NNPC RESISTS PROBE OF $15BN LNG DIVIDENDS PAYMENTS

NNPC RESISTS PROBE OF $15BN LNG DIVIDENDS PAYMENTS

FITCH 2015 RISK RATING: KNOW YOUR BANK’S RISK PROFILE

Fitch has affirmed the Long-term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) of 10 Nigerian banks.  The IDRs of FBN, UBA, Diamond, Fidelity, Union and FCMB are support-driven. Zenith's, FBNH's, GTB's and Access' IDRs are driven by their standalone strength as measured by their Viability Ratings (VRs).

The IDRs of GTB and FBNH are driven by their VRs and are therefore not sensitive to changes in their SRFs.  Key rating drivers - IDRS, support ratings and support rating floors (all banks apart from SIBTC and SIBTCH that only have national ratings.

However, a one-notch downgrade of the sovereign would not necessarily lead to a downgrade of the SRFs. Zenith's and Access' IDRs would only be downgraded if both their Viability Ratings (VRs) and their Support Rating Floors (SRFs) are simultaneously downgraded (both banks VRs and SRFs are currently at the same level) and revised lower.

In assessing the probability of sovereign support, Fitch considers the authorities' willingness to support the Nigerian banks to be high as demonstrated in the past, but its ability to do so may be constrained by Nigeria's 'BB-' sovereign rating.

Fitch assigns Support Rating Floors (SRFs) based on each bank's systemic importance. The most systemically important banks in Fitch's view are FBN, Zenith and UBA, which are assigned SRFs of B+'.

The other banks have SRFs of 'B'. FBNH is the holding company of FBN. It's SR of '5' and SRF of 'No Floor' reflect Fitch's view that while the Nigerian authorities' propensity to support local banks is high, the same level of support would not apply to holding companies.

Zenith's VR considers its strong franchise, management quality, conservative risk appetite and robust financial metrics. Asset quality is sound and upstream oil & gas exposure represented a limited 6% of loans at end-September 2014.

Zenith has a track record of good client selection and Fitch does not expect major impairments in its corporate book. The bank's capitalisation and leverage compare well with peers and benefit from a strong funding franchise, sound liquidity and proven access to wholesale markets.

Zenith's resilient financial performance stands out, and the bank should manage 2015 better than most peers.

GTB's VR considers the bank's sound financial metrics compared with most domestic peers. This includes the bank's sound profitability, driven by efficiency gains from a low cost business model, healthy asset quality, driven by sound underwriting, and adequate capital.  The VR also considers a proven strategy implemented by a strong management team.

FBNH's and FBN's VRs reflect the group's traditionally strong company profile and adequate capitalisation and profitability. Asset quality metrics are acceptable but the group has the highest oil & gas exposure among peers (40% of gross loans at end-September 2014).

This is a key risk, in particular the upstream book (12%). FBNH's has a strong funding franchise. Its retail franchise allows it to source low-cost deposits, and it successfully accessed capital markets in 2014. Group liquidity is adequate.

UBA's VR is constrained by weak, albeit improving, capitalisation. The VR also considers a strong company profile, including a broader international footprint than peers. This makes the bank less sensitive than peers to current turbulence in Nigeria, although 2015 will still be challenging.

Asset quality is adequate. NPLs are currently low, although Fitch expects these to increase. UBA has strong funding and liquidity. Its large pan-African network allows it to collect low-cost deposits, and the loan-to-deposit ratio is low.

Access' VR reflects the bank's adequate capitalisation, which will improve should a planned rights issue complete successfully. The VR also considers the bank's stronger company profile since the Intercontinental Bank acquisition. This has benefitted Access' financial metrics, including improved earnings and asset quality.

Diamond's VR is constrained by weak capitalisation, which is inadequate in light of the bank's risk profile, despite the completion of a rights issue in November 2014. Asset quality is slightly weaker than most peers.

While the level of impaired loans is currently acceptable, certain large exposures present downside risk. Fitch views risk appetite as high, considering plans to materially expand retail and SME lending activities. While these segments are inherently risky, this is where the bank's expertise lies.

Furthermore, risk controls and underwriting standards in the retail business are advanced. The VR also reflects Diamond's acceptable earnings, funding and liquidity.

Fidelity's VR reflects the bank's weaker company profile than peers. The bank's lack of scale manifests in its niche business model. The VR also considers Fidelity's weaker and less stable earnings than peers, a high cost base, and a greater reliance on non-core banking revenues.

The VR also considers the bank's improved asset quality metrics over the last three years.

Union's VR reflects threats to asset quality ratios from a sizeable portfolio of past due, but not impaired, loans and a material exposure to the oil sector. The VR also considers a higher risk appetite than peers, indicated by loan growth above the sector average, albeit from a lower base than peers.

The VR further considers some exposure to operational risk resulting from a weaker technological platform than peers, which Union is currently addressing.

The VR factors in weak earnings, but also a resilient funding profile supported by adequate liquidity.

FCMB's VR is currently constrained by its small but evolving full service banking franchise. The bank plans to expand lending in what Fitch views as inherently high- risk retail and SME segments.

Asset quality is acceptable, although its NPL ratio is likely to worsen as the loan book seasons. Capitalisation is sound, although Fitch expects a weakening in the medium term, driven by loan growth. Earnings are adequate despite a high cost-to-income ratio.

Funding and liquidity are considered the bank's weaknesses, with the regulatory liquidity ratio being one of the lowest in the sector, and the loan-to-deposit ratio being close to 80%.

FBN Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B+'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'A+(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F1(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B+' FBN Finance Company BV's subordinated notes: affirmed at 'B-'; assigned 'RR6' FBNH Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'A(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F1(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b' Support Rating: affirmed at '5' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'No Floor'

Zenith Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B+'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'AA-(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F1+(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b+' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B+' Global medium term note programme affirmed at 'B+' /'RR4'/'B' Senior unsecured notes: affirmed at 'B+'/'RR4'

UBA Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B+'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'A+(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F1(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b-' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B+'

Access Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'A-(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F2(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B' Access Finance BV's senior notes, guaranteed by Access Bank: affirmed at 'B'/'RR4' Subordinated notes: affirmed at 'B-'/ 'RR6'

GTB Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B+'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'AA-(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F1+(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b+' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B' GTB Finance BV's senior notes, guaranteed by Guaranty Trust Bank: affirmed at 'B+'/'RR4' GTB Finance BV's global medium-term note programme, guaranteed by Guaranty Trust Bank: affirmed at 'B+'/'RR4'/'B'

Diamond Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'BBB+(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F2(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b-' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B' Senior unsecured notes: affirmed at 'B'/'RR4'

Union Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'BBB+(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F2(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b-' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B'

Fidelity Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'BBB+(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F2(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b-' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B' Senior unsecured notes: affirmed at 'B'/'RR4'

FCMB Long-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B'; Stable Outlook Short-term foreign currency IDR: affirmed at 'B' National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'BBB+(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F2(nga)' Viability Rating: affirmed at 'b-' Support Rating: affirmed at '4' Support Rating Floor: affirmed at 'B'

SIBTC National Long-term rating: affirmed at 'AAA(nga)' National Short-term rating: affirmed at 'F1+(nga)' SIBTCH National Long-term rating: assigned at 'AAA(nga)' National Short-term rating: assigned at 'F1+(nga)' The National Ratings of SIBTC and SIBTCH are sensitive to a change in potential support from their ultimate parent, SBG.

Rating sensitivities - The ratings and Outlooks are sensitive to a prolonged and severe recession that would affect the ability or willingness of the Nigerian authorities to provide support.

All Outlooks are Stable. Fitch has also affirmed the National Ratings of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc (SIBTC) and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc (SIBTCH). The ratings are all in the 'B' range, indicating highly speculative fundamental credit quality, and factor in Fitch's expectation of increasingly challenging economic conditions and market volatility in Nigeria.

The operating environment is affected by persistently low oil prices, continuing pressure on the domestic currency naira, likely further monetary policy and regulatory actions and increased political uncertainty.

At the same time, the ratings are underpinned by continued strong underlying economic growth in Nigeria, particularly in non-oil sectors. Fitch expects non-oil GDP growth of 5.5% in 2015 (2014: 7.5%), driven by continued economic reforms and limited impact from public sector austerity. The highly challenging and volatile operating environment in Nigeria constrain the VRs and the other key rating factors, particularly the banks' financial profiles.

The recent oil price shock and subsequent currency pressure has weakened the Nigerian operating environment and is likely to result in lower GDP growth in 2015. In turn, the banks are likely to report weaker profitability, asset quality and capital ratios. These pressures are to an extent captured in Fitch's ratings, and partly explain the Stable Outlooks.

Nevertheless, should the operating environment deteriorate faster than expected, particularly should it significantly impact the banks' capital and asset quality, VR downgrades cannot be ruled out.

Fitch forecasts sector non-performing loans (NPLs) to rise above the Central Bank of Nigeria's (CBN) informal cap of 5%, but below 10% by end-2015. This reflects high credit concentrations as well as emerging risks, particularly in the oil and gas, and power sectors.

These factors, together with a shift to Basel II and CBN's revised regulatory capital computation rules, are likely to add more pressure on capital than previously expected. Tier 1 capital ratios could fall below 15% for many banks, which is low in the Nigerian context.

Oil & gas exposures, particularly upstream segment lending, will be sensitive to low oil prices, in particular when loans are extended to indigenous companies rather than large international operators. If low oil prices persist in 2015, Fitch expects some banks will have to restructure part of these portfolios by extending tenors to better match new cash flow projections.

Fitch expects liquidity to remain tight in 2015, amplified by higher central bank reserve requirements. New limits on foreign currency borrowing and net open positions are likely to reduce US dollar debt issuance. Despite increasing competition for low-cost and stable deposits, customer deposit growth should remain healthy and help loans-to-deposit ratios remain below the regulatory limit of 80%.

