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Could the United States government run out of money, stop paying its creditors worldwide, and just shut down?

“The strength of
the American dollar as a world currency is grounded on the
unconditional guarantee by the United States to pay its debts,” said
Democratic Senator, Dick Durbin.

“A default on that
commitment, a near default, a threat of default, no matter how short,
would be a first in the history of the United States,” he added.

From Tokyo to
Toronto, governments of all sizes are facing tough budget choices. The
U.S. is no exception and this week, President Obama proposed a
multi-trillion-dollar budget that lawmakers will probably fight over
for months.

The problem is
that Washington faces a bigger budget decision much sooner. Like many
other countries, the U.S. spends more than it collects as taxes and it
makes up the difference by borrowing.

But unlike their
counterparts in most other countries, U.S. lawmakers keep a legal limit
on total debt. Right now, it’s roughly $14.3 trillion and Washington
will probably need more money within weeks.

Some Republicans say they’ll vote against raising the limit because they are so determined to cut government spending.

“I think the most
irresponsible thing that we can do as a Congress, the least grown-up
thing we can do, is just to vote to raise that debt ceiling and
continue business as usual, amounting these massive deficits and debt
that we have been running up,” said Republican Senator, Pat Toomey.

The impact could
be enormous, leaving the U.S. treasury without money for paychecks,
pensions or payments to other governments worldwide; it could undermine
faith in the most important currency in the world.

As that enormous
decision approaches, some prominent Republicans are backing away from
the threat and looking for ways to negotiate a new, higher limit.

In fact, President
Obama’s Democrats are more likely to mention the debt limit these days,
losing no opportunity to remind voters about what Republicans have been
considering.

Some Republicans
may still be considering it. Until we get close to a vote on the limit
in the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives, we can’t be
sure. Washington could still really shut itself down. Or come close.

Jonathan Mann presents Political Mann on CNN International each
Friday at 18:30 (CAT), Saturday at 3pm and 9pm (CAT), and Sunday at
10am (CAT).

The dispute between Keke Owners and Riders Association of
Nigeria (KORAN) and Autobahn Techniques Limited has reached a melodramatic
level as members of KORAN, at the weekend sought clarification as to the
ownership of the trademark name ‘Keke NAPEP.’ The association asked the
National Coordinator of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Magnus
Kpakol to clarify whether there is an official authority that ‘KEKE NAPEP,’ as
a trade mark, should be registered as a property of Autobahn.

The association noted that when the tricyle idea was conceived
by government, two companies; Bhojwani Brothers and Autobahn Techniques Ltd
were shortlisted, noting that Autobahn was however given the job because of the
higher quality of tricycle it imports against the Bajaj model by Bhojwani.
Their grouse is that NAPEP is an acronym for the National Poverty Eradication
Programme, which is a creation of the Federal Government and should not be
identified with a private establishment.

KORAN said that the relationship between the federal government
and Autobahn was that of employer/contractor relationship and therefore
ownership of the project “Keke NAPEP” should not be treated as a personal
property. In a petition signed by KORAN’s National President, Bashir Akinola
and its Secretary, Esther Ogunbanjo, -the association held that ‘Keke’ is a
generic name adopted all over the country for tricycles, irrespective of the
supplier and asked the national co-ordinator of NAPEP to clarify the confusion
about the ownership of name.

Many-layered fight

Autobahn was contracted by the federal government to develop and
implement the ‘keke NAPEP’ project in 2000. Since the contract was initiated ,
the company has been involved in a law suit over the trademark’s name.

Last year, NAPEP dragged Autobahn before the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) for allegedly failing to supply all the tricycles as
contracted by the federal government But prior to this, a report by NEXT has it
that Autobahn had accused Mr. Kpakol of deliberately delaying the payment of
the contract fee by twice issuing the contractor dud cheques.

The presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party
(ANPP), Ibrahim Shekarau will finally flag off his presidential campaign in
Abuja on Thursday February 24.

A source in the party told NEXT yesterday that the party
leadership agreed to the date after a meeting with Mr Shekarau, who is also the
governor of Kano State.

The party also resolved to start its state campaign tour in
Ebonyi State after the Abuja rally. The commencement of the presidential
campaign has been a source of concern for the party leadership following the
inability of Mr Shekarau to nominate those to be part of the party’s campaign
organisation.

At the meeting of the national working committee of the party
last Wednesday, Mr Shekarau was as he was said to be preparing for his
daughter’s wedding.

Some top party members have expressed concern that it was yet to
kick off the campaign even though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which it
seeks to replace during the polls had concluded its zonal campaign and is now
touring the 36 states.

