President Jonathan Pays N11bn To Bug Your Phones

Knowing what Nigerians are discussing over the phone is so important for President Jonathan that he awarded two different contracts for the same purpose in less than two months, Premium Times reports.

On August 31, 2010, less than six months after he became acting president, Jonathan awarded an approximately N6billion contract to an Israeli-owned but Abuja-based security firm, V & V Nigeria Limited, for the “Procurement of strategic GSM Tracking System for the Nigeria Police Force and expansion/upgrade of the existing system with the DSS”.
The project was awarded to the contractor by the Ministry of Police Affairs, and was jointly hosted by the Nigeria Police and Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), under the Nigeria Police Reform Programme.
Less than two months after that, on October 21, 2010, another N2.61 billion contract was awarded by the same Ministry of Police Affairs “for the procurement of Strategic GSM Tracking and Interception Systems for the Department of State Services, under the Nigeria Police Reform”.

The second contract, which appears to be a duplicate of the first, was awarded to a British security firm, Gamma TSE Limited, which, according to the information on its website, “manufactures highly specialized surveillance vehicles and integrated surveillance systems, helping government agencies collect data and communicate it to key decision-makers for timely decisions to be made”.
The two projects were, however, neither budgeted for nor listed among contracts approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2010. They were also not included in the government’s budget implementation reports for that year.
There is also no indication that the contracts complied with Nigeria’s public procurement law, which requires competitive bidding for government contracts of that magnitude.

Paid Anti-Buhari Protesters @ Chatham House

A Lesson for Fayose,FFK to Learn from Bode Thomas

 Lesson for Fayose & Others to Learn

A good lesson to learn on arrogance from the story of Late Bode Thomas:
...

Bode Thomas whom street was named after @Surulere, died on Nov 23, 1953 in a most mysterious manner.
Bode Thomas was born to a wealthy trader, John thomas in 1918. Himself, FRA Williams and Remi Fani-Kayode (Father of Femi Fani-Kayode) attended Law School in London, and jointly established the first law firm in Nigeria called "Thomas, Williams & Kayode". The law firm was established in Jankara Lagos.
Bode Thomas was an excellent lawyer, but also very arrogant. Because of his education, he was made chairman of the Oyo
Divisional Council at one time while Alaafin Adeyemi of Oyo (father of the current Alaafin) was a mere member!
On Bode Thomas' first appearance in council after being appointed chairman, all council members stood up for him in deference, to welcome him, except Oba Adeyemi, who, for cultural reasons, should not show deference to anyone in public, not even his mother!
Bode Thomas rudely shouted at the King "...WHY WERE YOU SITTING WHEN I WALKED IN? YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO SHOW RESPECT?"
Then, Bode Thomas was 34 years while Alaafin was in his 60s. The Alaafin felt very insulted and said "SE EMI LO NGBO MO BAUN?" (Is it me you are barking at like that?) Bode Thomas responded by shouting in vocabularies which Alaafin didn't understand, so Alaafin just told him... "MA GBO LO" (continue barking).
This was on November 22, 1953. Bode Thomas got home and started barking! He barked, barked and continued barking like dog all night until he died in the early morning of November 23, 1953. Bode Thomas was the Balogun of Oyo.
So, when next you drive on Bode Thomas street in Surulere Lagos, note the man who cut short his life due to arrogance and naughtiness. May this not be our portion, Amen!

Fayose!!! beware I don't want you to end up like Bode Thomas.

