Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Judicial Watch demands proof of the death of Osama bin Laden
Judicial Watch Announces Freedom of Information Act Lawsuit Seeking bin Laden Photos and Videos
PR Newswire
WASHINGTON, May 13, 2011
WASHINGTON, May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DOD) seeking "all photographs and/or video recordings of Osama (Usama) bin Laden taken during and/or after the U.S. military operation in Pakistan on or about May 1, 2011" (Judicial Watch v. DOD (No. 1:11-cv-00890) (JEB)).
Judicial Watch filed a FOIA request with the DOD on May 3.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, the DOD has 20 business days legally to respond. Rather than follow the law, the DOD has stated:
At this time, we are unable to make a release determination on your request within the 20-day statutory time period.
Judicial Watch filed an identical FOIA request with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on May 4. The CIA has yet to acknowledge or respond to the request.
"The American people have a right to know, by law, basic information about the killing of Osama bin Laden. Incredibly, the Obama administration told us that it has no plans to comply with the Freedom of Information law, so we must now go to court. President Obama's not wanting to 'spike the football' is not a lawful basis for withholding government documents. This historic lawsuit should remind the Obama administration that it is not above the law," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
Visit www.judicialwatch.org to view Judicial Watch's Freedom of Information requests.
Founded in 1994, Judicial Watch Inc. is a constitutionally conservative, nonpartisan educational foundation that promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. JW is perhaps the most active FOIA request or and litigator operating today.
SOURCE Judicial Watch
CONTACT: Jill S. Farrell, Director of Public Affairs, Judicial Watch Inc., +1-202-646-5188
Web Site: http://www.judicialwatch.org
Related Report:
Dead or Alive? Osama bin Laden: A Marketing Tool for US-NATO Military Operations by Elizabeth Woodworth
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Sahara Reporters and three other NGOs share $5M Grants
Sahara Reporters and three other NGOs share $5M Grants
The daring citizen news website Sahara Reporters of Nigeria is among the four media organizations chosen to receive the first Omidyar Network grants in support of Investigative and Citizen Journalism in the Developing World.
Stephen King, investment partner and Omidyar Network's global practice head for Government Transparency, made the announcement yesterday at the World Press Freedom Day conference in Washington D.C.
According to a press release, particular emphasis of the Omidyar Network Government Transparency initiative is to focus on organizations that seek a free, open and vibrant media as well as investigative and citizen journalism organizations that provide citizens access to credible information that increases citizen engagement and participation in civil affairs.
King also announced the first organizations to receive support through the expanded initiative. Nearly $5M in grants and a program related investment will go to four non-profits: African Media Initiative, up to $1.7M over two years; the Sahara Reporters project, up to $450k over three years; Media Development Loan Fund, $2M; and Committee to Protect Journalists, $800k.
Through its Government Transparency initiative, Omidyar Network invests in nonprofit and for-profit organizations that use technology and media platforms to provide access to information and tools necessary for citizens to participate in the governing process and hold governments to account. Today's announcement underscores Omidyar Network's recognition of the crucial role journalism plays in achieving those ends.
"Omidyar Network believes a healthy government – one that is responsive to its citizens -- requires a healthy, robust fourth estate. By focusing additional efforts on fostering investigative and citizen journalism, we believe we will be catalyzing transparency efforts that will positively affect millions of people," said King. "True to the tenets of our Government Transparency initiative, we'll pay particular attention to innovative organizations utilizing technology platforms to scale their impact with a recognition that effective technologies will vary by country and region. In some geographies, the technology will take the form of an online platform, mobile in others, and broadcast in yet others."
The African Media Initiative is a non-profit, pan-Africa program that seeks to strengthen the continent's media sector though advocacy, investments, technology and training. The initiative is led by private media owners operating in Africa who believe a strong media is required for social development, economic growth and empowered citizens. For more information, please visit: http://www.africanmediainitiative.org
Sahara Reporters is a citizen media website that encourages citizen journalists to publish evidence of ongoing corruption, abuses of human rights and government malfeasance in Nigeria. It is one of the principal sources of independent investigative journalism and breaking news on Nigeria's government. For more information about Sahara Reporters, please visit: http://www.saharareporters.com.