2015 ELECTION: GEJ AND DUNNING-KRUGER EFFECT

“Look at this scenario, imagine President Barak Obama saying “Stealing is not corruption” what do you think will happen. I can say with a degree of safety and little contradiction, the Senate will invite him for clarification, international confidence in the America legal framework will take flight, investment rate will plummet and you can be sure, if he does not apologise and correct the odious impression. He will be impeached to safe the nation.”

The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias wherein unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability much higher than is accurate. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their ineptitude.

The danger of the Dunning-Kruger effect is that the sufferer will not know until it has initiated a domino effect upon its immediate and extended sphere of influence. The anticipation of sufferer is that he is accurate in imposition of solutions all in a bid to maintain the illusory superiority.

The effect is clearly impacting on Nigeria Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which was why pressure was mounted on the Chairman of INEC to shift the date of the polls with the follow up strategy of easing him out of the position without breaking any law or the agreement with the other political parties. In the roulette, all is fair as long as the beneficially of this perfidious decision is favoured in the final outcome.

The Dunning-Kruger effect becomes more feasible in the body language of the handers of the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which was why a certain Doyin Okupe would descend to vowing that General Muhammadu Buhari will never become the President of Nigeria because in his estimation GMB is ‘unlearned’, kudos to members of the fourth estate who poured an appropriate opprobrium on him right inside the custody of his pay master.

The Nigerian Military has also become an unwilling sufferer of the Dunning-Kruger effect in its handling of the volatility of the Nigerian political climate, rather than play the constitutional role of defending the Nigerian people.

The role as been abdicated to neighbouring countries while it turned the weapons of defence on the Nigerian people through terrorising and manipulation of electoral processes in favour of the ruling party. As demonstrated, during the Ekiti Governorship election and the recent deployment of military personnel around the person of Asiwaju Bola Hammed Tinubu with the sole purpose of intimidating and preparing the grounds for his incarceration between March 28 and April 11, 2015.

A scenario that has been implemented in Ekiti, frustrated in Osun and will definitely be frustrated in Lagos and in every state aspiring for deliverance from the domino effect of the #GEJ’s Dunning-Kruger Effect.

Unfortunately, the ruling party is suffering from the effect as it options thinned out because it could not extricate itself from #GEJ illusion. It could not organise an acceptable primaries without frustrating other contestants who could have provided a better and highly competitive option against the candidate of the opposition, just like the highly competitive race between a Jimi Agbaje and Akinwunmi Ambode. Thereby tactically giving the opposition the stage to run the show and the opposition is just making the best use of the opportunity.

The Nigerian Economy despite being the biggest by GDP estimation, is the greatest victim of the Dunning-Kruger effect, which as at today has paralysed the economy, nobody wants to invest a single Naira in Nigeria because of the volatility of its political terrain and with the threat of war and brimstone from every section of the country with particular emphasis on a certain petro-dollar billionaire militant. Since the currency of political bribery is denominated in dollars, dollar has become extremely scarce with the attendant effect on the Naira, which has since started enjoying a managed devaluation.

In practical terms, there is little on nothing the CBN and Ministry of finance can do to stem the tide but to continue to bear the brunt of international investments analysts’ opinions. Look at this scenario, imagine President Barak Obama saying “Stealing is not corruption” what do you think will happen. I can say with a degree of safety and little contradiction, the Senate will invite him for clarification, international confidence in the America legal framework will take flight, investment rate will plummet and you can be sure, if he does not apologise and correct the odious impression. He will be impeached to safe the nation.

This point made, our lot for this six years has been with Goodluck which has foster this malaise on the Nigerian people. Removing the subsidy on January 1, 2012 was the first signal, which we neglected as a nation, then comes the failure of the Commander in Chief to observe the Independent Day parade in Eagle Square because of Boko Haram and the last clincher the state of denial that over 200 School Girls were abducted.

Now, that personal interest is involved the war against terror has taking centre stage and Nigerian people must be made to wait further six weeks to know who will lead the nation from May 29, 2015. If the GEJ administration has performed has been touted all over the state controlled airwave and some select private media platforms, then why the desperation to deploy the military for civil activity. It should be a forgotten conclusion that he will win. There was no such massive deployment when we were voting him in 2011, but now that defeat looks so real, resort to use of state instrument of terror has become the fade.

The justification of continuity of D-K effect is manifestation of unpalatable hardship on all sections of the Nigerian society, which might just bring the nation to its knees, I hate to see the implosion of the Nigerian military along party or religious lines. This is the greatest threat to the Nigerian nation with unimaginable consequences.

The cure, is simply to ensure that the rigging machine is frustrated by every well-meaning Nigerian voter. It is imperative, you go out and vote for your conscience and ensure that you wait to know the outcome of every voting exercise in every polling unit, ward and senatorial zones, states and regions.

The choice is in our hand whether to continue with D-K Effect or for posterity to implement a nationalist revolution through the ballot box to frustrate a superficial revolution of rigging machine being currently fine-tuned to subvert the will of the people.

The signal will be the forceful removal, terminal leave, incarceration of INEC Chairman within the next six weeks, if and when this happens know that the election has been compromised already. Let's safe this nation from Dunning-Kruger Effect under this administration

ECONOMY: OUR DOCTORS ARE DANCING NAKED ... OKONJO-IWEALA VS SOLUDO

The words of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and Dr, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are my economic bibles which I consult regularly to gauge the Barometer of the Nigerian economy.
 However, seen the kind of unprintable collation of embarrassing nomenclature both Doctors have descended into... I dare ask why are our Doctors Dancing Naked?

By the way, why have Jonah David Jang of Plateau and Femi Fani Kayode put their shreds of decency into final conundrum. Therefore, I will just laugh because their responses were just an expose in economic-illiteracy. So I laugh too.

Back to the issue, Okonjo-Iweala had said in her response to Soludo's dissection of the Nigerian economy this way, “It is a sad day for Nigeria and the economics profession that someone like Soludo, a former CBN governor, should write such an article. If Soludo wants to regain respect, he should return to the path of professionalism. He certainly needs something to improve his image from that of someone whose sojourn into national economic management ended in disaster for the banking sector. His sojourn in politics ended in overwhelming rejection by the electorate, and more recently, his sojourn abroad has put him out of touch with the reality of the Nigerian economy.”

Though Okonjo called for it, imagine Soludo saying, "By the way, can you (Okonjo) tell Nigerians why you were eased out as Finance Minister and you cried like a baby begging OBJ to still allow you remain in the Economic Management team, barely few weeks after the debt relief? Why were you eventually also removed from the economic management team if you were so important?  Ironically, President Jonathan has recycled you, with a bigger title and greater responsibilities. But the difference is that the team that did the actual work is no longer there, and the world has seen that the king is naked."

Again, I dare ask why are our Doctors Dancing Naked?
Read more

WOUNDED EAGLES

by Eleanor Whitehead
Feb 01, 2015
Eleanor Whitehead is a reporter at the Financial Times, focusing on business, policy and development. She has travelled extensively and has a particular interest in sub-Saharan African consumer markets. Her work is also published in Business Day, Forbes and The IndepeIndependent

In a small hospital in the Diffa region of south-east Niger, a roomful of Nigerian soldiers wait patiently for medical staff to change their bandages. Their bullet wounds seep blood onto the floor of the whitewashed chamber. The air is heavy with the smell of disinfectant.

These are just a handful of the roughly 300 Nigerian forces that retreated across the border in November 2014, after militant Islamist group Boko Haram attacked the town of Malam Fatori in Nigeria’s north-east. Now, lying three to a bed in a foreign country, they are silent and defeated. A stronger image for the hopelessness hanging over the nation’s army could scarcely exist.  

Fifteen years ago, Nigeria’s military was regarded as one of the most proficient in Africa and served as a stabilising force throughout the region. But today corruption and a lack of resources limit its ability to respond to the growing threat posed by Boko Haram, which wants to establish a caliphate in Nigeria. Mutinies and retreats like this one have become common among poorly-armed soldiers scared for their lives.

The army’s strength dates back to Nigeria’s 1967-1970 civil war. As the government fought to prevent Biafra’s secession, forces grew from around 10,500 at the start of the war to 250,000 by 1970, according to globalsecurity.org, a military portal.

Subsequently, a series of military governments, large oil revenues and ambitions to be a regional power have all been cited as factors contributing to the country’s military strength. This culminated in successful interventions in brutal civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Understanding exactly when the decline began is difficult, even for the government. Its proud military culture means those on the inside are unwilling to expose the army’s weaknesses. But it was the deployment to Mali in 2013—as part of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali organised by the Economic Community of West African States—that first exposed their problems to the world.

Nigeria was one of several west African countries that sent 3,000 soldiers to help regain control of Mali’s north from Islamic extremists. “When the Nigerians said they’d send troops, we all breathed a sigh of relief,” recalled one Western diplomat based in Abuja, the capital, who requested anonymity. “But they turned up—quite literally, in some cases—without boots or guns. That was a real wake-up call.”  

Since then, the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east has shone further light on the military’s problems. “It is unarguable now that there is a rotten core within the army,” the diplomat said.

Nigeria’s army faces a litany of problems and its forces are spread too thin fighting them. Although about 100,000 serve in the military, its priorities are divided between fighting Islamist insurgents in the north, controlling militancy and oil theft in the southern Niger Delta, and calming tribal conflict in the country’s middle-belt, said Kayode Akindele of the pan-African investment management firm 46 Parallels.

These competing interests have limited deployment in the north-east to about 15,000 troops, Mr Akindele said. This may not be significantly more than the number of rebels fighting for Boko Haram, according to Jacob Zenn, an analyst for the Jamestown Foundation, a US-based think-tank.

Weapons are another major constraint. Maintenance is poor and commanders report that supplies of functioning equipment have plummeted since the 1990s. Until 2014 the air force had no helicopters equipped for night operations, Mr Akindele said.

