ Forum in respect of any other organisation which does not have the 36 governors as members and/or in any other manner inconsistent with the constitution of the governors’ forum.

He is also seeking an Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining Okauru from handing over the property and documents of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to Jang, his agents, privies and servants in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.

In addition to these, Fashola asked for, “an Order of Injunction restraining the third defendant from parading himself as the Sole Administrator of the forum in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.”

In the statement of claim, Fashola stated that he would rely on the NGF’s registered constitution at the trial.

He averred that the election into the post of the chairman of the NGF took place at the Rivers State Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja on Friday, May 25, 2013.

“The governors of Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara states took part in the said election.

“The four candidates who submitted nomination forms for the election were the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Plateau and Rivers states. The nomination forms will be relied upon at the trial of this suit. Before the said election, the governors of Bauchi and Katsina states withdrew from the election leaving the contest for the governors of Plateau and Rivers states. Thereafter, the 35 governors voted for the candidates of their choice.

“At the end of the voting, the Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, scored 19 votes while his rival, the Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Jonah Jang, scored 16 votes.

“Consequently, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State was declared the winner of the election. At the trial of this suit, the plaintiff will rely on the video recording of the election which has been broadcast by the AIT and Channels Television stations.”

The Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that pro-Amaechi governors were fully behind Fashola.

Speaking through his Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Mr. Ajibola Basiru, Aregbesola said Fashola, as a member of the NGF, had the right to challenge any illegality by the forum.

Aregbesola said, “Any action to further entrench democracy is supported by Osun. This suit is one of such actions. Jang’s action is ridiculous. Recent developments have shown that he didn’t win the election.

“When he wanted to inaugurate the forum’s secretariat in Abuja, he sent invitation cards to governors and only 16 governors, including himself, honoured the invitation. If you truly won an election and you feel you are being denied your mandate, you go to court. You don’t resort to self-help.”

Similarly, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State said he was fully in support of his Lagos State counterpart action’s to stop the pro-Jang governors from operating through the court action.

Fayemi, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, said Amaechi won the NGF election which was credible and that the opening of another secretariat was illegal.

He said, “Mr. Governor is fully in support of the court action. He is aware of it and he is throwing his weight behind Governor Fashola on this matter.”

Reacting to Fashola’s court action, the Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Prof. Shedrack Best, said if pro-Amaechi governors were in the majority, there was no need for a law suit.

“If Governor Fashola claims that his camp has the majority, he does not need to go to court. Let him call them and showcase them.”

Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, who is in Jang’s camp, also said governors were free to stop being members of the forum “because it is a free association.”

He said, “We are not proud of what has happened. We are saying we must sit for what is just. It is an association of equals. It is a voluntary association. Anybody can pull out without any consequences.

“A situation where a chairman of a forum of equals decided to contest election while holding the position is not right.

“Some of us argue that he (Amaechi) was there by consensus and we expected that he should step down. Immediately he indicated his interest, I said he must dissolve the house then elect a pro tem chairman. Yes, it has always been a consensus issue and we know that the PDP endorsed Jang. If somebody planted a camera somewhere because it was his own house or because of lack of respect for others,  it is too bad.”

Efforts to speak with the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, on Friday were futile. When one of our correspondents called him on the phone, there was no response from Metuh. Subsequent calls made to his phone were not picked.

Jang who is believed to have the backing of President Goodluck Jonathan had lost the chairmanship election to Amaechi by 19 votes to 16.

He, however, refused to accept defeat and instead proclaimed himself as the authentic chairman of the forum.

Jang also appointed a sole administrator in place of the director-general of the forum.

Few days after Amaechi won the election with the support of opposition governors, the PDP suspended him as its member.

Jang’s faction of the NGF also opened a parallel secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

Source: Punch 

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