Pls!!! Read to learn & Share until it gets to Party Concerned

EXPOSED: Another attempt to remove INEC Chairman by President Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate caucus yesterday raised the alarm of a fresh plot by the Presidency to prevent the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega from superintending the general elections, slated for March 28 and April 11. The polls were rescheduled from February 14 and 28 by INEC. The senators, led by Minority Leader George Akume, addressed a Press conference where they alleged that the Head of Service of the Federation (HOS), Danladi Kifasi, would direct Jega to proceed on a pre-retirement leave next week. “We have received information from a very credible source that next week, the Chairman of INEC will be given a letter from the office of the Head of Civil Service directing him to proceed on terminal leave,” he said. Akume also alleged that the Federal Government was trying to use a circular from the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation dated August 11, 2010 to place Jega on compulsory pre-retirement leave. “Whether the letter emanates from the HOS office or the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, it does not make sense. Even if we go by the terms of the civil service circular of August 11, 2010, it is not applicable whatsoever to the INEC chairman,” he noted. Akume said the circular was talking about clarifications on pre-retirement leave, which is only applicable to tenured officers who are career civil servants. According to him, any one who had spent 30 years in service or had attained 60 years of age is bound to disengage officially from the service, but that is not the case with Jega. Akume claimed Jega’s offence was saying that he was ready to conduct elections whereas the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) -controlled Federal Government was not ready. He insisted that using the issue of card readers to discredit Jega will not work because the National Assembly appropriated money for that purpose and the sensitive items had been acquired. “We want a credible election, but a situation where we are being informed that because the postponement of the election attracted no reaction from the people, Jega could be removed doesn’t hold water. “You cannot start a game which is about to end and suddenly, you want to change the goalpost. You don’t want a referee that is fair to all so as to subvert the whole system for sinister, personal purposes. “We will continue to say no to impunity. We will continue to say no to any attempt to undermine the credibility of the forthcoming election. “We, therefore, want to appeal to Nigerians to be steadfast to keep watch so that their labour will not be in vain. If Ghana and other countries can get it right, Nigeria can also get it right. We are opposed to the removal of Jega because it is criminal, illegal, and unconstitutional. They want to remove him through the back door,” he said. Akume noted that although President Goodluck Jonathan reserved the right to remove Jega, he, however, insisted that he could not unilaterally do so without seeking the permission of the National Assembly through a two-thirds majority. He said the President does not also have the legal powers to suspend the INEC boss under whatever guise. Section 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution clearly states that the President can only remove Jega with the vote of two-thirds majority of all senators. Under whatever guise, whether suspension, retirement or voluntary leave, he cannot be removed. The senators reiterated their opposition to the clearance of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as a minister and the deployment of soldiers for elections. Giving further clarification on the fate of Obanikoro, spokesperson of the APC caucus, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, said their position is that Obanikoro is not qualified to hold public office. He said, “we are going to oppose that and the three senators from Lagos have written to Senate President David Mark, opposing that. Obanikoro is not qualified to hold public office based on his antecedent and a case will be coming up on March 6 in Lagos. When any case is in court, under our rules, the Senate President will use his power to ensure that it is not brought before the Senate.”

Open Heavens 27 February 2015: Friday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye - Wearing a Mask?

Topic: Wearing a Mask?  [Friday February 27, 2015]

Memorise: Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. - Psalm 86:3

Read: (Psalm 88:1-9 KJV)

1 O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:

2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:

5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.

6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.

8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 21-22, and Revelation 8:1-12

MESSAGE:

A mask is a full or partial cover for the face. It is used for disguised; to hide a person’s true identity, character or intentions away from being known or noticed. Also, the word “mask” could refer to a lifestyle that hides the real personality and emotions of a person. Putting on a mask portrays a hidden agenda, falsehood, hypocrisy, pretence, deception and double-mindedness. These are terms that should never be used to qualify a Christian or any action taken by a person who professes to be born-again.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” - Philippians 4:8

God expects His children to be truthful and honest in all things. Our utterances, outward appearance and the testimony about us should be a reflection of the inward person in us. Our “yes” should be yes and our “no” should be no. children of God should know how to speak the truth without hypocrisy (1 Timothy 4:2). Living a life of pretence is bad for many reasons, but the effect is more pronounced in prayers. When a person outwardly pretends to be born-again, holy, righteous, rich, happy and fulfilled, the inward man remains fully aware of the real situation and will find it very difficult to pray. Most importantly, James 1:6-8 confirms that God will never answer such prayers.

“For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” - James 1:7

The fathers and mothers of faith recorded in the Bible succeeded because they lived honest lives. From Bible accounts, Abraham, Moses, Elijah and David were very open and honest even in their mistakes. King David confessed his sins and cried to God for help and assistance. It is time to remove every mask and be sincere with God. Approach the throne of grace with genuine repentance and make your request known to God with all honesty. I prophecy that every request you make today will surely turn to a testimony in the Name of Jesus.

Prayer Point: Father, please destroy the root of hypocrisy, pretence and deception in my life in Jesus’ Name

A Shocking Testimony About Buhari

By Noble Abe

I am appalled by the direction our dear country is going. A nation where honest men and women of integrity are vilified and denigrated while thieves and people of dubious character are celebrated and treated as heroes, is a nation that has lost its soul. It is now virtually a crime to live above board because you are looked down upon and called unprintable names, while murderers and robbers hold their heads high and are treated with utmost respect by society. Something is obviously wrong with this scenario and everything must be done to restore normalcy otherwise our future generation will likely live in a society that has lost all its moral values.

I am not a politician, but I am a friend of General Muhammadu Buhari and the things that have been said about this exceptional Nigerian will make the stomach of anyone who truly knows him sour. Nigerians cannot stand up to him when it comes to character and integrity. It therefore appalls me when people whose only credentials are that the Economic and Financial Crimes, Commission (EFCC) has stopped chasing them around because they know how to double speak now have the audacity and effrontery to question the character of a man like General Buhari.

I do not make a joke of it when I say General Buhari is an exceptional Nigerian and an incident which I want to share here with Nigerians gave me that conviction a long time ago and greatly influenced my own life as a public servant.