On paper, funding is not a problem. In 2013 Nigeria spent $2.4 billion on defence, an almost four-fold increase since 2005, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). But paltry oversight of military spending means funds designed to buy hardware, or pay soldiers’ salaries, are misappropriated.

Officers in charge choose what to do with the money, a second Western diplomat told Africa in Fact. “In the north, soldiers are not getting paid or fed and are not receiving ammunition. That’s a by-product of corruption.”

Additionally, Boko Haram’s hit-and-run tactics are hard for a standard military force to counter. “The army is built for face operations [traditional front-line warfare], not for this type of guerrilla warfare,” Mr Akindele said. Nigerian soldiers also lack their jihadist enemies’ fierce ideological motivation.  

Morale among Nigerian troops is at rock bottom: the press has reported several rebellions in the past year, and armed forces regularly retreat across borders to escape the better-equipped and more determined insurgents.

“Every time there is a fight on the frontier, we see them here,” said a doctor tending to wounded Nigerian soldiers in Niger’s Diffa region. In August 2014 nearly 500 troops withdrew into Cameroon, according to Cameroonian military reports.

Ethnic and religious sympathies, as well as personal interests, appear to have bred some collusion with Boko Haram. In August independent Australian hostage negotiator Stephen Davis, who attempted to secure the Chibok girls’ release, accused Nigeria’s former army chief of staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, of funding the sect. The Nigerian government has charged various soldiers and commanders with desertion, mutiny or involvement with the terrorists. In September a military court in Abuja convicted 12 soldiers of mutiny and attempted murder after they opened fire on their commander in north-eastern Borno state. They were sentenced to death.

London-based watchdog Amnesty International has accused Nigerian forces of multiple human rights abuses, ranging from the arbitrary arrest and detention of the wives and family of senior Boko Haram members, to the murder of civilians. “The same communities are now being terrorised in turn by Boko Haram and the military alike,” Salil Shetty, Amnesty’s secretary-general, said in a report released in August 2014.

Western nations, including the UK and US, say these allegations limit the military assistance they can provide Nigeria. In response, the Nigerian government argues that it has been forced to turn to non-traditional partners, such as Russia, to procure weapons, according to media reports.

Although many of these behaviour and resource problems have plagued the Nigerian army for several years, they have only emerged with the attention that Boko Haram has brought. To curb the risk of rebellion, leaders have intermittently withheld funds from the armed forces. For example, military leader Ibrahim Babangida cut funds to the air force after the failure of a rumoured coup in 1985 involving planned aerial bombardments, according to Mr Akindele.

When former military leader Olusegun Obasanjo became head of the new civilian government in 1999, he sacked hundreds of officers who had benefited politically from the previous military regimes, Mr Akindele recalled. “A lot of capacity was taken out in that one fell swoop, which, you could argue, they have not been able to replace,” he said.

The government and armed forces are slowly trying to reform. The military trials of recent months are “unprecedented in Nigerian history”, Mr Akindele pointed out. In January 2014, the country’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, replaced the leaders of the air force, army and navy, as well as the heads of the federal police force and the State Security Service, the country’s secret police. This major overhaul of the military high command suggests that the government is “looking for people they are confident are telling the truth”, the diplomat said.

Sadly, no quick solution to Boko Haram’s bloody insurgency looks likely. But it will certainly require much more than a military response. Part of the terrorists’ motivation lies in protest against the official neglect of Nigeria’s desperately poor north-east, which shows little sign of abating under the current leadership. The most likely solution to the insurgency would be a government that delivers, is transparent and performs proper oversight of military spending.

For many, though, it is too late. “In Nigeria, when I hear guns I am afraid, because I know…the army will not protect me,” said Rekia Abakar, a middle-aged refugee who fled fighting in Borno state and has settled in Niger with her children. “Here I feel better, because I am protected.”

PSYCHOANALYSIS OF REAL #GEJ AND REAL #GMB

This piece is a psychoanalysis of #Goodluck Jonathan and #Muhammadu Buhari. This is an insiders view of the personalities of these leading candidates by a man with insight into the personalities of both candidates.

According to Pastor Sunday Adelaja,  the Founder and Senior Pastor of The Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for All Nations in Kyiv, Ukraine,  regarded as the most successful pastor in Europe with over 25,000 members as well as daughter and satellite churches in over 35 countries worldwide.

Adelaja said"I have personally met President Jonathan on two occasions while he was the vice-president of the country. My first major concern during our meetings is that HE WAS ALWAYS IN A ‘SLEEP MODE’. I don’t think he is ever fully awake and this was my impression on both occasions.  He was always looking lost, sleepy and even out rightly dozing off during conversations, at least during my meetings with him. Please bear in mind that in both cases I came with teams of leaders from different countries such as: USA, Sweden, Spain, Ukraine, Nigeria, yet my vice-president was listening to us half asleep.  Now friends, I am not such that would be quick to judge, so I tried to give him the benefit of a doubt. However, my subsequent observations of President Jonathan through videos and photographs of his meetings, confirm the obvious, that this man is never in the ‘here and now’."

This submission is an excerpt of Pastor Sunday Adelaja's piece on the two personalities and much more... To paraphrase the great quotation ‘Plato is my friend — Aristotle is my friend — but my greatest friend is the truth’ by Isaac Newton.

Pastor Sunday Adelaja started by saying ‘Jonathan is my president, Goodluck is a Christian, but Nigeria is my greatest love” I will like to appeal to everyone that will see this article not to be in a hurry to ‘stone’ me, especially before you finish reading it. This is because I have seen a lot of emotions, sentiments and prejudices from the comments that were written under the article I had earlier posted on my Facebook page.

As a matter of fact, I was not planning to make my position a public knowledge, but seeing the reactions and the emotions that any form of support for Buhari/Osinbajo generates among Christians, I decided to make my position known at least to those who see me as a leader in the body of Christ.

AS EXPRESSED IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED QUOTATION – TO ME THE DESTINY AND FUTURE OF NIGERIA IS PARAMOUNT TO ANY SENTIMENT. I THEREFORE BELIEVE THAT I OWE IT TO MY FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND POSTERITY TO EXPLAIN WHY I BELIEVE THE BUHARI/OSINBAJO TICKET IS THE LIFE LINE TO THE NIGERIAN NATION RIGHT NOW.

Of course you all have the right to your opinions and you have the right to agree or disagree, but I think it would be fair for you to hear my point of view. From the comments on my Facebook, I can envisage disappointment and disillusionment in a lot of my followers as a result of my position, I    might actually be losing some friends and fans as a result but let’s not forget the words of Isaac newton

‘PLATO IS MY FRIEND— ARISTOTLE IS MY FRIEND — BUT MY GREATEST FRIEND IS THE TRUTH’. THEREFORE I SAY ‘JONATHAN IS MY PRESIDENT, GOODLUCK IS A CHRISTIAN, BUT NIGERIA IS MY GREATEST LOVE’ I have never done this before, to voice my position on the political issues of Nigeria publicly, especially through social media, newspaper or internet, BUT THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA COMPELS ME.

Ecclesiastics 10:16-17 16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! 17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness!

PART 1

THE PROFESSOR YEMI OSINBAJO THAT I KNOW

Until Gen. Buhari picked Professor Yemi Osinbajo as his running mate, I was not certain about my decision. In my opinion the choice of Professor Osinbajo wasn’t just a choice made by man, I believe it was God who handpicked him as Gen. Buhari’s running mate.   Why do I think so?    I know the man!    I would dare to say that I personally do not know any other Christian leader in Nigeria with the kind of impeccable reputation, character and integrity as that of Professor Osinbajo.

Friends, THE MAN IS REAL!  Everyone talks about the integrity and the purity of Pastor Adeboye and rightly so, I dare to say that Professor Osinbajo is a son and a carbon copy of Pastor Adeboye when it comes to integrity and    character. Anybody who has met him will affirm the same.   

There is no other person like Professor Osinbajo! Anyone that knows him very well will tell you the same thing. He is in a class of his own. I can confidently vouch for him and say to my fellow Nigerians that with the emergence of Professor Osinbajo, we can say at last that Nigeria as a nation has started releasing her best sons to the seat of    government.

In the ticket of Gen. Buhari and Professor Osinbajo, I see sons of nobles becoming the kings of Nigeria. I see in these people, princes   that would feast at the proper time- for strength and not for    drunkenness.    Unfortunately, what has been happening in Nigeria in the last six years can only be compared to a situation where the kings of our land have been like children, who feast in the morning. THE PREDICTABLE OUTCOME OF SUCH A PREDICAMENT IS A TALE OF WOES.

As a result, Nigeria has not been able to set herself free from all sorts of calamities, adversaries, woes and troubles, because our rulers have been as children and our princes (government officials) are those who like to feast in the morning. NO PURPOSEFUL PERSON GOES TO FEAST IN THE MORNING, THE MORNING IS A TIME OF LABOUR, HARD WORK AND DILIGENCE. BUT FROM THE STORIES WE HAVE BEEN HEARING OF HOW OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE BEEN DEPLETED, WE COULD SEE THAT OUR PRINCES ARE ON A ‘SHOPPING AND SPENDING SPREE’.

However, we need sons of nobles, those who will know how to delay their gratification, restrain their appetite and those who will go to work hard on behalf of the nation.   The Gen. Buhari and Professor Osibanjo that I know are men of Nobles that know how to delay gratification, men who don’t expect something for nothing, men of diligent labour.

Professor Osinbajo is one of the youngest and most brilliant Professors of Law Nigeria has ever produced. He understands law, academics and economics. He is perfectly prepared to manage the    nation. His eight years in the executive arm of the Lagos state   government attest to this. He brought more reforms to the government than any attorney general has ever done. His reputation was so    outstanding, pure and incorruptible that it gained a legendary status among those who know him. Friends, believe me, if he could do that in Lagos state, he can do it for Nigeria.  PROFESSOR OSINBAJO IS NOT JUST AN INTELLECTUAL PER EXCELLENCE, BUT HE IS A GENUINE CHILD OF GOD, A PASTOR WHO CANNOT BE A STOOGE TO ANYONE.

