Tobi Soniyi and James Emejo

13 July 2010

Abuja — President Goodluck Jonathan has extended the new salary package to the military, para-military, police and intelligence community, who were not always covered by similar salary reviews in the past.

The extension of the jumbo increase to other public servants as opposed to the core civil servants, THISDAY learnt, has shot the entire wage bill to N267.4 billion.

President Jonathan had on May 1, 2010 promised to implement a new salary package for workers.

The new wage bill, which is said to be effective from July 1, 2010, shows an increase of N233,034,129,947 or 777 percentage increase from the present N34,388,156,375, which the Federal Government spends on core civil servants annually.

The wage bill is contained in a letter sent to the Minister of Finance Olusegun Aganga and Head of Service Steve Oronsaye by President Jonathan.

The letter was signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Administration), Mr. Matt Aikhionbare.

The letter reads, "I am directed to forward Reference A to you and to convey to you Mr. President's approval of paragraph 8 on page 3."

Also, attached to the letter was a letter from Oronsaye to the President, which gave the details of the salaries increase for federal workers...

The letter reads: "Your Excellency may please wish to be informed that the compilation of the increase for the core civil service is an increase in wage bill of N34,388,156,375 per annum.

"However, because of the unrest the increase for the core civil service will likely generate among parastatals, the para-military, the police, the Armed Forces, the intelligence community and research institutes, it was recommended that a holistic approach be adopted.

"The cost implication of the holistic approach is a total wage increase of Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty-Two Naira (N267, 422, 286, 322) per annum."

A memorandum containing the proposed agreement reached between the Federal Government Team and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council-Trade Union Side was also attached.

The letter continues, "Your Excellency is invited to please note:

(i) That the salary negotiation committee has completed its assignment;

(ii) That increase of 53.37 % was agreed for Salary Grade Level 01-16 and for Directors at least 1/3 of the Salary of a Permanent Secretary;

(iii) That for peace to reign, increase of the same percentage for parastatals, para-military, the Armed Force, the intelligence community and the research institutes is recommended.

(iv) That additional Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty-Two Million and Eighty-Six Thousand Naira (N267,422,286,322) is required to service the increase per annum;

(v) That 50 per cent of the figure in paragraph 1v above will be captured in the 2010 Supplementary Budget;

(vi) That the Budget Office is in agreement with the cost implication of the increase.

He consequently asked and got the President's approval for salary increase of 58.37 per cent for workers at Grade levels 01-16.

The President has also directed that salaries of directors in federal ministries and agencies be increased by at least 1/3 of the salary of a permanent secretary.

The Armed Forces, police, paramilitary, intelligence community (State Security Services, Nigerian Intelligence Agency among others), parastatals as well as research institutes will also enjoy the same salary increase.

President Jonathan approved the new salary structure wherein the new minimum wage, that is the salary of the least paid worker, is put around N17, 000.

The President has also proposed a supplementary appropriation to take care of the wage increase among other things. The bill is receiving the attention of the National Assembly.

Defending the wage increase, the President had said in his postings at the weekend on Facebook that the high cost of goods and services was the reason his administration decided to pay living wages to workers in the public service.

He had said: "Having taken time to inform myself of the prices of the most basic goods and services. I personally can imagine the strain many Nigerians go through in order to make ends meet.

"As such, I'm glad to report that progress has been made in terms of paying living wages to workers under the control of the Federal Government. This will not remedy the situation but it will grant some relief while we also apply the resources at our disposal to improving other sectors that will have a positive impact on our general standard of life."

Meanwhile, Oronsanye has confirmed that the Presidency has approved wage increase for ministries, departments and agencies, which were not considered for salary review in the past.

Speaking with newsmen at the opening ceremony of the Procurement Skill Training for Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Abuja, Oronsanye, however, said the payment of the new wage would commence after proposals currently before the National Assembly have been passed.

Also, the head of service cautioned the federal workers who see training programmes as opportunity for welfare packages that "it is no longer business as usual" as they will now be assessed at the end of every course conducted by the office to know if they have added value to themselves."

He said: "And if you do not scale through that test you don't go for any promotion exams... academic qualification is not the issue, it is competence, we do know that there are people who have certain qualifications but they cannot express themselves; academic qualification only brings you to be considered but it is what you are able to offer when you are tested that is important," he said.

According to him, only 180 out of 1,500 civil servants who applied and participated in the previous training exercise actually passed the assessment given at the end of the course.