Media Development Loan Fund is a mission-driven investment fund for independent news outlets in countries with a history of media oppression. Working in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Southeast Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the fund provides low-cost capital and technical know-how to help journalists in challenging environments build sustainable businesses around professional, responsible, quality journalism. For more information, please visit: http://www.mdlf.org.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal. By publicly revealing abuses against the press and by acting on behalf of imprisoned and threatened journalists, CPJ effectively warns journalists and news organizations where attacks on press freedom are occurring. CPJ publishes articles and news releases; special reports; and Attacks on the Press, the most comprehensive annual survey of press freedom around the world. For more information, please visit: http://www.cpj.org.
About Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the organization invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyze economic and social change. To date, Omidyar Network has committed more than $400 million to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations that foster economic advancement and encourage individual participation across multiple investment areas, including microfinance, entrepreneurship, property rights, government transparency, consumer Internet and mobile. To learn more about Omidyar Network, please visit www.omidyar.com.
SOURCE Omidyar Network
CONTACT: Greg Pershall of Omidyar Network, +1-360-607-8901
Web Site: http://www.omidyar.com/
The daring citizen news website Sahara Reporters of Nigeria is among the four media organizations chosen to receive the first Omidyar Network grants in support of Investigative and Citizen Journalism in the Developing World.
Stephen King, investment partner and Omidyar Network's global practice head for Government Transparency, made the announcement yesterday at the World Press Freedom Day conference in Washington D.C.
According to a press release, particular emphasis of the Omidyar Network Government Transparency initiative is to focus on organizations that seek a free, open and vibrant media as well as investigative and citizen journalism organizations that provide citizens access to credible information that increases citizen engagement and participation in civil affairs.
King also announced the first organizations to receive support through the expanded initiative. Nearly $5M in grants and a program related investment will go to four non-profits: African Media Initiative, up to $1.7M over two years; the Sahara Reporters project, up to $450k over three years; Media Development Loan Fund, $2M; and Committee to Protect Journalists, $800k.
Through its Government Transparency initiative, Omidyar Network invests in nonprofit and for-profit organizations that use technology and media platforms to provide access to information and tools necessary for citizens to participate in the governing process and hold governments to account. Today's announcement underscores Omidyar Network's recognition of the crucial role journalism plays in achieving those ends.
"Omidyar Network believes a healthy government – one that is responsive to its citizens -- requires a healthy, robust fourth estate. By focusing additional efforts on fostering investigative and citizen journalism, we believe we will be catalyzing transparency efforts that will positively affect millions of people," said King. "True to the tenets of our Government Transparency initiative, we'll pay particular attention to innovative organizations utilizing technology platforms to scale their impact with a recognition that effective technologies will vary by country and region. In some geographies, the technology will take the form of an online platform, mobile in others, and broadcast in yet others."
The African Media Initiative is a non-profit, pan-Africa program that seeks to strengthen the continent's media sector though advocacy, investments, technology and training. The initiative is led by private media owners operating in Africa who believe a strong media is required for social development, economic growth and empowered citizens. For more information, please visit: http://www.africanmediainitiative.org
Sahara Reporters is a citizen media website that encourages citizen journalists to publish evidence of ongoing corruption, abuses of human rights and government malfeasance in Nigeria. It is one of the principal sources of independent investigative journalism and breaking news on Nigeria's government. For more information about Sahara Reporters, please visit: http://www.saharareporters.com.
Media Development Loan Fund is a mission-driven investment fund for independent news outlets in countries with a history of media oppression. Working in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Southeast Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the fund provides low-cost capital and technical know-how to help journalists in challenging environments build sustainable businesses around professional, responsible, quality journalism. For more information, please visit: http://www.mdlf.org.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal. By publicly revealing abuses against the press and by acting on behalf of imprisoned and threatened journalists, CPJ effectively warns journalists and news organizations where attacks on press freedom are occurring. CPJ publishes articles and news releases; special reports; and Attacks on the Press, the most comprehensive annual survey of press freedom around the world. For more information, please visit: http://www.cpj.org.
About Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the organization invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyze economic and social change. To date, Omidyar Network has committed more than $400 million to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations that foster economic advancement and encourage individual participation across multiple investment areas, including microfinance, entrepreneurship, property rights, government transparency, consumer Internet and mobile. To learn more about Omidyar Network, please visit www.omidyar.com.