A member of the NWC was mandated by the national chairman of the
party, to raise a memo on the issue and send to the committee for
consideration.

It was learnt that Ogbonnaya Onu, the national chairman of the
party will present Mr Shekarau and his running mate, John Odigie-Oyegun at the
flagging off ceremony to be attended by party members from all the states and
the federal capital territory.

Looking to the South West

Spokesman of the ANPP, Emma Eneukwu could not be reached for
comment. However, Mr Odigie-Oyegun confirmed the commencement of the
presidential campaign in a telephone interview with NEXT yesterday.

Mr Odigie-Oyegun, a former Edo State governor did not disclose
who will lead the party’s presidential campaign committee, neither did he name
those in the committee.

A source had said last week that the director general of the
campaign organisation may be picked from the South west geo-political zone of
the country since Mr Onu is from the South East and Mr Odigie-Oyegun, from the
South-South geo-political zones.

It was gathered that Bolaji Khaleel from Kwara State who headed the Mr
Shekarau’s Campaign Orgnisation ahead of the primaries, will be replaced since
he is now the ANPP gubernatorial candidate in Kwara State.

The restriction order by authorities of the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport (MMIA), Lagos banning non-travellers from gaining
entrance into the terminal has drawn the ire of general public who accuse the
airport authority of shortchanging their relatives.

Some of the travellers spoken to by NEXT admitted that the
directive is aimed at safeguarding and protecting lives and properties at the
country’s premier airport over the weekend, but others maintained that the
development was not justifiable, as they argued that one should not be denied
the chance to say “a warm goodbye” to his or her loved one embarking on a
journey.

“It is important to keep this place safe, but denying us the
privilege of keeping our brother’s company while he waits for his flight, in
name of security, is unacceptable. They (Aviation Security personnel) said we
cannot go beyond this point and that only the traveller can go inside,” said
Ronke Thomas, a non-traveller, who together with two other family members were
barred from entering the departure lounge by FAAN’s Aviation Security officer
stationed at the terminal gate.

Explaining that her brother, who was to leave for London that
evening, will have to wait for about 30 minutes before boarding, Ms. Thomas
frowned at the new security measures, as she called on authorities to review
the directive.

“Not everyone, whether travelling or not who comes to the
airport should be treated as miscreants, and I don’t think the same is done in
civilized countries. They should be able to differentiate between those who see-off
their relatives and those who constitute nuisance here,” she said.

Late last month, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),
in conjunction with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), MMIA
Command of the Nigerian Police Force, and other law enforcement agencies at the
airport, after a meeting held at the headquarters of the civil aviation
regulatory agency decided to limit the number of persons allowed into the
terminal. The development, however, came after rumours of possible explosion at
the international wing of the Lagos airport, following series of bomb scare and
explosions recorded across the country. “I’m not worried about it,” said
another non-traveller barred from entering the terminal, who simply gave his
name as Anayo. “The security guy there said it’s a practice aimed at ensuring
safety and checking the number of unidentifiable persons who parade the airport
occasionally.” Mr. Anayo said that the development should be encouraged, adding
that those who have no business at the airport should not be allowed entry.

“I brought my aunt here, and after he (security) stopped me from
entering, I had no choice but to take my leave,” he said. “Though not everyone
will like this, the truth is that those who are not travelling should not congest
the small space and air meant for travellers and workers in that terminal
building.”

Screening continues

Commenting on the development, Akin Olukunle, General Manager,
Public Affairs for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said that the
process will continue till there is enough reason for a halt.

“The screening is going to be a continuous process until there
is need for us to end it, and as soon as this becomes necessary, we will make it
public to the general masses through the appropriate channel,” he said.

“We are going to maintain the standard as far as safety and security of
lives and properties is concerned and people who are not travelling should stay
outside the terminal whenever they get to the airport.” Meanwhile, officers
from the airport police command stationed road blocks few kilometers away from
the international terminal, as they check private and commercial vehicles
heading for the airport.

Kenya’s president
said on Friday he had acted properly in making nominations for top
legal posts after the speaker of parliament deepened divisions in the
coalition by declaring them unlawful.

The row over
whether President Mwai Kibaki acted within the law in naming the chief
justice, attorney general and director of public prosecutions has raged
for weeks, pitting Kibaki’s allies against those of Prime Minister
Raila Odinga, who opposed the nominations because he was not consulted.

The dispute has
left their fragile coalition cabinet tottering on the brink of
collapse, and worried investors who sent the shilling and stock market
tumbling.

Kibaki’s
nominations were meant to improve confidence in the judiciary, and
support his case for transferring the trials of key suspects behind the
post-election violence of 2008 to Kenya from the International Criminal
Court headquartered in The Hague.