PART 2

MY PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

I have personally met President Jonathan on two occasions while he was the vice-president of the country. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT PRESIDENT JONATHAN IS A GOOD AND GENTLE MAN FROM MY OBSERVATIONS, BUT A GOOD MAN DOES NOT ALWAYS TRANSLATE TO A GOOD OR EFFICIENT LEADER.    I have told everybody that cares to listen in my private conversations with my friends since 2007 that even though God must have given President Jonathan the chance to become Nigeria’s president, yet my feeling is that he is grossly limited. He would need a team of super-efficient leaders to make his government work, otherwise on his own he is simply not in the consciousness of what good governance is all about.

My first major concern during our meetings is that HE WAS ALWAYS IN A ‘SLEEP MODE’. I don’t think he is ever fully awake and this was my impression on both occasions.  He was always looking lost, sleepy and even out rightly dozing off during conversations, at least during my meetings with him. Please bear in mind that in both cases I came with teams of leaders from different countries such as: USA, Sweden, Spain, Ukraine, Nigeria, yet my vice-president was listening to us half asleep.  Now friends, I am not such that would be quick to judge, so I tried to give him the benefit of a doubt. However, my subsequent observations of President Jonathan through videos and photographs of his meetings, confirm the obvious, that this man is never in the ‘here and now’. If you compare my experience with President Jonathan to my meetings with President Olusegun Obasanjo. President Obasanjo wasn’t just awake, in the ‘here and now’.

He was always at alert, sharp, responsive and more so, he would immediately pick up his phone calling    ministers and assistants to act on the proposals and suggestions that we were bringing to the table.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN IN MY OPINION LACKS DECISION MAKING SKILLS.   I brought in some proposals that could earn the nation of Nigeria and every state of the federation investments worth millions of US dollars yearly.  I was expecting him to respond with action like President Obasanjo did, instead his response was passive, he suggested that I should go to the states and meet with the Governors, which I had done, but the foreign philanthropists needed assurance from a top government official.



Yet, here was my vice president not acting and not been proactive in any way. The foreigners who were with me had to leave Nigeria disappointed with the lack of interest and inactive position of the second citizen of the country.   I am sure some people will be reading this thinking I was offended and    had some business interests. No! These were not business interests at all, these were projects concerning humanitarian aids for the poor, disabled and elderly. These were projects to help train our police   force in values and integrity. These were projects to equip our states with technical schools and colleges. I had nothing really to gain from it whatsoever. They were supposed to be Christian donations to the people of Nigeria as a whole.  The point I am making is about the necessary skills and sharpness required of the leader of a nation to take decisive decisions.

His ability to make things happen. We are talking about his ability to   provide solutions.  THESE ARE THINGS THAT MAKE GREAT LEADERS. MORE SO, WHEN YOU ARE THE   PRESIDENT OF A NATION YOU SURELY NEED THESE QUALITIES.

PART 3

IS GEN. BUHARI AN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST

YOU CAN SELL THAT PROPAGANDA TO ANYONE BUT A THINKING PERSON, THIS PROPAGANDA IS THE CHEAPEST AND THE MOST UNTHOUGHTFUL BY PEOPLE WHO USE IT.

1) If Gen. Buhari had been a fundamentalist, he would have Islamized Nigeria the very first time he became the head of state and had all the military power. A time when no one could tell him what to do or what not to do.  I was a young man in Nigeria at the time of his presidency and I    remember clearly the kind of awe and fear everyone had for his government. Almost nobody could stop him from doing whatever he wanted to do at that time.

SO IF HE HAD WANTED TO ISLAMIZE NIGERIA WHY DIDN’T HE DO IT THEN? REMEMBER THAT BOTH GEN. BUHARI AND HIS DEPUTY GEN. TUNDE IDIAGBON WERE COMMITTED MUSLIMS, YET THEY DID NOT ISLAMIZE NIGERIA. SO IT IS LUDICROUS TO BRING FORTH THIS ARGUMENT IN A DEMOCRATIC SETTING.

Hello my dear propagandists of the theory of Gen. Buhari been an   Islamic fundamentalist, why didn’t he turn Nigeria into a Muslim state when he had all the power in a non-democratic system of Government? If  he didn’t do that when he had all the 3 arms of government, the   legislative, executive and judiciary in his hands, What makes you  think he would be able to do that now? Even if he has that intention now, when he has just one arm of government, the executive in his hands, he still cannot with such a formidable opposition in PDP.  WHO ON EARTH IS BELIEVING THIS TYPE OF PROPAGANDA?



FRIENDS WAKE UP!

2) WHY IS IT THAT IT IS NOT BUHARI THAT TOOK US TO THE ORGANIZATION OF   ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC)?   The documents are there to prove that it was Gen. Babangida’s   government that did it, contrary to the rumours dubious individuals are spreading about Gen. Buhari.

3) Contrary to the wide spread belief in some circles in Nigeria, Gen.  Buhari is not the sponsor of Boko Haram and it is so sad that Nigerians will be so mischievous to be saying things they cannot   substantiate. How do I know this? Because the track record of Gen.  Buhari tells us that he cannot be Boko Haram’s sponsor.  I WAS IN NIGERIA AS A YOUNG MAN WHEN ANOTHER ISLAMIC SECT CALLED    MAITATSINE WAS TRYING TO RISE UP IN THE THEN KANO STATE MUCH LIKE BOKO    HARAM IS DOING NOW, IT WAS GEN. BUHARI’S GOVERNMENT THAT CRUSHED THE  UPRISING IN 1985.

Matthew 7: 16 you shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?  Jesus said that by their fruits you shall know them. Not by people’s propaganda. The fruits of Gen. Buhari’s life prove to me that he is the direct opposite of what the propagandists say he is.  THE FACT THAT GEN. BUHARI CRUSHED THE UPRISING OF MAITATSINE RADICAL MUSLIM UPRISING SHOWS THAT HE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO DEAL WITH THE   PRESENT PREDICAMENT WE ARE FACING WITH BOKO HARAM.

 4) As an Army General I think Gen. Buhari has the rudiments and qualifications to adequately respond to our national security challenges. Especially with him coming from the north and a Muslim. It   would be easier for him to crack down on Islamic extremism, because he will not be accused of discrimination since he is not a Christian who could later be accused of discriminating against Muslims.

5) HOW GEN. BUHARI CONSTITUTED HIS GOVERNMENT WHEN HE WAS HEAD OF    STATE IN 1982-1984:

  Gen. Buhari's Governors 1984-1985:

    1. Allison Madueke - Christian-Anambra.

    2. Jeremiah Useni - Christian - Bendel.

    3. Micheal Bamidele - Christian Ondo.

    4. Oladipo Diya - Christian - Ogun.

    5. David Mark - Christian - Niger.

    6. John Kpera - Christian - Benue.

    7. Dan Achibong - Christian - C/Rivers.

    8. Ike Nwachukwu -Christian -Imo.

    9. Oladipo Popoola - Christian - Oyo.

    10. Bitrus Atukum - Christian - Plateau.

    11. B.L. Letimah - Christian - Rivers.

    12. Salaudeen Latinwo - Muslim-Kwara.

    13. Gbolahan Mudasiru - Atheist-Lagos.

    14. Sani Sami -Muslim - Bauchi.

    15. Abubakar Waziri - Muslim - Borno.

    16. Muhammadu Jega - Muslim - Gongola.

    17. Usman Mu'azu - Muslim - Kaduna.

    18. Hamza Abdullahi - Muslim - Kano.

    19. Garba Duba -Muslim -Sokoto

  Out of 19 governors: 11 Christians, 1 atheist, 7 Muslims.

  

Buhari's Ministers:

    1. Domkat Bali -             Christian - Defence.

    2. Onaolapo Sholeye -                Christian-Finance.

    3. Emmanuel Nsan -    Christian - Health.

    4. Sam Omeruah -        Christian-Information.

    5. Tam David West -    Christian - Petroleum.

    6. Patrick Koshoni -      Christian - Works.

    7. Chike Offodile -        Christian - Justice. *Clement Isong - Christian Gov, CBN.

    Defence, works, petroleum, justice, finance and CBN governor were all Christians.

Friends wakeup and don’t be deceived by baseless accusations, an Islamic fundamentalist would not put in his government, Christians mostly.

IT IS A PITY THAT MANY HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES TO DECEIT.  LET’S STOP THE BASELESS ACCUSATION AGAINST THIS AGENT OF CHANGE AND FACE REALITY.  LET US VOTE FOR CHANGE. PLEASE DON'T BE DECEIVED. LET'S CHANGE NIGERIA!

PART 4.

WHY I BELIEVE PRESIDENT JONATHAN IS FAR MORE A FUNDAMENTALIST THAN GEN. BUHARI  

I am a pastor and I am happy that we have so many growing ministries and churches in Nigeria. It is our pride that Christianity is so popular in our country and that we have such a freedom of religion.    Dear readers, let’s imagine ourselves as Muslims for a minute.

Let’s assume you are a Muslim and what you see almost on a weekly basis is that your president is always flanked by leaders of his religion in a country where we don’t just have only Christians. In a diverse country like ours where Christians and Muslim are mostly on an equal footing, a Muslim could easily think why should his President often be surrounded mainly by Christian leaders? Either he is with the respected leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) or on the prayer ground of some of the highly regarded and respected Christian churches.

Supposing you are a Muslim and you see your president in such situations, is it not understandable for a Muslim to call him a Christian fundamentalist?  Now let’s imagine that it’s a Muslim president (for example Gen.  Buhari) that is always going from one mosque to the other always surrounded by various Muslim groups. I can imagine what kind of   accusations would have been coming from my Christian brothers and  sisters, in which case Gen.Buhari would not only be accused of been a   fundamentalist, he would also have been accused of Islamizing Nigeria.