SOURCE Omidyar Network
CONTACT: Greg Pershall of Omidyar Network, +1-360-607-8901
Web Site: http://www.omidyar.com/
Friday, April 29, 2011
Islamic Terrorism or Lunatic Muslims On Rampage?
Islamic Terrorism Or Lunatic Muslims On Rampage?
If there is anything the repressive Arab regimes of the middle east and north Africa and the traditional institutions in parts of northern Nigeria share, it is the deliberate misinterpretation of Islam to hold on to power while abusing human rights and dignity. There is often a convenient convergence of culture and the clergy to perpetuate this fraud on the people. In Saudi Arabia, less than 1,000 princes and members of the royal family control a country that earns about $1 billion every day when oil prices climb above 100 dollars a barrel.
~ By Salisu Suleiman
April 29, 2011 01:18AMT
Islamic Terrorism is is defined by Wikipedia as "a term for acts of terrorism committed by extremist Muslims for the purpose of achieving varying political and/or religious ends."
The history of Islamic Terrorism is as old as the religion of Islam and trying to separate the sheep from the goats as Mr. Suleiman has attempted is not as simple as ABC, because terrorism is an instrument of violent agitation for the realization of a cause, no matter the purpose and the question of its justification is subject to the interpretation of the terrorists and their apologists.
Osama bi Laden in a 1998 photograph
The gory images of the horrors of Islamic Terrorism have been haunting the world from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the United States since the 1970's to date The horrors have become recurrent nightmares in our lives. The history of humankind will not be complete without the inclusion of the atrocities of the Al-Qaeda of Osama Bin Laden.
FORENSIC FORCE: ‘Arab awakening' in Arewa? by Salisu Suleiman is on the website of the 234 Next on April 29, 2011 01:18AMT. It is worth reading, because it is perhaps the most critical analysis of the political crisis plaguing Nigeria of which the most recent is the last post election violence in some northern states after the disputed results of the presidential election of April 16, 2011. The lunatic fringe of Muslim youths revolted against the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the southern state of Bayelsa, because he defeated their fellow Muslim and northern hero Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), a former military head of state.
You can also read my own report on The Causes and Consequences of the 2011 Post Election Violence in Nigeria.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
Top Headlines
Robert Half Survey: Eight in 10 Workers Comfortable Negotiating with New Employer for Higher Salary
The Empire State Building to Celebrate 80th Anniversary on May 1, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Congratulations President Goodluck Jonathan, but tackle National Security Fast
President Goodluck Jonathan
Mr. President, Congratulation for Winning the Presidency, but we must now win the National Security Battle and here is how to do it in Nigeria.
Mr. President, let Security Revolution becomes a top agenda for the new Presidency and here is how to we can aggressively execute it in Nigeria. Sir, we must do this with full boldness or chutzpah and we must leave no stone unturned irrespective of sentiments. Sir, remember time is short as there is so much to do. Just ask your friend, President Obama he will tell you the term runs fast!
The Nigerian society will soon see the promises of the new Presidency. The new president and the in-coming administration should aggressively pursue strategies and methodologies that could put a real control to problems of national security and anti-democracy as they relate to assassinations, armed robberies, bombing, arson, corruption, unemployment, poor infrastructure, financial waste, institutional slothfulness, and ethnic/religious divide.
If this type of executive route is taken the road to a security revolution would have begun! The new President should aggressively bring in new perspectives and ideas through non-old hands which should include proven business/entrepreneurial/professional Nigerians both in the country and from the diaspora.
Nigeria remains heavily depended on governmental democracy and public styled management systems with the heavy weight of continuously using the same used-up ideas known throughout the nation’s ministries and para-public agencies.
Surely, this is not the way or mode of growing economic democracy.
By the nature, spirit and tradition of our nation, Nigeria is a pro-ecological, entrepreneurial and industrial nation; as such achieving our economic potential will only occur when the people are free to uncover their capabilities under a much more improved secured environment.
National security also involves labor stability. The Nigerian working atmosphere is much more damaged as many private and public workers only put in a quality time of 3 to 4 hours daily into their works due to electricity shortage and fear of darkness which continues to looms in everyone’s mind.