"That is the reason why I stressed that it is no longer welfare...before now, people go to training because of the allowances they'll get, they just show up but when you now introduce the competency test at the end of the training exercise, you find that people now take it seriously.

"I can just tell you only recently the office of head of service reintroduced the mandatory training but what was new was that at the end of the training, people were tested...what we found out is that those who took the very first set of training didn't do well at the end but those coming after, the pass rate was very high and because they now know that they'll be tested from day one, they'll take it seriously. I believe that the pass rate this time will be better than the first one.

"The beauty of all of it is that at the end of the training programme, you'll then be assessed. This tells you that it is no longer business as usual, we should not just take training as a welfare package...by the time you come in for training, you should from the very beginning know that it is a very serious business because you'll be tested at the end when you finish," he said.

Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Emeka Eze explained that the idea of the workshop was to ensure that public servants are brought to a level where they could help government to achieve value for money in public expenditure.

"The idea of public procurement is to make sure that value for money as a policy of public expenditure is achieved. My expectation is that at the end of this workshop, participants would have been in a position to quickly at the close of the eyes know the ABC of public procurement so that if any political office holder comes or permanent secretary, they would be able to advise them

that this is what the rule says about how things are going to be done... rules for the sake of ensuring transparency and efficiency and providing level playing ground to all Nigerians that there is something happening in our ministry,"

The training programme is organised for officers in MDAs who want to covert to the new procurement cadre that has been created by the federal government

Seventy six Nollywood actors and veterans of the stage will walk the red carpet in honour of Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, who clocks 76 today. The event will take place at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, by 6pm.

Some of the artists lined up for the event are Dejumo Lewis, Kola Oyewo, Felix Okolo,

Peter Badejo, Ayo Lijadu, Tunde Kelani, Joke Silva, Tunde Kuboye and Ben Tomoloju.

Parade of talents

They will be joined in the parade which will be televised live on selected TV stations by Richard Mofe Damijo, Olu Jacobs, Tade Ogidan, Sola Fosudo, Biodun Duro Ladipo,

Nobert Young, Yemi Sodimu, Rachael Oniga, Bimbo Akintola, Ayo Adesanya, Hafiz Oyetoro, Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, Duro Oni and others.

‘Preemptive’ a play written by United States of America-based Niyi Coker and directed by Segun Ojewuyi will thereafter be staged at the same venue.

The play which has already toured Barbados and the United Kingdom will also be staged on Wednesday before the accompanying play, ‘Seven’, written by Rachael Hastings and also directed by Mr Ojewuyi, will show at the National Theatre, Iganmu, on Thursday. The two plays will subsequently tour cities including Asaba, Calabar and Abuja.

Speaking on preparations for today’s event at a meeting with journalists yesterday, the cast and crew of ‘Preemptive’ who are also featuring in ‘Seven’, affirmed their readiness to ‘edu-tain’ Nigerians with the plays.

Cortez Johnson, one of the actors described his involvement in the play, which among others examines terrorism and official reaction to it, racism and conflicts, “as a mind blowing experience, really inspirational”. Another actor, Christopher Collins said, “I felt very honoured to be part of this project.” The playwright, Mr Coker, said he hopes the play will make Nigerians “Go back and examine those phobia; what moves you from point A to B. What is it inside you that makes you want to kill the other person?” Born on July 13, 1934 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Wole Soyinka was educated at Saint Peter’s Primary School, Ake, Abeokuta; Government College, Ibadan; the University College,

Ibadan; and the University of Leeds where he began to establish himself as a talented playwright. Some of Soyinka’s plays include ‘Trials of Brother Jero’, ‘Jero’s Metamorphosis’, ‘The Swamp Dwellers’, ‘The Lion and the Jewel’ and ‘Death and the King’s Horseman’ amongst others.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 and has over the years, become one of the leading members of the human rights and pro-democracy movements in Nigeria.

As the 2010 World Cup draws to a close this weekend in South Africa, women across the globe, especially wives of players from participating countries, are eagerly awaiting the return of their husbands back home.

While millions of football fans have been enjoying the thrills of the World Cup since last month, women, who were denied access to their husbands say they can’t wait for their heartthrobs to return home after Sunday’s final at the Soccer City stadium.

As flowers without water wither away, Menaye Donkor, wife of Ghana’s Sulley Muntari said 2010 World Cup has been great in South Africa but she is happy now that her hubby, who scored a fantastic goal against Uruguay, is due home.

•Sunley Muntari (left) and Menaye.

Speaking on South Africa Broadcasting Corporation, SABC Fashion Show, Menaye praised Ghana’s squad for doing Africa proud. “Ghana made all of us proud and I think my lonely nights are over now. Sulley will soon come home and then we’ll talk about the games as a family”.

•Muntari’s Menaye. Photos: Tunde Oyedele.

Worst hit are the ladies who escorted their husbands to South Africa. They have been coping alone in the hotels as coaches of participating teams do not want them near their husbands to avoid distraction in camp

Caroline Celico, wife of Brazil’s star, Kaka said: “I missed him a lot but I’m not the only one. Some women are used to this because the players travel all the time. But’s it’s hectic in South Africa. I’m, however, happy that the World Cup is over and my man will see me once again,” Caroline said.

•Kaka’s wife, Caroline.

If the women have a choice, may be they would have protested but the wealth from football gives them their daily bread and limelight.

Amaia Salamanca says she can’t wait for the sweet whisper of Spanish star, Ramos, but she must wait until after Sunday’s final against Netherlands to welcome her Real Madrid husband back home.

•Didier Drogba (right) and Lalla.

“I miss Ramos, especially when I see some couples hugging around. I’m happy Spain are playing well, but I have told him the rooms are getting too big for me,” Amaia jokingly said

From the parting statement made by Super Eagles skipper, Nwankwo Kanu immediately after Nigeria crashed out of South Africa 2010 World Cup, it was evident his wife, Amarachi, would be glad he was heading home.

•Nwankwo Kanu (right) and Amarachi.

Kanu, who played just a match for Nigeria at the tournament, was answering questions from international journalists when his wife called to ask when he would join them.

His response was so funny that the journalists at the Mixed Zone of Durban Stadium burst into rounds of laughter. “Oh, you want to know what next I plan to do for the Eagles now that Nigeria has crashed out of the World Cup? Okay, I’m going to meet my wife and kids, who are here in South Africa. They are missing me and I need to go and give them a treat to enjoy the rest of the tournament,” Kanu said as he parried the question.

A close friend of Kanu said Amarachi called her husband to be sure he was not attacked after the last game in which Nigeria drew 2-2 with South Korea.

Amarachi, P.M.Sports gathered, has been a good mother caring for their kids while Kanu was in camp. But, the Igbo lady was quoted as saying she could not wait to welcome her hubby back, especially with the chilly weather of the host country.

Also, Didier Drogba’s wife Lalla, Soma, wife of Matthew Booth of Bafana, say they would hold tight to their husbands immediately after the tournaments before they travel for club assignments again.

•Didier Drogba (right) and Lalla.

“The only language I will like to listen to is: ‘I love you’. That’s what Drogba tells me and I’ve missed that, Lalla said of his Chelsea of England and Cote d’Ivoire hubby....

By Tony Ubani, in South Africa

FIFA president, Sepp Blatter said at the weekend that Nigeria’s failure to make an impact at the 2010 World Cup did not surprise him.

Blatter added that Nigeria and indeed Cote’d Iovire planned for failure when they chose to make changes to the managements of their teams two month to the World Cup.

“It would have been a miracle if Nigeria and Cote’d Ivoire had gone through.

“You cannot manage a national team when you coach two or three months before the competition,” said Blatter.

Nigeria hired Lars Lagerback, but the Swede coach failed to take Nigeria out of the group prelims, despite making a promise of taking the team to the semi-final..

This result left Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan fuming and he sacked all the national teams from FIFA events. He made a u-turn, but Nigeria Football Federation president Sanni Lulu, his first vice Amanze Uchegbulam and Taiwo Ogunjobi were gone in the aftermath. The Swiss-born Blatter downplayed referees mistake at the World Cup.

“We are bound by the best referees we have,” Blatter said. “We tried to get them on top but naturally referees are human beings and they commit errors like everybody.”

Blatter said it was not possible to judge this World Cup in comparison to others, but described it as “special”.

He said: “It was a World Cup on a new continent with a new culture and therefore it must be analysed on different levels, but if you look at the enthusiasm in Africa and also the repercussion in the world, if you look to the television audiences around the world, if you look to the fan-fests everywhere in the world then I have to say it was a special World Cup.”

Nigeria’s dare-devil robbers, showing utter disrespect to even men of God, have attacked a Roman Catholic priest, plucking one of his eyes.

.Their victim is Reverend Father M.O. Fayomi, one of the most senior priests in the Ekiti Diocese.

He was travelling 4 July on the road that links Ibokun in Osun State with nearby Ekiti State, when he was attacked by the bandits.

Sources close to Fr. Fayomi in the diocese said that the criminals stopped his car and asked him for money or any valuables.

The cleric’s plea that he was a man of God who had neither money nor earthly possessions did not move the robbers who brought out a sharp iron object and thrust it deep down his eye, leaving the man of God in pains and in blood.

The affected eye was almost out of the socket following the attack.

The bishop of the diocese, His Lordship, Rt. Reverend Felix Ajakaye, who was immediately informed about the attack, ordered that Fr. Fayomi be rushed to the hospital for immediate medical attention.

Doctors at the hospital where he was taken decided to remove the dangling priest’s eye from its socket so that the other eye may not be affected.

The priest is currently recuperating in a hospital outside Ekiti State.

A native of Ikoro-Ekiti town, Fr. Fayomi was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in February 1982, and he became one of the seven most senior priests in his diocese.

He was ordained along with Rev. Fr. P.O. Olawunmi by the former bishop of the diocese, Rt. Reverend Michael Fagun.

Fagun, consecrated bishop in October 1971, retired this year after attaining the mandatory age of 75.

Next is to develop artificial soldiers ! dis oyinbo people na wonder dem dey betta.

Article:

American scientists have developed 'artificial' blood that could soon be used to treat wounded soldiers in battle..

The genetically-engineered blood is created by taking cells from umbilical cords and using a machine to mimic the way bone marrow works to produce mass quantities of usable units of red blood cells.

Known as 'blood pharming' the programme was launched in 2008 by the Pentagon's experimental arm, Darpa, to create blood to treat soldiers in far-flung battlefields.

The firm Arteriocyte, which received $1.95 million for the project, has now sent off its first shipment of O-negative blood to the food and drugs watchdog in the US, the FDA.

U.S. soldiers carry a wounded soldier in Iraq. The breakthrough could help provide enough blood for battlefield transfusions

The blood is made by using hematopoietic cells taken from umbilical cords in a process called ‘pharming’ – using genetically engineered plants or animals to create mass quantities of useful substances.

One umbilical cord can be turned into around 20 units of usable blood. A wounded soldier in the field will require an average of six units during treatment.

Blood cells produced using this method are 'functionally indistinguishable from red blood cells in healthy circulation', the company claims.

‘We’re basically mimicking bone marrow in a lab environment,' Arteriocyte boss Don Brown told Wired magazine.

‘Our model works, but we need to extrapolate our production abilities to make scale.’

If approved it could revolutionise battlefields where a shortage of blood donors can hamper treatment of wounded soldiers.

The process of giving transfusions in war zones is also made more difficult because donated blood has to be transported long distance before it reaches the field hospitals where it is urgently needed.

Enlarge

Darpa launched a search for a renewable blood supply in 2008

Some blood is already 21 days old before it reaches patients, meaning it only has around a week-long shelf-life before it must be discarded. There are increased risks of infection or organ failure if blood is too old.

Mr Brown said: ‘Until now, the military’s strategy has mainly been contained to basically using stale blood,’

‘And they’ll set up mobile blood banks in a war zone, but even every troop rolling up their sleeve might not be enough when you’ve got a crisis with dozens or more injuries.’

Human trials are not likely until 2013, but the firm predicts the ‘pharmed’ blood could be used by the military within five years if the Pentagon calls for it sooner.

A unit of blood is around a pint and the human body contains between eight and ten pints of blood in total.

Currently, each unit made by Arteriocyte costs $5,000 to produce. If approved, the firm expects to bring this down to around $1,000 per unit by scaling up the production process.

As well as being needed by the military, 'pharmed' blood could also be used in hospitals to make up for shortfalls in blood donations if it is approved.

The 'pharmed' blood is type O negative which is the most sought after variation because it can be used with any patient, regardless of their own blood type.

Last month the US Red Cross issued an urgent appeal for blood donors to come forward after it said that its supply of O Negative blood was hitting 'critically low levels.