But here is a Christian president doing what we would have called a fundamentalist act, yet we are accusing Gen. Buhari of been a fundamentalist when he doesn’t even do such things.   As a pastor myself, I think it’s a good thing that the president is doing this. I would be happy if the president comes to my church too.   I think it’s a good thing that we have that kind of freedom of worship in Nigeria. BUT LET’S BE FAIR, WHAT WOULD WE ACTUALLY SAY IF GEN.  BUHARI IS SEEN DOING THE SAME THING? MY POINT IS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A FAIR PLAY. GEN. BUHARI SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PRACTISE HIS RELIGION JUST

 AS PRESIDENT JONATHAN IS ALLOWED TO PRACTICE HIS RELIGION. The fundamental principle of the Christian faith states that we should treat others like we would like them to treat us.  Matthew 7:12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to   them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.    Most often we don’t want to give a fair treatment to our fellow countrymen that belong to another religion.  

THAT IS WRONG!

IT IS NOT FAIR!!

OUR GOD IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A GOD OF LOVE!!!

Can someone tell me the last time you saw Gen. Buhari been flanked by    popular leaders of his religion or kneeling down, praying with his Muslim clerics in a mosque? No, he makes his faith a personal affair.  This is not the action of a Muslim fundamentalist! But rather from the actions of President Jonathan, it is tempting to say he is more of a fundamentalist than Gen. Buhari.   Now, my Christian brothers and sisters- believe it, I am a Pastor and am not backsliding. Let’s just be objective! Put yourself in the shoes   of another Nigerian who is not a Christian, someone who is not in any way a more inferior Nigerian by our constitution.

Would you deny him the right to have a Muslim president in his own country just like we have our Christian president in President Goodluck Jonathan? How   comfortable should a Muslim be to call himself a Nigerian after seeing that his president is always with leaders of his Christian religion? How comfortable will you be to say that this man is still my president if you were in their shoes? However, the Muslims in Nigeria have largely been gracious enough to know and understand that this is freedom of religion and not to raise too much alarm about it.

But here we are as Christians calling a decent and modest Muslim, a fundamentalist just, because he is serious about his religion, despite his efforts to keep it private. He is not even the president yet!   What would we then say if he were to be flaunting his faith out there just like President Jonathan does? Please understand me, I am not saying this is necessarily bad but let’s put ourselves in others   position. THAT IS WHAT OBJECTIVITY MEANS. THAT IS WHAT TOLERANCE DEMANDS.  

It is bigotry, and it is religious nepotism that makes us think that when it benefits us we have all the right, but when it comes to others they don’t have the same right. For us it is acceptable. For us everything goes, but for others it is not acceptable. Why should we feel as Christians that we have a better or greater ownership of the country? Are we not all citizens of the same country with equal    rights?  Please let us think about the feelings of others who are fellow Nigerians of different religions who are not to be blamed that they were born in a non-Christian home. It could be anyone of us in their position.

    Mark 12:3 and the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself. ‘There is no other commandment greater than these.”  The greatest commandment of our Christian religion demands from us to be considerate of others. My fellow brothers and sister, let us be Christians not just in name but also in practice. To love your neighbour as yourself means we should love the Muslims and the pagans  as we will love our fellow Christians, and even more so we should love  them as much as we love ourselves. That is to say we should wish for them those things that we wish ourselves.

Part 5

‘‘PASTOR SUNDAY HOW DARE YOU SUPPORT A MUSLIM CANDIDATE’’?

  1) Apart from the points that I have highlighted above, I think it is legitimate for me and any other Nigerian to support any good ticket even if the representatives are not of your own religion. As long as the flag bearer for that ticket is a Nigerian, he has the right to be elected as the president or into any other position, because he is a citizen of this country. Fellow Nigerians, brothers and sisters, what    if somebody comes up to say a Muslim should never vote for a  Christian, that means no Christian will ever win the presidential  elections in Nigeria, because without the Muslim votes from the north,   south, east and west, it just won’t be possible. SO IT IS NOT FAIR TO SAY NO CHRISTIAN SHOULD VOTE FOR A MUSLIM, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT RELIGION HERE BUT ABOUT GOOD LEADERSHIP.

2) WHAT DETERMINES WHOM I SUPPORT DEPENDS ON THE PERSONALITY,   COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY AND REPUTATION OF THE PERSON INVOLVED. Another factor is the program the candidate puts forward. If I believe in the program, I will support them even if they are Muslims. I AM AWARE THAT   MANY NIGERIANS HAVE THE HABIT IN THE LAST DECADES OF TRAVELING TO  DUBAI WHICH IS AN ISLAMIC NATION, RULED BY ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS,  YET WE GO TO LEARN FROM THEM, THEY ARE DOING BETTER THAN US, THEY HAVE  BUILT A BETTER COUNTRY, SO WHAT IS THE ARGUMENT ABOUT? HEY, LET’S USE OUR MINDS. LET’S WAKEUP, LET’S FACE REALITY, LET’S BE LESS RELIGIOUS    AND AMBIGUOUS IN OUR THINKING.

3) I support the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket because I believe in the leadership attributes of the man. Gen. Buhari is one of the most   disciplined, diligent, focused and hardworking Nigerian leaders alive   today. is track record confirms this. Gen. Buhari ruled Nigeria for less than 2 years and accomplished much more than what most governments in Nigeria history has ever accomplished. Let’s see the facts.  

Some of his Achievements:

i) His administration initiated a public campaign against indiscipline known as "War against Indiscipline (WAI)" when he realized the   civilian government he took over from as head of states was HOPELESSLY    CORRUPT. The campaign is still lauded by many to have instilled the most orderly conduct of public and private affairs in Nigeria since its independence in 1960.

ii) In his time as head of state he reduced inflation from 23% to 4%, by fiscal discipline and a home-grown economic team (not achieved under any other era both civilian and military).

iii) He supervised and birthed our only existing refineries (1976-1978)

iv) What he did in road construction while in the PTF hasn't been matched in 16 years of democracy.

v) The hospitals and universities around the country never witnessed as much benefits as they got from the PTF than any other government after or before his time.

vi) The Gen. Buhari regime rebuffed all entreaties by IMF and World Bank to devalue the naira, remove subsidies on services and increase pump price on fuel.

vii) The Nigerian Naira was exchanged between 0.724 -0.894 to 1 Us    Dollar during Gen. Buhari's regime (1983-1985). Imagine our Naira was   more than the dollar just 29 years ago when I left the country to study in Europe.

Please check out these facts about Gen. Buhari. By the time you   confirm the information below, you will agree with me that this is not just the best presidential candidate we have running today, but maybe he is one of the best citizens Nigeria has ever produced. I hope after finding out about the statistics below you will also join me in   praying and hoping that Buhari/Osinbajo ticket takes the day.

4) WHILE FORMER LEADERS CAME TO LINE THEIR POCKETS WITH THE NATIONAL WEALTH BY PROMOTING THEMSELVES TO ‘GENERALS OF FORTUNE’. BY NAMING SOME IMPORTANT STREETS, EDIFICES, AND TOWNS IN NIGERIA AFTER   THEMSELVES. IT WAS NOT SO WITH GENERAL BUHARI. HE WAS DRIVEN BY PATRIOTIC ZEAL TO SERVE NIGERIA. EVEN AFTER BEING THE HEAD OF STATE FOR 20 MONTHS, HE NEVER PROMOTED HIMSELF TO A FOUR-STAR GENERAL LIKE OTHERS WHO CAME BEFORE OR AFTER HIM. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT  HE DID NOT CREATE THE OFFICE OF FIRST LADY, WHICH OTHERS DID AS A  MEANS OF STEALING THE NATIONAL AND COMMON WEALTH.

• Gen. Buhari presently has 2 houses, one owned by his father and one   he built with his pension

• He has no house or land in Abuja

• No property or savings abroad

• He has 2 cars (one belongs to his wife)

• He has no oil wells, no petrol station.

• His monetary assets was 6.5 million naira which now remains 1 million naira after he paid 5.5 million naira for his presidential nomination form (compared to 750 million declared by President Jonathan)

• Gen. Buhari and Nelson Mandela were the only private African individuals invited to the white house during president Barrack Obama’s Inauguration why? Because they are men of integrity.  

• Above all, he is not associated with corruption of any form or sort.



5) For those who are making too much ado about Gen. Buhari’s age. I  RATHER THINK, THAT GEN. BUHARI BEING A SEPTUAGENARIAN, AND KNOWING THAT NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE IN LIFE, WOULD LIKE  TO EXCEED HIS PREVIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS. So I believe it is better to give Gen. Buhari the chance to render his best service and to leave the best legacy he could possibly leave for the posterity of Nigerians.

President Jonathan has already been given 6 years to prove his worth and Nigerians can now give a similar chance to Gen. Buhari. If he fails to deliver then we are free to remove him as well and give the chance to another person. If we re-elect President Jonathan now it means he will be ruling Nigeria for 10 years and the only person to have ruled Nigeria for that long was Gen. Gowon (9 years).

6) GEN. BUHARI ACHIEVED SO MUCH IN HIS WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION BETWEEN DEC 1983 AND AUG 1985. HE IS A MAN OF INTEGRITY. HE IS THE ONLY OR ONE OF A FEW EX-LEADERS NOT LIVING IN OPULENCE. Gen. Buhari’s government jailed over 600 corrupt politicians and businessmen and refused to   release them until their loot was recovered. I must admit though, that there were probably a lot of excesses in his government’s fight   against corruption, yet we cannot but commend his efforts. Only those who do nothing make no mistakes. He even tried to forcefully kidnap President Shagari's defence minister from the UK, who had stolen from   the coffers of the government. This action was necessary after British   government refused to send him back to Nigeria. During his rule, there   was less crime, he took a hard line on all crime especially armed robbers and drug traffickers. Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, that many   Nigerians admire, actually modelled himself after Gen. Buhari.    Nigeria's number one problem is corruption. Once corruption is tackled, all other challenges facing the nation from credible elections to economic development and infrastructures like electricity, water, transports would work better.