A good security revolution also involves the national leader and his administration providing an environment where a few cannot continue to personalize the elements and processes of governance. This quandary or problem could be worked on by seeing that family ties, friendship links and personal loyalties does not represent the mount piece through which appointments, policies and agendas are made.
Nigeria is an executive democracy where the nation’s President should be able to give maximum attention to issues in the mode of strategic growth in all areas of public and private economies.
Nigeria’s problem is not mainly about godfatherism /godmotherism or political manipulators as all societies are ingrained with this type of emotional sponsorships.
What we ought to be preoccupied with is seeking out workable ideas and proven concepts from any one irrespective of its source as long as such probable solutions are very realistic to our nation’s growth and prosperity.
To better bring in a secured economic and political environment the right people with successful outcomes across various areas of business or occupation should overwhelm the next administration. These people will be the ones to help the country work out solutions to security problems like unemployment among youths as well as finding ways to provide temporal monetary help to give them seek applied training and jobs.
National security could quickly be ensured with the erection of privatized educational, vocational and professional systems, and State-based universities (public and private). These entities should be made to come under regional accreditation or non-governmental agencies that are basically professional associations that could grant recognition to a higher institution for its demonstrated capacity to meet predetermined criteria for recognized standards. This type of private or non-governmental agency should also be put in place to give accreditation to Hospitals and every other Health care organization. This idea is highly essential for the sole purpose of ensuring a more timely supervision and efficient monitoring of these vital systems.
The new president should have in place contracted procurement specialists working on behalf of the federal government for the purpose of supervising grants and providing contracts as they relate to federal tasks(e.g. super-road works, health care system,water/electric supply).
National security will come in a more healthy way by putting systems in place to move our disabled or physically/mentally challenged populations into work training, job counseling as well as assisting them with temporary disability insurance. These acts could give them pride to contribute to the national development as we just saw with the participation of many of them in polling places casting their vote on election days.
In a society where police personnel, prison workers and court officials are not well paid and given adequate living remuneration, insecurity tends to climb up and as a result local businesses and international investments suffer.Also, the national interest in the area of law and order could be served much better with the establishment of State police systems as different state governments are more likely to abundantly take interest in protecting its people and properties.
It is time to develop a new curriculum at all levels of schooling;exclusively designed to place fresh emphasis on the ethical aspect of the institutional health of the nation as it could help build anti-corruption attitude and mindset at an earlier stage of life.
With less Federal/State owned organizations running services there could be is less room for national security insults like wastage, corruption, neglect, greed, violence, pain, apprehension and suffering.A new and newer Nigeria is possible and let us hope it comes sooner with this new-fangled presidency!
~ By Dr. John Oshodi
John EgbeazienOshodi, Ph.D., DABPS; FACFE; is a Licensed Clinical/Forensic Psychologist; Diplomate of American Board of Psychological Specialties; Fellow of American College of Forensic Examiners (For Psy); Former Interim Associate Dean and an Assistant Professor of Psychology, Broward College - North Campus, Coconut Creek, Florida. joshodi@broward.edu
Monday, April 11, 2011
Fake Prophet, Madam Boy’s Quarters, Iyobosa and other Nigerians
Fake Prophet, Madam Boy’s Quarters, Iyobosa and other Nigerians
In his gripping play, The Anger of Unfulfillment, Jekwu Ozoemene has captured the heart and soul of the disenchantment and discontentment of majority of Nigerians in his contemporary analysis of the Nigerian crisis.
The title of his captivating book of three plays is deduced from the indignation of the victims of the lingering anomie plaguing Nigeria as desperate times call for desperate measures in the struggle for survival and a sense of belonging. The author gives us a naturalistic montage of glaring realities of the challenges of living and working in Nigeria under a corrupt government of kleptomaniacs.
