"The failure of the Nigerian leadership over many years to respond to the legitimate needs of their own young people, to have a government that promoted a meritocracy, that really understood that democracy can't just be given lip service, it has to be delivering services to the people, has meant there is a lot of alienation in that country and others," -------Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton Speaking at a town hall meeting of State Department employees, Clinton said the Nigerian government has failed for years to address the legitimate needs of its people.
"The Obama administration appears to have a blind spot when it comes to the war on terrorism...When the Obama administration decided to treat Abdulmutallab as an ordinary criminal, it did so without the input of our nation's top intelligence officials...They would have explained the importance of gathering all possible intelligence about Yemen, where there is a serious threat from terrorists whose sights are trained on this nation... They would have explained the critical nature of learning all we could from Abdulmutallab. But they were never asked."-------Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) that the Obama administration has a "blind spot" when it comes to fighting the war on terror in the weekly GOP Internet and Radio Address.
"Let me tell you something, Nigeria is just a funny entity. When the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo described Nigeria as a mere geographical expression, rather than a nation, the man knew very well what he was talking about. If we are a nation, we should be able to speak with one voice, we should be able to have a common destiny, our aspiration should be towards national goal and all our actions should reflect that national goal and national interest. But these days, everything that is anti-nationalism is what is pervading the political and socio-economic atmosphere of Nigeria. The ethnic agenda is taking the centre stage as against the national interest. Otherwise, why should Nigeria almost at 50 still be talking about federal character with a Commission created for it? Not only that, it went ahead to insert it in the Constitution to say every appointment and decision taken must have tribal and ethnic consideration at the expense of merit. Otherwise, why should we be talking about the President‘s inability to handover. Does it cost him anything? If we truly belong to the same nation, we should trust each other. There should not be what I will describe as mutual suspicion of each other. We have succeeded in promoting religious and tribal hegemony as against national interest. Otherwise, Ya‘Adua was aware of what he should do whenever he was going on vacation or on sabbatical according to the Constitution. The man knew very well the state of his precarious health condition and yet, he went ahead to stand for election. We knew what was happening to him during the campaign; he was collapsing. Then there was nothing Nigerians could do because the powers that be wanted him at all cost and here we are today." -------Nigerian-based attorney, Fred Agbaje
in Punch's exclusive interview.
"T
he judiciary as the pivot on which our constitution deservedly stands is balancing the delicate concept of separation of powers as well as ensuring that the pure water underlying the aforesaid constitutional principles is not polluted has unequivocally spoken. The judicial voice must be respected without qualms by all. The ultimacy of the ruling firther lies in the fact that what seems to be an unending falsehood and shenanigans being paraded to Nigerians as truth about Yar'Adua's health by the People Democratic Party leaders and the jokers masquerading as ministers would stop fortwith by allowing constitutional sanity to have its way."-------Lagos, Nigeria-based attorney Femi Falana disagreeing on Justice Dan Agbatu's court ruling on the role of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan in the absence of the President.
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