7) I believe that if Pastor Bakare will agree to be a running mate to   someone, then that must be a good person, because Pastor Tunde Bakare  is a no nonsense pastor yet he agreed to run with Gen. Buhari in 2011.   After that experience even now Pastor Bakare though not running still   says he will never speak against Gen. Buhari, because he has seen the content of his character. Now if Pastor Osinbajo is supporting the same presidential candidate, it means there is something in this man   that Nigerians should pay attention to. THESE ARE NOT PEOPLE THAT CAN BE EASILY MANIPULATED OR BOUGHT OVER. THESE TWO NIGERIANS CANNOT BE BOUGHT OVER BY ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY.

8) I have heard from reliable sources about Gen. Buhari’s impeccable reputation, from people whose names I will not like to disclose here   without a prior agreement. These are men of integrity, Christian men,   pastors who have met one on one with Gen. Buhari and their testimony is that they have never seen a man of such quality, humility and strength of character in Nigeria. THESE ARE PASTORS TALKING OF HOW IMPECCABLE GEN. BUHARI’S CHARACTER IS AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE    EVER MET. I WOULD RATHER VOTE FOR THAT KIND OF MAN THAN SUPPORT   SOMEONE WHO IS JUST A ‘CHRISTIAN’ WITHOUT CHARACTER OR INTEGRITY.

ANOTHER FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS ALSO A PASTOR OF A GREAT REPUTE WHOM I    DON’T HAVE ANY BASIS TO DOUBT, TOLD ME THAT GEN. BUHARI HIMSELF   DISCLOSED TO HIM THAT HIS PERSONAL DRIVER OF OVER TWO OR THREE DECADES   IS A CHRISTIAN. HE ALSO DISCLOSED THAT GEN. BUHARI TOLD HIM THAT HIS PERSONAL COOK, IS A CHRISTIAN WOMAN. THESE ARE TWO OF THE CLOSEST AND MOST TRUST WORTHY PEOPLE IN ANYBODY’S LIFE AS YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON THEM. Gen. Buhari surrounds himself with Christians not just Muslims.

I don’t believe such a man hates Christians. More so I also have another first-hand information from another friend about Gen. Buhari’s   quality. This friend of mine is a Christian from the south-south    region of Nigeria, and he wanted to get some assurances from Gov.  Tinubu about the personality of Gen. Buhari, He therefor asked Gov.   Tinubu the question, if Gen. Buhari was a Muslim fundamentalist that did not like Christians, to which Tinubu said, ‘you don’t need to  believe my words, come here tomorrow morning, Gen. Buhari will be here   then you can sit down with him and ask him whatever questions you have  yourself’.

The meeting took place and at the end of this meeting this    south-south Christian leader became a converted believer in the integrity and credibility of Gen. Buhari as one of the soundest, most   realistic and most sincere persons he has ever met in his entire life.  Dear friends these are people I know personally with Character of the highest level, I believe them, so I choose to support Buhari /Oshibajo    ticket.

 9) THE NEXT REASON WHY I SUPPORT THE BUHARI/OSINBAJO TICKET IS BECAUSE   I BELIEVE GOD HAS USED GEN. BUHARI TO HIGHLIGHT AND TO BRING TO THE   FOREFRONT ONE OF THE BEST MEN THAT WAS EVER BORN IN THE NATION OF   NIGERIA, WHICH IS PROFESSOR YEMI OSINBAJO.

I believe that by the grace   of God, this ticket has a very good chance of winning just at least for Nigerians to have something to write home about their nation. So that this next generation will not be a wasted generation. Believe me friends if anyone can do it Gen Buhari/Prof Oshibajo can, they have what it takes. These men, friends are the real deal.

10) Even though I have high regard for President Jonathan as a person   and for other Christian gentlemen that are in his government, but I dare to say that there is no body that brings a better representation of the church of the lord Jesus Christ to the Nigerian Government like professor Osinbajo. I BELIEVE WITH HIM AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, THE CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW AND THE KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE WILL HAVE A BETTER EXPRESSION THAN WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.



11) Though Gen. Buhari is strong and I pray and believe God will give   him long life, strength and vigour, yet he might not want to go for the second term, but might prefer to step down for his vice president for the second term. He might decide that he is too old to go for the second term after the first 4 years when he would be 76 years old, which could present the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo a chance of supernaturally emerging as the next president of Nigeria. IF THAT HAPPENS I BELIEVE THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST DREAM FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF NIGERIANS.

12) I believe that Gen. Buhari has what it takes to unite Nigeria like no other leader today in the country. Why? Because his biography and his track record proves that he is a committed Nigerian. I DON’T BELIEVE THAT GEN. BUHARI WANTS TO DIVIDE NIGERIA, BECAUSE HE RISKED HIS LIFE BY GOING TO WAR FOR A UNITED NIGERIA. HE WENT TO WAR TO   PROTECT THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF NIGERIA. HE WAS READY TO DIE FOR NIGERIA. HE SACRIFICED HIS COMFORT, HIS YOUTH, AND HIS FAMILY’S COMFORT. HE RISKED EVERYTHING TO ALLOW US TO GROW UP IN A UNITED NIGERIA.

His life is a better proof that he is a better Nigerian than most of the people who are criticizing him now. Most of the people criticizing him have not made the sacrifice he has made for Nigeria.   Gen. Buhari has held the following positions in Nigeria enough to   understand better than most people how to govern and unite Nigeria:

    I) Governor of North-Eastern State of Nigeria (August 1975 – March 1976)

    II) Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources (March 1976- June 1978)

    III) Chairman Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (June 1978- July 1978)

    IV) 7th Head of State of Nigeria (Dec 31, 1983- August 27, 1985)

    V) Chairman PTF (Mid 1994- July 1999)

Antecedence of individuals is very important in human history,   therefore Gen. Buhari's antecedence speaks for itself. Whenever the   history of corporate Nigeria is written, Gen. Buhari's contribution    will be written in Gold!!!

My dear brothers and sister don’t let us be overly agitated. God still rules in the affairs of men. I remember I had this type of feeling when Gen. Obasanjo was coming out from the prison to rule Nigeria in 1999, then also so many Christian leaders and believers refused to support him, because they said he was a stooge of the northern Muslims. Even most Yorubas in the south west where he himself comes from refused to vote for him. But because it was the will of God and because God rules in the affairs of men, His will could not be stopped. Gen. Obasanjo emerged as the president in spite of the opposition from his own people and from his own Christian brethren.  There are times when God will use the Cyrus’s of this world and the Babylonians to accomplish his purpose on earth for which He calls them his servants and his army. I BELIEVE THIS TICKET, BUHARI/OSIBAJO IS GODS DREAM TEAM TO RESCUE NIGERIA FROM AN IMMINENT SHIP WRECK. GOD   BLESS NIGERIA!



PART 6.

REASONS WHY I CANNOT SUPPORT JONATHAN/SAMBO TICKET.

Probably a more urgent reason why I feel this sixth part of the article is important is because of all the sentiments, bigotry and   prejudice that I see from the side of my fellow Christian brothers and   sisters.  I FEEL THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY ON MY SHOULDERS TO DESTROY THE MOUNTAIN OF IGNORANCE AND DARKNESS THAT I SEE EMANATING FROM THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. I’m amazed and alarmed that Christians who are supposed to be having the mind of Christ, the wisdom of God and the analytical faculty to digest any complex situation are out rightly refusing to use their minds or their intellect for that matter.

I agree that we all have our choices to make and every one of us has his or her own reasons why we make one decision or the other- but there must be reasons, there must be arguments, there must be facts and these facts and reasons must be credible. However, sadly from the Christian reactions that I have seen so far, excuse me for my use of words, it’s like we are hypnotized, brain washed or just out rightly biased. TOO MUCH OF EMOTIONS AND CLICHÉS BUT TOO LITTLE SUBSTANCE.  To buttress my argument, I want to state the reasons, why I cannot endorse the Jonathan/Sambo ticket below, every point being backed up with facts and evidences.

1) I believe God chose President Jonathan for a reason and I also   believe that his time span is over. Just like God choose Saul, he had his time, but God also chose David to take over from him. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT PRESIDENT JONATHAN HAS HAD HIS TIME TO PROVE HIS WORTH IN THE LAST SIX YEARS. WHAT HE COULD NOT DO IN SIX YEARS I DOUBT, IF HE WILL BE ABLE TO DO IN THE NEXT FOUR.

• Five trillion naira is the summation of government funds said to have been stolen, according to: Mallam Nuhu Ribadu led Petroleum Task  Force report, the Minister of Trade and Investment’s report on stolen  crude, the House of Representatives fuel subsidy report and investigations into the ecological fund, SIM card registration and frequency band spectrum sale.

• The Nuhu Ribadu report on the oil and gas sector put daily crude oil  theft at a high 250,000 barrels daily at a cost of $6.3bn (N1.2trn) a   year. This puts the total amount lost through oil theft in two years    of Jonathan’s government at over $12.6bn (N2trn).

2) In October 2012, the African Insurance Organization ranked Nigeria as the “Kidnap-for-Ransom Capital of the World,” accounting for 25 per cent of global kidnappings.  The President admitted that there are sponsors of Boko Haram in his government. If that is the case why don’t you bring them to book? Why can’t you catch them? Why can’t you prosecute them? Are you not the president?