He takes us into the human trafficking ring of the fake Prophet, a tall bald and bearded middle-aged man with an imposing stature and his bootylicious assistant Madam Boy’s Quarters who must have been a Nigerian prostitute in Italy and their willing clients posing as the congregation of the fake duo posturing as ministers of a Christian fellowship. The well educated non-compromising and hopeful Adesuwa who uses her blog to expose the ills in the Nigerian society and her hopeless squatter Iyobosa, the flirtatious drama queen who has lost faith in the Nigerian Dream and exploits her sexuality to comfort herself show us the contrasts of two young Nigerian women who respond to the Nigerian crisis with positive and negative resolutions. Nari, aka “General Tinker-Tailor” the Niger Delta militant with his comrades Zino and Marshall tell us the raison d'être of their revolutionary mission for resource control for which they were ready to die. The Narrator who is also Greg the repentant 419 fraudster with the hilarious Ben and Orji binging at the local bar give us informed commentary on the social, political and economic malaise in the country.
Through these principal characters Ozoemene has succeeded to use the picture of each one to capture the psyche of the unfortunate victims of the corrupt ruling class.
The other plays address other unavoidable issues such as the fears and ignorance of the scourge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in “Hell’s Invitation” where I could see another Adesuwa in the intelligent Stella who is the only female among four young men and they are all unemployed graduates from different tribes sharing a room with only one bed and discussing the nightmares haunting their Nigerian Dream. The exciting prospects of a dream job for one of them are soon threatened by the fears of having a compulsory HIV test. In the last play “This Time Tomorrow” Ozoemene takes us into the theatre world and probably reminiscent of his days with Theatre 15 at the University of Lagos where he studied English. The principal characters address the ethics and economics of the Nigerian family, social and political sensibilities of the old and young people in Nigeria.
Ozoemene’s characters are real people one can actually recognize among us in the Nigerian society and most of them like Madam Boys’s Quarters, Nari, Iyobosa, Orji, Bimbo, Aliyu, Papa Ruka, the eccentric Professor and his wife Folake,his brilliant and smart son Jide and daughter Keji with her sexy swagger are going to end up among the most memorable characters in Nigerian drama.
If you really want to know what life is like in Nigeria in the last decade of the 20th century and in the first decade of the 21st century and how her citizens have been reacting to the challenges of surviving and succeeding in spite of the embarrassment and harassment of a corrupt government, then you should read Jekwu Ozoemene’s The Anger of Unfulfillment: Three Plays Out of Nigeria. It is a good recommendation in every collection of must read books.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
Thursday April 7, 2011.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Is President Goodluck Jonathan the last hope of the PDP?
President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, GCON
Is President Goodluck Jonathan the last hope of the PDP?
The ruling People’s Democratic Party is being destabilized by both internal and external forces of discord. Attacks from disgruntled political spoilers in the party have left deep cracks in her walls as many of the losers in the controversial primaries have decamped to different opposition parties and those who have chosen to remain may not prove to be formidable in the forthcoming make or break elections in April and the Opposition is pouring more fuel in the flames of wrath engulfing the PDP.
The PDP has become so unpopular among the masses that the party is spending millions of naira to rent crowds for political rallies and pay for constant rotation of adverts in the print and electronic news media and also desperately using both lawful and unlawful measures to overcome the Opposition.
The horrors of incessant ethno-religious conflicts, assassinations, kidnappings, armed robberies, terrorist bomb attacks and other terrifying incidents have left the citizens in hysteria and melancholia since the ruling party rigged elections in 1999, 2003 and 2007 to control the political leadership of Nigeria. The most harrowing is the insecurity of lives and properties that the masses are now saying that the good luck they expected from President Goodluck Jonathan has turned to bad luck from Yenagoa to Abuja, because the state of insecurity worsened when he was sworn in as the President of Nigeria on May 6, 2010 after the unfortunate death of President Umaru Yar’Adua. But Mr. Jonathan is still undaunted by the nightmarish misfortunes trailing him and continues to hang on to the superstitious belief in his name. In fact, his ruling party seems to have decided to hold on to the same fate as their only hope of surviving the onslaught of the Opposition and the indignation of the disappointed masses. Will their superstition save them?
What the suffering masses of the most populous country in Africa need now is not a superstitious belief in the name of President Goodluck Jonathan, but a realistic solution for the reformation and transformation of Nigeria to end their nightmares of recurrent ethno-religious conflicts, social and economic woes of the perennial crises plaguing them.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Akunyili: Why I am running for the Senate
Prof. Dora Akunyili
"WHAT does this woman really want?” “What is wrong with her?” “Why didn’t she just remain as Minister of Information and Communications instead of jumping into the murky waters of Nigerian politics?” These are some of the questions which several people have been asking since December 15 when I announced my resignation as a minister and my entry into the senatorial race. To further confound most political observers, I equally resigned from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pitched my tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in my bid to realize my senatorial ambition.