In the last election, his party had 74,059 votes... That is according to them, according to INEC. His plans to ensure the next election is different They rubbished the entire democratic process. They stifled the voice of opposition and eradicated any form of democracy that is a threat to them, as the political party in power. This is a very peculiar country, but one thing is very clear: the hand of the Almighty God has always being on this country. The hand that brought Obasanjo, Yar'Adua and Jonathan, that same hand will position Reverend Okotie and once that is done, you will know that our nationhood has evolved.

Why God would allow the (electoral) crises to persist

Because there is a word in the scripture that is called long suffering and he delays justice because of the poor that will suffer. If we break into hostilities, it is these rich men that will first abscond. So many times, the Lord is merciful because of we, the people; not because he wants to perpetuate those people in power, but because he is careful. The prophecy concerning the PDP has gone forth and they are going to fight each other and destroy each other because that is how evil is terminated. We can't fight them. They are too strong for us. So they most fight each other..

His previous assertions that he would president in 2003 and 2007

That is what I'm saying, that my time will come. I already quoted Abraham Lincoln in the sense that I am so sure that it is a divine mandate. All I have to do is wait for the right time and not compromise my philosophy or compromise my faith and join a conglomerate of men and women who call themselves political parties, whereas they are just a conscription of men and women of anti-theatrical philosophies who have no ideological connectivity and their only common denominator is their desire to annex wealth. Because I believe in a Nigeria where truth reins; a fresh Nigeria which our party symbolises in F-Faith, R-Responsibility, E-Equality, S-Security and H-Hope. This is the philosophy upon which I have erected the citadel of my confidence because I believe only a fresh Nigerian can salvage this nation. All this cosmetic and superficial activity that are going on by the ruling party is a journey in futility. This will also drift us back to square one, which we have always been.

How soon the drift will happen

If we perpetuate a PDP government, which I think Nigeria cannot afford, we will be back to square one and that is a recipe for extinction. The party is incapacitated, ab initio. But the party has been ruling for 12 years I am aware and it was necessary for Nigerians to reach a point of self-examination and re-assessment of this slavery. Our leaders have betrayed us on a large scale and it takes a while to come to that realisation and global events, as seen in the angry youth protest in Abuja as Nigerians are recognising what they have to do without anybody galvanising them. It is an evolution. Mao Tse Tung once said if people no longer fear your power, it is because another power is on its way and that is what we are seeing here. I believe with all my heart that we are seeing the last vestiges of this oppressive leadership of the PDP. I believe our people are coming to a place where they are willing to make the necessary sacrifice to emancipate themselves and that the money politics that the PDP has played for so many years is gradually frittering out and there is going to be an implosion within the party that will totally fragment it to the extent that it will be totally powerless.

His silence when activists were protesting for rule of law

I do not know the kind of newspapers you read, but I made my opinion known and at some point in time, I called for an interim government to be installed so that the entire malady that surrounded the executive could be cleared and we will move on. The nation was inundated by the soap opera that transpired with incapacitation of late President Yar'Adua and even though we had urged the PDP to declare his whereabouts and be transparent, nobody paid attention and we did not want to sound insensitive with the fact that the president is incapacitated and be more interested in politics. So, the sentiment of it all was something that PDP capitalised on. But it was not because we were not quick to articulate our views on the impact.

How he intends to tackle problems such as corruption, unemployment and power

Let me put this in proper context; campaigns have not begun. What I just did was to articulate my desire to run for the office. We are not suppose to engage in any campaign until INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) says so. I can only give you observations that I have made concerning the things that I have seen in the country from a very constructive view-point. I believe the reason why corruption has been able to flourish is because there is an enabling environment. If you want to incapacitate those who participate in corruption, you will have to change the environment, not just engender punitive measures. It has to be juxtaposed with moral instruction for there to be meaningful change. For instance if you take a fish out of water, it cannot function; if you take an evil man into heaven, he cannot function, so there are certain mechanisms in government that make it possible for this charlatans to operate and until we dismantle this mechanism, corruption will (only) at best be tackled on the punitive level which is where you have the EFCC and all of those things. The 10 commandments didn't even save Israel, not to talk about EFCC saving Nigeria. We also need to understand that there is cooperation between these charlatans and those who are in the supervisory role; this is a major characteristic of the PDP as seen in the House of Representatives, where the speaker was indicted some months ago and we are right back at it. That is why I respect the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, because he was bold enough to address that. When I become president, we will change the environment. If you go back a few years when Yar'Adua was installed as head of state, because they had nothing to offer, they came with a nominal seven point agenda with nothing on ground to corroborate the position. The laws of dialectical materialism by Karl Marx, which involve having a concept called the thesis, you find a concept that works against the thesis called the anti-thesis, then both of them synthesize together to form what is called synthesis which can be translated into chaos and this what PDP does. They create chaos, then they get a group within the party to oppose the chaos and then they resolve the problems within the two groups and synthesize the third position, which is where we are headed in the first place. So they create a problem and get a group of people to fight it, like when they created the Yar'Adua problem. They create that chaos and buy time using the diversionary tactics that makes people then think; oh this is an emergencey situation whilst they have nothing to offer. Government is not transparent in this country and they have refused to give room to the fourth estate (journalism) to do what they are mentally meant to do.

God and the presidential system

The whole concept of the presidential system comes from the bible, because God is our law-giver; that is how you get the legislature; God is our judge, so you have the judiciary; God is our King, you have the executive. That is how it was patterned and it was devised as a concept of government. We need a fourth concept that will articulate the plans on the purpose of the government to the people. That is how the press came about. The new Nigeria of our dreams that will soon transpire must be a government of integrity. It must understand that Nigeria is no longer a pariah nation, that we live in a millennium where the quest for innovation knows no frontiers and that we are no longer isolated in some dark continent. So, a Chris Okotie government will re-establish government in its true definition, where the people are a part of it and know what is going on.

His ability to build a structure that could win elections

If you take the government of this nation in tandem, maybe from the civil war, you will discover that there has always being a divine intervention at some point and recent events corroborate my saying. Look at former president, Olusegun Obasanjo who was out of government, incarcerated for a phantom coup, from where he became the president of Nigeria. He was not involved in any politics at that time, in terms of democratic process, but he became the head of state. The late Yar'Adua, relatively unknown with little or no quality pedigree more or less or his vice, Goodluck Jonathan, probably known regionally, not at on the national platform but today he is our President, because there is a divine intervention in the affairs of this country. That is why it imperative for a Chris Okotie to pontificate on the affairs of this country that identifies him as a credible aspirant for that office; so that when the opportunity presents itself, it will be easy to say this is the man.

Possibilities of merger with other political parties

Talks have already commenced and, in due time, we will unveil our strategy. The talks have always been on since as far back as the last two elections that I contested, where some political parties approached me because of my credibility. But I will not compromise my sense of purpose to give Nigerians the right leadership by jumping at people who do not share the same values as FRESH. Adherence to principles invokes respect, as all kind of overtures have come from different political parties with most of them having leaders who do not have the kind of intellectual capacity that is necessary for the kind of government they are trying to put in place. But I have stayed with my principle. I believe, just like Abraham Lincoln said, "I will study and wait."

What happens to his church if he becomes president

It will be bigger. When God was sending Jesus to the world, he wanted to make him the political leader of the world, not the spiritual leader. But for him to be the political leader, he had to take the sins of the world through his death. He will return as the governor, as stated in the bible, that will rule with the rod, as a political leader. By this procedure, God patterned Jesus to be a secular leader like Melchizedek during the time of Abraham, so that Jesus can become both a spiritual leader and a political leader. So, somebody like me, I am already a spiritual leader and I will be a political leader because earth was given to man to rule. Only a righteous government can exalt a nation.

Ethnicity and zoning formula in Nigerian political parties

We have gone beyond that. Zoning is a PDP mechanism and anybody clamouring for these issues cannot adduce evidence to substantiate that position. The best election in this country was won by a Muslim-Muslim ticket, that everyone across the nation voted for. Such clamour is a narrow perspective of politicians who are unable by any sweat of their imagination to acquire political recognition and so they think the only way they can is to polarize the polity along religious and ethnic divide. The process of galvanising ethnicity in political parties is anachronistic, because the experience we have disproves that philosophy. What Nigerians are looking for today is a credible candidate, irrespective of where he/she is from, because both the northerners and southerners will tell you that their leaders have betrayed them. Zoning is the business of the PDP; a gargantuan monstrosity and PDP is not Nigeria. I will run for the office of the president, irrespective of the fact that Mr. Jonathan is also from the South. The experience of his divorce and second marriage Entering the covenant of marriage is the highest possible level of spiritual responsibility anybody can assume, because it authenticates the mystery of the God head. I have found myself in a better place of understanding which gives a conscious of responsibility for this life.