 A PRESIDENT THAT WILL ADMIT SUCH A THING, AND YET DO NOTHING ABOUT IT SHOULD NOT BE OCCUPYING THAT SIT.  President Jonathan alleged that the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram,   had infiltrated his government. He claimed some members of the group, which had claimed responsibility for the killings in parts of the North, were in the executive, legislative and judiciary arms of government as well as the police and armed forces.  GIVE ME A BREAK, AM I THE PRESIDENT? WHY COMPLAIN TO ME? I AM ONLY A CITIZEN. ONE OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL REASONS FOR GOVERNMENTS IS TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR ITS CITIZENS, IF A GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING THAT   THEN WE DON’T HAVE A GOVERNMENT. Jonathan spoke during an inter-denominational service to mark the 2012 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

 3) Recently the respected global audit financial advisory firm KPMG rated Nigeria as the most fraudulent country in Africa. The firm also said that Nigeria’s fraud profile has been compounded by fraud and corruption in the oil sector, with “bribes in the private and public sector, misappropriation, and contract inflation” as common forms of fraud.   Nigeria is regarded as one of the most corrupt nations in the world.  This should be no news, but what is however news, is the response of our Nation’s Commander-in-Chief, President Goodluck Jonathan. He said “There is no corruption but mere stealing in Nigeria” during one of his last Presidential Media Chats.

This statement is not only   alarming, but it is upsetting and disquieting. It is simply   terrifying. A MAN WHO IS SAYING STEALING IS NOT CORRUPTION HAS NOTHING   TO DO IN GOVERNMENT ESPECIALLY BEING THE PRESIDENT OF A NATION.

4) If some respected Individuals who fought for President Jonathan to  take over from Yar’ Adua are now leading the campaign for him to step  down even though they were his staunch supporters yesterday, that  tells me that we must read in between the lines.

• Pastor Tunde Bakare led the “Save Nigeria Group” to campaign for the instalment of President Jonathan in place of the ailing president Yar ’Adua. Today Pastor Tunde Bakare is one of the most passionate people   calling for a change in the Nigerian government.

• It was after the popular outburst of President Obasanjo against the Yar’ Adua’s cabal that a real change took place and President Jonathan  was instated, today however President Obasanjo is leading the call for President Jonathan not to run for another term.



• Gov. Rotimi Ameachi and an array of other famous individuals of integrity who once supported President Jonathan are now leading the call for his resignation.

• One other person is Oby Ezekwesili an exceptionally gifted Nigerian woman. I know she supported President Jonathan to replace President Yar ‘Adua, but she is now leading the protest against President    Jonathan’s government through the organization, ‘Bring Back Our Girls’. That should tell any thoughtful person something.

• I know these people are being accused of having ulterior motives. I think the truth is that they simply love Nigeria more than they love President Jonathan. They all have the opportunity to go the easy way and sell their allegiance, but they have refused to compromise at the price of personal loss. If these people who have access to inside information about President Jonathan and his regime more than an average Nigeria are saying he must go, let’s think twice.

5) LEADING COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD ARE APPALLED BY THE LEVEL OF  CORRUPTION IN PRESIDENT JONATHAN’S GOVERNMENT AND IF THEY ARE NOT  AFRAID TO VOICE OUT THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT NIGERIA, WHY SHOULD WE BE  SILENT? Normally nations are careful to voice their opinion on matters    of other sovereign countries.

Things have gotten so bad that countries that were willing to come to    our aid to help fight Boko haram and bring back our girls are now   leaving, getting frustrated and saying there is nothing they can do as  far as this government is in power.  Former United States’ Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in a public interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, lambasted President Jonathans’ government, in her words, “They have squandered their oil wealth, they have allowed corruption to fester and now they are losing control of parts of their territory because they wouldn’t make hard choices”

6) On a personal note, I have reasons to have pledged my allegiance to President Jonathan like many other Christian leaders.  First of all he was kind enough to receive me at The Aso rock Presidential Villa.  Secondly his government gave the opportunity to serve to another sound, unique and exceptional Nigerian who happens to be my Premier disciple, Prof Vincent Anigbogu.  He has had exclusive privilege and opportunity to be invited to minister and serve President Jonathan on several occasions. At least for the sake of friendship, it would have been easier for me to keep quite.

However like I said earlier, ‘Plato is my friend — Aristotle is my   friend — but my greatest friend is the truth’- Isaac newton. In my   words, ‘Jonathan is my president, Goodluck is a Christian but Nigeria   is my greatest love’.  NIGERIA IS ON THE VERGE OF COMPLETE COLLAPSE AND DESTRUCTION. SO I   MUST RAISE MY VOICE, DESPITE THE INCONVENIENCES THIS MIGHT BE TO ME PERSONALLY. I’M DOING THIS AS AN EXAMPLE TO THE NEXT GENERATION, FOR THEM TO KNOW HOW TO STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH, REGARDLESS OF WHO IS INVOLVED; CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS OR WHOEVER. THE TRUTH IS WORTH DEFENDING WITHOUT BIAS AND BIGOTRY.

7) It is my belief that things would have been worse under the Jonathan’s Presidency, but for some exceptional leaders and ministers he was able to bring to his team. People like the:

Prof. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala minister of Finance,

Akinwumi Adesina minister of Agriculture,

Olusegun Aganga Minister of Trade and investment

Prof. Chinedu O. Nebo the minister of power.

These are the few that I either know personally or of whom I have received the highest commendation. I pray that when the next government in Nigeria emerges, they will have the wisdom to include all the best Nigerians from past regimes. Especially these individuals who have proven over the years that they are some of the best professionals that this country has ever produced.

BUT DESPITE HOW GOOD THESE MEN ARE, THEY ALL NEEDED A COMMANDER – IN - CHIEF THAT IS STRONG ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM A BETTER LEADERSHIP. I DON’T BELIEVE PRESIDENT JONATHAN IS STRONG ENOUGH TO PROVIDE THAT LEADERSHIP.

8) EVERYTHING RISES AND FALLS ON LEADERSHIP.

A president must be able to provide leadership. Even with the best of   men, if the man at the top is not strong, much would not be accomplished. Some of the best performing government officials in our recent past that I had the opportunity to listen to all credited their success in government to one factor- their leader.  Most Nigerians are grateful to the late Professor Dora Akunyili. She personally told me that she would not have achieved all she achieved in government without the backing of the then President.  At a meeting with the finance Minister (Hon. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala) as I   was thanking her for eradicating our debt burden and all other land mark achievements during her tenure in the Nigerian government.

She   was quick to note that it was due to the fact that she had a strong commander - in - Chief in the person of President Olusegun Obasanjo.  I heard Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai say the same thing. The same notion was  echoed by Nuhu Ribadu.  THE POINT I AM MAKING IS, EVERYTHING RISES AND FALLS ON GOOD OR BAD LEADERSHIP – NIGERIA DESERVES A MORE QUALIFIED LEADER.

9) The Economic Intelligence Unit EIC declared that Nigeria is the worst country for anyone to be born in in 2013.  Nigeria ranked 80 among the 80 countries accessed. A PRESIDENT THAT CANNOT DEMAND FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND EFFICIENCY DESPITE ALL THE WEALTH GENERATED IN THE LAND IS NOT FIT TO RULE.

10) President Jonathan’s government justifies the sum of about N1trillion spent on security, despite the growing insecurity situation in the country. Yet, the military and security officials are still    considered ill-equipped to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency.

Despite all manner of sporadic bombings in the country by Boko Haram   our president maintains that the federal government is winning the war on terror, that Nigeria is safe for living.   A MAN WHO GOES OUT TO SAY ALL IS WELL WHEN THINGS ARE FALLING APART AROUND HIM CAN BE SAID TO BE OBLIVIOUS AND IGNORANT OF THE PLIGHT AND SUFFERINGS OF PEOPLE HE SWORE TO PROTECT AND SERVE. MOREOVER, AS THOUSANDS OF NIGERIAN FAMILIES ARE GOING FOR THE FUNERALS OF THEIR    LOVED ONES, OUR PRESIDENT IS BUSY MOVING FROM ONE PARTY/CEREMONY TO THE OTHER.

11) According to the BBC on the 29th January 2014:

    5 former governors of PDP

    16 senators

    49 representatives

    Have all defected to APC.

    THAT IS AN ALARM FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO LISTEN THAT THERE IS A   PROBLEM IN THE PDP CAMP. TO ME IT MEANS IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE OF   GUARD.  I don’t buy into the argument that all these people are bad or have their own ulterior motives.



12) I was in Lagos and I saw the transformation that Gov. Fashola has   brought to that state. Despite the fact that he is a Muslim, he was able to perform better than most Christian governors of other states.  Initially, there were people who were also against him because he was  a Muslim, but his track record has proven that it is not religion that  determines good leadership, but the individual qualities of the man.  I had the opportunity of meeting Gov. Fashola personally and I can tell you that He is a new breed of leaders; sound, intelligent, analytical, progressive and effective. By the way he was in the same team with Prof Osinbajo for 8 years in the Lagos state government under the leadership of Gov. Tinubu. What I am trying to say is, if such a man is saying that the Jonathan government is a failure, I listen. I hope Nigerians listen too.

Let’s hear what Gov. Fashola has to say about President Jonathan.   These are not just the words of an opposition politician but they are   words that ring a bell in the heads of most Nigerians. “Now what is on   the other side (PDP), because I spent about an hour listening to the president in my state? For almost the same period, I saw a very angry president. I saw a president who is lamenting about people judging his   performance and blaming all those who ruled before him, forgetting  that he has been on this job for six years’’

“And he kept saying ‘they say we don’t have a plan’ and for almost 45 minutes he did not reveal a plan on security, he did not reveal a plan on corruption. I listened to him. Now after six years without being able to articulate what he has done and what he will do, but blaming everybody and forgetting that he is the Commander-in-Chief. If the  kitchen is becoming too hot as it’s becoming obvious he must get out  of it’’ IF GOVERNORS LIKE ADAMS OSHIOMOLE, ROCHAS OKOROCHA, RAUF AREGBESOLA,  WHO HAVE PROVEN THEIR QUALITY BY THEIR RESULTS ARE ALL SAYING NIGERIA    NEEDS A DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP I THINK IT IS WISE TO LISTEN. THEIR PARTY MEMBERSHIP NOTWITHSTANDING.