Several theories have been making the rounds since then, as political analysts try to understand what I am really up to. With my campaign machinery now running at full steam following my victory in the APGA primaries and my recognition by INEC as the party’s candidate for Anambra Central Senatorial District in the April 2 elections, I believe the time has come for me to clear the air on why I have embarked on what some people consider to be a risky political adventure.
To be sure, the contest for the Anambra Central senatorial seat is one of the toughest in the land. This is only to be expected in view of the caliber of candidates being fielded by some of the parties. I will, however, disappoint those who expect me to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of my opponents; I would rather concentrate on explaining why I am in the race and why the good people of Anambra Central should give me the mandate to represent them in the Senate in the coming political dispensation.
For the avoidance of doubt, I recognise and respect the right of every qualified person, irrespective of gender or place of origin, to aspire to any position of his or her choice, including the senatorial seat of Anambra Central. I will, therefore, be the last person to engage in the politics of name-calling. I believe that we must base politics on issues. For this reason, I have directed all those working with me and for me that there should be no abuses, no bitterness and no unnecessary quarrel, even if it is in my favour. All the people contesting the position with me have the constitutional right to do so and must not be either discouraged or scared out of the race. The contest is between brothers and sisters and our actions should reflect that.
Trusting in God for victory in the elections, I have since entered into a covenant with Him and with the good people of Anambra Central. Under that covenant, I have promised to do more for my constituency than any other person seeking this position because I know the system and I have the right contacts nationally and internationally. It was for this reason that I resigned my appointment as a minister when, after reflecting deeply about events in Nigeria and in particular my state, Anambra, I came to a point where I felt that the time had come for me to make the sacrifice of leaving a comfortable place to go to a difficult terrain in order to build a better place for our children and our children’s children.
My sole motivation for contesting the April 2011 senatorial elections is my desire to use my wealth of experience to attract more attention to my senatorial district, to Anambra State and to the South East geo-political zone, as well as to make Nigeria a better place through robust contributions to the lawmaking process and in performance of my oversight functions as a Senator. My ambition is not driven by the desire for pecuniary gains but by patriotic considerations and a strong desire to contribute more meaningfully to positively touch the lives of my people – the people at the grassroots.
My record as a public servant, especially as the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and as Federal Minister of Information and Communications, bears eloquent testimony to my ability to serve as a change agent in whatever position I find myself. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will not be an exception.
As Senator representing Anambra Central, I promise to work selflessly to justify my mandate and to serve my people with sincerity of purpose and with the fear of God. I will work very hard to attract development from the Federal Government and from outside the country through various international organizations and philanthropists from across the world with whom I have built good relationships over the years. All over the world, people are waiting for an opportunity to help me because of the war I waged against drug counterfeiters not just in Nigeria but also internationally during my days as NAFDAC DG from 2001 to 2010.
My representing Anambra Central in the Senate will therefore give me the right platform to attract various forms of developmental schemes to the zone, not just from Nigeria but also from outside the country. As a Senator, I will publicly announce the constituency allowances for Anambra Central and will ensure that they are judiciously spent – used for projects chosen by the communities. Even my personal salaries and allowances will be announced, part of which will be used for developmental projects in the zone.
Within my first month as a Senator, every major market in Anambra Central will get toilet facilities and a bore hole. This will be followed by a scholarship programme for indigent students in the zone, to be introduced within the first three months of my being in the Senate. The scholarship scheme will be followed by empowerment projects for widows to enable them carter for the needs of their families. As I have repeatedly told my people, if after one year of representing Anambra Central as a Senator, they do not experience a tangible difference as an outcome of my representation, I will resign. I will have no business representing them at Abuja if they are not gaining from my being there. If I fail them, I will not wait to be recalled, but will keep my promise, be on the path of honour, and resign.
I am, however, confident that it will never get to that. I have never been associated with failure. By God’s grace, my senatorial odyssey will not be an exception.
• Prof. Akunyili is the APGA candidate for Anambra Senatorial District in the forthcoming elections.
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