I lived in the United Kingdom in the 90s and in the late 90s I was encouraged to return to Nigeria by my friend General Buhari. It also coincides with when he was Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). I used to spend most of my time in Nigeria with him and his family and I noticed that his two grown daughters who were undergraduates at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, were always at home because of the unending strikes in Nigerian universities at the time.

I did not like the situation so on one of my visits I got the prospectus and brochures of some educational institutions in the United Kingdom and decided to encourage him to send these kids to institutions in the UK, where they could school without interruption.

Because of how busy he was at the time, it sometimes took days to find a moment alone with him, so I finally did find a moment alone with him, and I brought up the issue of his kids always being at home on strike and suggested his sending them to the U.K to school. I quickly brought out the brochures and prospectus and I believed I made a very strong case.

He then asked me what the cost would be and thinking the cost would not be an issue since I was speaking with the head of one of the most powerful and richest institutions in the country at the time (as well as a former Head of State of Nigeria), I boldly opened the cost pages of the brochures and tried to work out the cost to him.

What he said at the time stunned me. General turned to me and asked me where I expected him to get that kind of money and I could not believe the question as I am sure many Nigerians will not believe. First, I could not believe that as PTF chairman, he would find the school fees an issue. Afterall, he was presiding over what was unarguably the richest public institution in the country at the time and others in his shoes would have found a way to “afford” it from their public offices. But not General Buhari. What he did at the time made me see him as an exceptional Nigerian and you are all free to confirm or verify this. General Buhari sold the only property he owned in Victoria Island at the time and it was with that fund that he sent his kids to school.

I do not know of many Nigerians who as PTF Chairman would have done what he did and, from then on, General Muhammadu Buhari became my hero and the epitome of integrity and honesty in public office to me.

The General Buhari I know will never come out to claim a qualification he does not possess and for charlatans and people of questionable character to call for his arrest for forgery is a great insult to honesty itself. I know that Nigeria has become a country where anything goes, but insulting our heroes because of politics should not be one of them.

This is just one instance, as there are several instances that I can cite here, but time and space will not permit me.

So, let’s put politics aside and celebrate our heroes, because I do not know of any man of greater integrity than General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB).

Noble Abe is Chairman, Mac-Canon Industries, and Former MD/CEO Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority

 

One dies, vehicles razed as hoodlums clash in Oshodi

One person died and several others injured after some hoodlums clashed in the Oshodi area of Lagos on Wednesday.


Our correspondent observed that no fewer than 12 vehicles were vandalised and 15 others burnt during the mayhem, which reportedly began on Tuesday evening.
Business activities in the Mosafejo and Under-brige sections of the popular market have been grounded as security operatives took over the areas.
Traffic on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and the Ikorodu Road remained at a standstill for hours while the battle raged.

FG approves nine new private universities

 

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved nine new private universities for the country. 

 

The approval was given at a meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, announced the decision at a post-FEC press briefing. 

The new private universities, according to Chidoka, include Hallmark University, Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Kings University, Mountain Top University, Augustine University, Chrisland University and Summit University among others

Determining the Expiration of your Tires

I previously wrote an article on What do Car Tire Number Means and it has been my most read article. A lot of people pointed out that I did not talk about how we can also detect expired tires. So by popular demand I will quickly explain how and the importance of knowing this. Car tires have a maximum of 4-year validity period from the date of their manufacture. It is important we take note of this because if you are driving on expired tires, they may burst and cause fatal accidents. It is even more of a serious concern in this part of the world because most people buy used tires so as to cut cost.

I have fallen victim to this before. A friend of mine came to visit me and needed to change one of his tires. We checked everything we needed to and fixed the tire. We did not check the tire expiration. The next day we both traveled back to his base and the tire we just bought burst on high speed. I am not saying we should not be buying used tires because all fingers are not equal but that we should always check and avoid expired tires. You might buy a new tire and same happens because it has just been stored for years and had expired.

If a car tire is used carefully, after two years the tire loses about 20% of it’s qualities and when it reaches the 3rd year the tire loses about 50%. An appropriate age for tire replacement is thus between the age of 2-4 years unless its worn down earlier by damage or alignment problems. The process can also be intensified with high-mileage tires.

Determining the Expiration of Tires

Image source: motorzone.info

Tires expiration dates are not indicated on them but their date of manufacture is usually inscribed on them. They come in four digits indicating the week and year of manufacture like this 3507 or sometimes it comes with pre-alphabet letters like this (PHN3507). You may find asterix sign before and after the numbers on some tires. The first two of the four-digit numbers found on a round-ended box shows the week the tire was made while the last two of the four digits represent the year. So, if the numbers are 3507 it means that the tire was made in 35th week of the year 2007. This means the tire will expire on the 35th week of the year 2011.

It is that simple so the next time you are buying a tire check for the expiration.