13) There is a popular misconception that Gen. Buhari promised to make   Nigeria ungovernable if he didn’t win the 2011 elections against   President Jonathan but that has been found to be completely false.

• Major General Muhammadu Buhari never said he will make Nigeria ungovernable in 2011 in any format.

• It was a PDP politician, Alhaji Lawal Kaita who actually said Nigeria would be ungovernable if Jonathan became president in 2011.

• It was Jonathan’s media spokesman, Reuben Abati who sat down and largely concocted the slanderous libel against Gen. Buhari in April 2011.

• General Muhammadu Buhari took Reuben Abati to court for damaging his name.

• The Jonathan Presidency begged Gen. Buhari to settle the case with    Reuben Abati and the Guardian Newspaper out of court.

• General Buhari obliged and settled out of court.

• Reuben Abati with The Guardian Newspaper published an unreserved apology to Gen. Buhari in the Guardian of 11th July, 2013.   IT IS BASED ON FALSEHOOD SO I WILL NOT SUPPORT A RE-ELECTION BID THAT   IS GROUNDED ON LIES AND DECEPTION OF THE ELECTORATE.

14) Gen. Buhari has a credible leadership track record and has won awards to that effect. He is known among his people as ‘Mai Gaskiya’   interpreted in English as ‘Person of truth or integrity’. NO ACT OF   CORRUPTION HAS BEEN TRACED TO HIS PREVIOUS TENURE IN ANY GOVERNMENTAL   POSITION.

MY CLOSING REMARKS

This is the last of my six part article on why I endorsed Buhari/Osinbajo ticket. I want to use this opportunity to say thank you to everyone that has taken his or her time to go through all or   part of these articles. I also want to thank those who expressed their   opinions either for or against. This is what freedom of expression and   democracy is all about. More so, the ‘love of truth’ compels us to    express our true feelings without hypocrisy and double standards. OUR   GOD IS A GOD OF TRUTH -SO TRUTH MUST BE ENCOURAGED NOT JUST AMONG THE   POPULOUS, BUT ESPECIALLY FROM THE PULPIT.    1Timothy 3:15 ‘’ … which is the church of the living God, the pillar   and ground of the truth’’    THE CHURCH SHOULD STAND FOR THE TRUTH, PROPAGATE THE TRUTH, ESTABLISH    THE TRUTH AND UP HOLD THE SOCIETY WITH THE POWER OF TRUTH.

 1) One of the most important concerns of the people writing comments on my article is the declaration or the intention of the fundamentalists to Islamize Nigeria.    I don’t know why my fellow Christians should be afraid of that. The   Muslims have the right to declare their own intentions as much as we   have the right to declare ours. I would rather say kudos to the   Muslims for organizing themselves with an agenda even though that agenda could be evil, but they must be commended for having a plan, a   goal and an organization to implement it.

MY THINKING IS THAT WE THE BODY OF CHRIST SHOULD TAKE IT AS A   CHALLENGE. IT IS A WAKEUP CALL TO THE CHURCH IN NIGERIA, TO WAKE UP   FROM SLUMBER. IT IS A CALL FOR US TO UNITE AS WELL, STRUCTURE   OURSELVES AND WORK OUT A MASTER PLAN TO CHRISTIANIZE NIGERIA. I DON’T    KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I WANT THE WHOLE OF NIGERIA TO BE CHRISTIANIZED. I   WANT THE WHOLE WORLD TO BE CHRISTIANIZED. THAT IS WHY I AM A CHRISTIAN PREACHER, SO I ALSO HAVE AN AGENDA.

Every church in the world must have that same agenda, to turn the whole world to Christianity. We should not be afraid, if the Muslims want to do the same thing. Let them do it fairly without hatred,    violence, and war. Same thing goes to the Christians. So instead of us connecting the Abuja declaration to Gen. Buhari’s election under APC,   we should rather channel our energy to organizing ourselves and putting our acts together.

I SINCERELY THINK IT IS CHEAP TO USE THAT KIND OF ARGUMENT AS THE   REASON WHY GEN. BUHARI SHOULD NOT BE SUPPORTED BY CHRISTIANS.

 2) Another recurrent argument I hear from my Christian critics is that I should be aware of the fact that the nation of Turkey used to be a   Christian nation and the same thing could happen to Nigeria.   This argument is in the same category as the first one. I live in a country that is an hour flight from Turkey, so I know the history   quite well.

But why should we put the responsibility of Nigeria not    becoming a Muslim nation on the Muslims? I thought we should put it on the Christian church. We are the ones to make sure that our country is    not Islamized. At the end of the day the church decides, not APC nor   Gen. Buhari or any political party whatsoever. We should only be   worried about the outside enemy if our house is divided within itself.

 Mark 3:24 -‘’If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.’’  IF WE ARE SOLID AS A CHURCH WE DON’T NEED TO FEAR OUTSIDE ENEMIES. I  THINK WE SHOULD RATHER DIRECT THE EFFORT WE ARE USING TO FIGHT THE MUSLIMS TO DEVELOP OURSELVES, GET THE CHURCH READY AND HEALTHY. IF WE FOCUS SO MUCH ON THE OUTWARD ENEMY WE WILL NOT NOTICE WHEN AND HOW DECADENCE PENETRATES INTO THE MIDST OF THE CHURCH.

Mathew 11:15 – ‘’Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

3) Some Christians say that we Christians don’t go about killing people to convert them to our own religion like the Muslims do. Maybe this is true, but that kind of attitude starts from what I witness    after each one of my articles this week. KILLING PEOPLE STARTS FROM   SENTIMENTS, BIGOTRY, LACK OF TOLERANCE AND OBJECTIVITY. WHEN WE ARE BIASED, PREJUDICED, LACK THE PATIENCE TO CONSIDER THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS, THEN WE ARE NOT WALKING IN LOVE SAME AS THE MUSLIM   FUNDAMENTALISTS. I AM AFRAID THAT IF WE ALSO CONTINUE WITH LACK OF   TOLERANCE TOWARDS OTHERS WE MIGHT SOON BE KILLING PEOPLE MAYBE NOT PHYSICALLY BUT AT LEAST IN OUR ATTITUDES.

1John 3:15 - Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.    For us not to become murderers we must learn to be tolerant. By so doing we can strip the sword out of the hands of the radical Islamic fundamentalists.

LOVE OVERCOMES, LOVE WINS,   WE WIN.  If we would be tolerant to our opponents, if we would try our best to   understand them, we shall reap what we sow. they too will equally   begin to respond to us in love and tolerance.

Matthew 5: 43-46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

MAY GOD HELP US

MAY GOD HELP NIGERIA

 MAY GOD HELP THE CHURCH!

4) For those who chose to rather insult me instead of bringing out their reasons and arguments, I say THE YOUNG SHALL GROW.  When people are void of reasons they result to abuses and insults. I pray that our society will grow up, not just spiritually but mentally and intellectually as well. Only then will the authority of truth, facts and statistics play a greater role in our society than the power of emotions and shouts.

5) For those who say they are disappointed at me delving into Nigeria’s political landscape. Well, I welcome your opinion. But you must also recognize the fact that just like you, I have the right to an opinion as well. So if you as a believer or pastor feel that a minister should not talk about politics, it is your opinion, your choice - good for you! But if I happen to have an opposite opinion to yours, it is honorary for you to recognize that I too have the right to my own opinion.

‘’THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING.’’ - EDMUND BURKE

My actions are based on my own understanding of life and the scriptures - old and New Testament. I am only doing what I believe to be scripturally right. The fact that others don’t do it underlines the    importance of diversity in life. OUR GOD IS A GOD OF DIVERSITY.

That is why we have people of different heights, sizes, colours. Even the disciples of Jesus Christ who listened to the gospel from his mouth still understood the same message differently, hence the four different gospels, (Matthew, mark, Luke and John) each one with their unique understanding of the same event.

Even though the gospels were not all written by immediate disciples of Jesus the point still remains the same. I believe that God intentionally put all the four gospels in the bible so as to teach us to accommodate each other’s diverse views and opinions. Some of us would have simply taken one account of the gospel and condemn the three others, but not God.



GOD IS A TOLERANT GOD. He is tolerant to everything but sin. So dear brothers and sisters let us learn to be tolerant of each other even if we don’t belong to the same culture, party or religion.  I think the life experience of the German protestant pastor Martin Niemoller would best explain to my critics my position on political matters

FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE SOCIALISTS, AND I DID NOT SPEAK OUT— BECAUSE I WAS NOT A SOCIALIST.

THEN THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, AND I DID NOT SPEAK OUT—    BECAUSE I WAS NOT A TRADE UNIONIST.

THEN THEY CAME FOR THE JEWS, AND I DID NOT SPEAK OUT—    BECAUSE I WAS NOT A JEW.

THEN THEY CAME FOR ME—AND THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT TO SPEAK FOR ME

I hope my speaking up at this critical hour in our nation’s history would play a significant role in deciding the destiny of our beloved country. I know I have probably lost a lot of friends, because I have   been receiving so many messages and letters to that effect.  Isaiah 62:1 - For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for  Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go  forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burns.



What more can I say?   In the words of the great protestant reformer Dr. Martin Luther   ‘’UNLESS I AM CONVINCED BY PROOFS FROM SCRIPTURES OR BY PLAIN OR CLEAR REASONS AND ARGUMENTS. I CAN AND WILL NOT RETRACT FOR IT IS NEITHER SAFE NOR WISE TO DO ANYTHING AGAINST CONSCIENCE. HERE I STAND I CAN DO NO OTHER. GOD HELP ME, AMEN!

GOD BLESS NIGERIA

GOD BLESS MY BELOVED NATION

GOD BLESS MY FATHER LAND

GOD BLESS NIGERIA THE LAND OF GOOD PEOPLE GREAT NATION

LONG LIVE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA