ID:
The caveat in this story as you wrote remains ---"if this story is true."
If the story is true this will represent extravagance of untold magnitude.
It is totally unjustifiably. No sensible head of state will take more than
half of his cabinet and most of hos key advisers out of the country for a 36 hour trip.
I am inclined to believe that Sahara Reporters is exaggerating
on the number of delegates GEJ is planning to bring to NYC,
but I stand to be corrected.
Regarding the trip to Canada for the G8/G20 meeting, I can testify that
the statement that GEJ came to Canada with 142 delegates is false.
I was a designated member of the Nigerian delegation along with
several officials from the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa,
and the Presidents of Nigerian
Community Associations in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and other
invited Nigerian professionals. Indeed there was a large contingent
of delegates who are based in Canada. The figure of 142 probably
included all the accredited delegates including those resident
in Canada.
To my knowledge the Nigerian government did not cover any of the expenses
for the delegates invited from Canada. The FGN would have covered
the expenses for the embassy officials from Ottawa and
those who accompanied the President to Toronto, including
members of the advance team and the security detail.
I was also a member of the small delegation of Nigerians which welcomed
Mrs Patience Jonathan to Toronto. She flew into Toronto on a commercial
jet and was accompanied by only two female officials.
The Sahara Reporters story somewhat contradicts an earlier story by the same organization
about the NYC trip by GEJ. Sahara Reporters had earlier informed its readers that
the real reason GEJ canceled his appearance in NYC, was due to the
uncertain security situation in the Nigeria, and that GEJ might not
have full control of the nation's security apparatus.
If the reason for the initial cancellation is true, while would the same GEJ
now travel out of his country with an entourage that includes half of his cabinet
and most of his key advisers. Could GEJ be already planning a government in exile
should in case he is unable to return to Nigeria?
The story does not make any sense to me..
That the FGN wastes too much of our resources on large delegations to
international conferences should not be news to any Nigerian. We need to
keep up the pressure on the government to put a stop to frivolous expenses.
However, we need not invent stories. Journalism at its best is about adhering
to the truth of the matter, not what the journalist or the readers think is the truth.
I also consider speculative at best Sahara Reporter's insinuation that the
purported breakdown of the Presidential jet at Entebbe Airport was
a ruse by GEJ so that he could get the Senate and HOR to approve the budget
to purchase three new aircrafts for the presidential fleet. Let us give a
modicum of credit to the intelligence, if not the credibility of some of our key leaders.
Would any self respecting head of state fake a breakdown in a foreign
country just so he could buy additional jets?
The point of the above is not to defend GEJ and his government but rather
to ask that we do not swallow hook line and sinker everything that
is published by Sahara Reporters and other Nigerian online magazines.
Sure, Sahara Reporters has provided genuine scoops exposing major
scandals in both the Nigerian government and in the banking sector
of the economy. Notwithstanding this fact, it is also common knowledge
that some of Sahara Reporters published allegations have also
been proven to be groundless.
I won't name names but I certainly remember Sahara Reporters--re-publication
of a story from a rag online magazine called Pointblanknews regarding 52
billion Naira land scam at the Abuja Diaspora Village. That story remains
unsubstantiated until now.
Bye,
Ola
It is totally unjustifiably. No sensible head of state will take more than
half of his cabinet and most of hos key advisers out of the country for a 36 hour trip.
I am inclined to believe that Sahara Reporters is exaggerating
on the number of delegates GEJ is planning to bring to NYC,
but I stand to be corrected.
Regarding the trip to Canada for the G8/G20 meeting, I can testify that
the statement that GEJ came to Canada with 142 delegates is false.
I was a designated member of the Nigerian delegation along with
several officials from the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa,
and the Presidents of Nigerian
Community Associations in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and other
invited Nigerian professionals. Indeed there was a large contingent
of delegates who are based in Canada. The figure of 142 probably
included all the accredited delegates including those resident
in Canada.
To my knowledge the Nigerian government did not cover any of the expenses
for the delegates invited from Canada. The FGN would have covered
the expenses for the embassy officials from Ottawa and
those who accompanied the President to Toronto, including
members of the advance team and the security detail.
I was also a member of the small delegation of Nigerians which welcomed
Mrs Patience Jonathan to Toronto. She flew into Toronto on a commercial
jet and was accompanied by only two female officials.
The Sahara Reporters story somewhat contradicts an earlier story by the same organization
about the NYC trip by GEJ. Sahara Reporters had earlier informed its readers that
the real reason GEJ canceled his appearance in NYC, was due to the
uncertain security situation in the Nigeria, and that GEJ might not
have full control of the nation's security apparatus.
If the reason for the initial cancellation is true, while would the same GEJ
now travel out of his country with an entourage that includes half of his cabinet
and most of his key advisers. Could GEJ be already planning a government in exile
should in case he is unable to return to Nigeria?
The story does not make any sense to me..
That the FGN wastes too much of our resources on large delegations to
international conferences should not be news to any Nigerian. We need to
keep up the pressure on the government to put a stop to frivolous expenses.
However, we need not invent stories. Journalism at its best is about adhering
to the truth of the matter, not what the journalist or the readers think is the truth.
I also consider speculative at best Sahara Reporter's insinuation that the
purported breakdown of the Presidential jet at Entebbe Airport was
a ruse by GEJ so that he could get the Senate and HOR to approve the budget
to purchase three new aircrafts for the presidential fleet. Let us give a
modicum of credit to the intelligence, if not the credibility of some of our key leaders.
Would any self respecting head of state fake a breakdown in a foreign
country just so he could buy additional jets?
The point of the above is not to defend GEJ and his government but rather
to ask that we do not swallow hook line and sinker everything that
is published by Sahara Reporters and other Nigerian online magazines.
Sure, Sahara Reporters has provided genuine scoops exposing major
scandals in both the Nigerian government and in the banking sector
of the economy. Notwithstanding this fact, it is also common knowledge
that some of Sahara Reporters published allegations have also
been proven to be groundless.
I won't name names but I certainly remember Sahara Reporters--re-publication
of a story from a rag online magazine called Pointblanknews regarding 52
billion Naira land scam at the Abuja Diaspora Village. That story remains
unsubstantiated until now.
Bye,
Ola
-----Original Message-----
From: idowu <idowubobo@yahoo.com>
To: NaijaObserver@yahoogroups.com
Cc: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; naijapolitics@yahoogroups.com; igboevents@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, Sep 22, 2010 8:36 pm
Subject: [NIgerianWorldForum] Re: [NaijaObserver] BIG-STAR HAVE-PLANE-WILL-TRAVEL: Jonathan Storms New York with 120-Man Delegation For A 36-Hour Trip To The UN; 522-Person Delegation At Hand for MDG Summit
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." --Thomas Jefferson
-- From: idowu <idowubobo@yahoo.com>
To: NaijaObserver@yahoogroups.com
Cc: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; naijapolitics@yahoogroups.com; igboevents@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, Sep 22, 2010 8:36 pm
Subject: [NIgerianWorldForum] Re: [NaijaObserver] BIG-STAR HAVE-PLANE-WILL-TRAVEL: Jonathan Storms New York with 120-Man Delegation For A 36-Hour Trip To The UN; 522-Person Delegation At Hand for MDG Summit
Guys:
If this story is true, it showed that this man Goodluck Jonathan is not a goodluck to Nigeria. Lest we forget, he is a PDP man.
Idowu"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." --Thomas Jefferson
"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest." -- Elie Wiesel
From: vincent modebelu <vin_modebelu@yahoo.com>
To: shine-your-eyes Well-Well <naijaobserver@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; naijapolitics@yahoogroups.com; igboevents@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, September 22, 2010 7:18:18 PM
Subject: RE: [NaijaObserver] BIG-STAR HAVE-PLANE-WILL-TRAVEL: Jonathan Storms New York with 120-Man Delegation For A 36-Hour Trip To The UN; 522-Person Delegation At Hand for MDG Summit
From: vincent modebelu <vin_modebelu@yahoo.com>
To: shine-your-eyes Well-Well <naijaobserver@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; naijapolitics@yahoogroups.com; igboevents@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, September 22, 2010 7:18:18 PM
Subject: RE: [NaijaObserver] BIG-STAR HAVE-PLANE-WILL-TRAVEL: Jonathan Storms New York with 120-Man Delegation For A 36-Hour Trip To The UN; 522-Person Delegation At Hand for MDG Summit
| Gemology This is called a JUNKET... He should contact Dr Vicious Agwunobi for the BEST DREAM LINER from BOEING.. that can carry the RESOURCE CONTROL...!! That have watched the other people do their thing..... THE TIME HAS COME. I hope that the MEND commanders with Amnesty clearances were given visas. he should get different Dreamliners for African trips...American trips..European trips and a 747 for Yenagoa International Airport that permanently parks there....That only goes to Abuja and back to Yanagoa. vin....// vin....../// yesterdays thoughts are today's news will keep blowing while relaxed.....they are listening --- On Wed, 9/22/10, Chief Gemologist <usgemology@yahoo.com> wrote:
|
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