Kenneth Marende,
the speaker of Kenya’s parliament, said in an eagerly-awaited ruling on
Thursday that Kibaki acted unconstitutionally by failing to consult the
prime minister sufficiently.

Marende asked the
president to start the nominations afresh in a ruling seen by analysts
as a slap in the face for Kibaki and a symbolic political victory for
Odinga.

Lawmakers allied to
Kibaki — who said they had marshalled enough numbers to endorse the
president’s nominees — promised to contest Marende’s ruling. They said
he was biased because he had been elected as speaker by Odinga’s party.

Kibaki said on
Friday he would turn to the judiciary for a resolution of the dispute.
Kenya’s High Court has already issued temporary orders declaring the
nominations unlawful, pending the outcome of a constitutional court
hearing.

An opinion poll showed most Kenyans believe Kibaki flouted the law in nominating the judicial figures.

Above the fray The
president, who has for years cultivated an image of staying above the
fray of Kenyan politics, was true to form by not criticising Marende
directly, but said he had acted constitutionally while naming the top
state officials.

He said the speaker
had given a “different position regarding the constitutional status of
the nominations” in contrast to two parliamentary committees that
Marende had appointed to vet whether Kibaki’s nominations were lawful.

“The principle of
separation of powers between the three arms of government on this
important constitutional issue ought to have been respected,” Kibaki
said in a speech to reporters.

“Therefore, the interpretation of the constitution ought to have
been left to the judiciary.” Political scientist Mutahi Ngunyi said
there was a chance the constitutional court may interpret the issue in
Kibaki’s favour. “Kibaki may know something that we don’t,” he said.

President Goodluck Jonathan’s
relationship with about 21 opposition parties which recently pledged to
support him in the April 9 elections has gone sour. The president, who
is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reportedly
angry that the same parties have also met his All Nigeria Peoples Party
(ANPP) counterpart, Ibrahim Shekarau and pledged their support for him.
The parties are Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP), Peoples
Progressive Party (PPP), National Movement of Progressive Party (NMPP),

Action Party of Nigeria (APN),
Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN), National Majority Democratic Party
(NMDP), Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria (LDPN), Alliance for
Democracy (AD), Nigeria People Congress (NPC), Action Alliance (AA) and
Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD).

The others are New Democrats (ND),
Citizens Popular Party (CPP), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN), United
Democratic Party (UDP), Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), Change
Advocacy Party (CAP), Movement for Democratic and Justice (MDJ), United
National Party for Development (UNPD), Advance Congress of Democrats
(ACD) and Accord Party (AP).

The parties, under the aegis of
the Patriotic Electoral Alliance (PEAN) had, at the flagging off of the
presidential rally of the PDP on February 7 in Lafia, Nasarawa State
assured the crowd that they will work for the victory of the
Jonathan-Sambo ticket.

The vice chairman of the alliance,
Shittu Mohammed, who represented the group at the rally, read out the
names of the 21 parties as Mr Jonathan, his deputy, Namadi Sambo,
acting chairman of the PDP, Bello Mohammed and other party chieftains,
all of whom were on the podium, applauded. Mr Jonathan was so excited
that he took the list from Mr Shittu.

Curiously, 16 of the parties that
went to Lafia were in Kano the previous weekend where they reportedly
gave their support to Mr Shekarau. They were led by the national
chairman of the National Movement of Progressive Party, Lawrence
Atuwana.

In a statement to the media, Mr
Atuwana said that the parties resolved to support the Kano State
governor after considering a number of factors. “Having X-rayed the
personality, political antecedents and ability of the present governor
of Kano State, we call on all Nigerians of voting age, irrespective of
religious, political or tribal affiliation, to offer their complete and
unwholesome support to a man who for eight years has held Kano State
stable, peaceful and, above all, a place for every Nigerian to live and
earn his/her living,” he said. “Considering Shekarau’s accomplishment
in different areas of human development in Kano, there is no better
person to be entrusted with the leadership of the country at this
critical juncture of our history. We have collectively and voluntarily
agreed to avail Shekarau of the structure of our parties from the wards
to the national level to work towards realization of Shekarau
presidency come April this year.” A source who was at the event said
the statement was drafted by Mr Shekarau’s aide and given to the party
leaders to read.

Mr Jonathan was reportedly livid
to hear that the same parties had met Mr Shekarau two days earlier in
Kano and announced their support for the governor. The president was
said to have told the parties to immediately “put their house in order”
if they want to work with him.

A presidency source said, “It is
not as if the parties can make any impact during the election, but it
is a morale booster for the president for having 25 parties pledging to
work with him.”

Briefcase parties

A senior member of the ANPP, who
does not want to be named, said it was all in the game of politics. “It
is a strange thing. These are registered parties and they know what
they are looking for. The thing is that when they say they are coming,
you can’t say they should not come. These are brief case parties and
this is their time to go marketing,” he said. “They have been coming to
me too. They have been phoning me. I don’t want to look ridiculous. A
politician cannot turn anybody back. So, it is left for you journalists
to judge.” Efforts to speak with Sule Yau Sule, media aide to Mr
Shekarau were not successful. However, his running mate, John
Odigie-Oyegun confirmed that some parties visited his principal in Kano
to pledge their support for him, but refused to give further details.

The leadership of patriotic
alliance confirmed that there has indeed been some controversy over the
trip. Mr Mohammed, who is the vice chairman of the group, said leaders
of six of the parties mentioned have denied making the Kano trip.

“My party was not among them. Six
of them have refuted the report that they made the trip. Even one of
the chairmen, the Accord Party chairman who reportedly made the trip
was there in Lafia with me,” he said. “We don’t know what Shekarau
wanted to achieve with that.” Mr Mohammed also said that his party, the
Republican Party of Nigeria, does not involve itself in political
prostitution. “In RPN, we don’t jump about. Is it money you are going
to give myself here? I am young but I am not hungry,” he said.

Abba Dabo, the director of media
and publicity of the Jonathan-Sambo Presidential Campaign Council said
he was not aware that the same parties which pledged their support for
Mr Shekarau, appeared in Lafia.

“Do you think they are the same group? I think it is for you to find out,” Mr Dabo told NEXT in a telephone chat on Friday.

Mr Dabo couldn’t confirm if Mr
Jonathan reached any agreement with the parties to accommodate them in
a Government of National Unity (GNU) if he wins. “I cannot speak on
this matter. Only the acting chairman (of PDP) can speak on it,” he
said.

On his part, Mr Mohammed said the
support for the president was borne out of a desire to ensure the unity
of the country and not to get any monetary gift or appointment.

An alliance of equals

PEAN was formed last year when 37
registered political parties met to deliberate on how to confront the
PDP in the forthcoming elections. Convened by former Lagos State
governor, Lateef Jakande, and Rasheed Shitta-Bey, the group’s goal was
“to field common candidates at all electoral levels to win elections
and govern as a united front.” At its third pre-inaugural meeting, the
alliance agreed to reconvene on Wednesday, November 24 for the election
of the national executive council. Consequently, each party was asked
to send three delegates to the working session to constitute the NEC
and the other working committees. The three delegates included the
national chairman of the party, the national secretary and one other
member.

In November last year, about 16 of
the parties and the ANPP agreed to work together during the elections
to form a formidable group. The group was led to the meeting by Maxo
Okwu, the national chairman of CPP, who challenged the ANPP to provide
quality leadership for the opposition groups to ensure that Nigeria
does not become a one-party state, which he said could truncate the
nation’s democracy.

“I believe that ANPP should go
back. When you have one way rule, democracy will die. Try to energise
your party, we urge you to do more,” he said. “The next contest must be
a clear contest. If PDP is one goal post, please come and help us to
man the other goal post. Democracy must grow and we must make it grow.”
At the meeting, the ANPP chairman, Ogbonnaya Onu pledged to lead the
other opposition parties against the ruling PDP in the general
elections.

Mr Onu, criticised the PDP for
giving Nigerians poor leadership in the last 12 years, saying if the
ANPP collaborates with the other parties, they (Nigerians) will have
the change they are yearning for.

“By the time they see us, they will know that something is
happening in Nigeria and that people are ready for change. Let us never
doubt what we can achieve if we work together. The time has come for
change in Nigeria and we are the apostles of that change.” The ANPP
national chairman said that most of the problems confronting the
country are self-inflicted and can be solved, stressing “we are asking
Nigerians to give us the opportunity to lead the country. If one party
(PDP) has failed the nation, there are 62 other parties.”

If any of the four leading
presidential candidates for the upcoming elections thought that
clinching a clear majority of votes would be a walk in the park, they
better think again. Especially the People’s Democratic Party. The camp
of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign is quickly coming to terms with the
fact that the supposed stronghold states of the president turned in
poor results in the recently concluded voter registration. Predictions
of votes based on the traditional voting blocs shows that none of the
three presidential candidates will win the required simple majority and
25 percent in 24 states including the Federal Capital Territory.
Although analysts believe the winner of the election will emerge on his
personality as well as the bloc votes, the current reality of the bloc
votes leaves the new campaign council anxiously battling to maintain a
clean unbeaten record and deliver the election to their principal. The
southeast and south-south geopolitical zones where President Jonathan
has his highest popularity rating registered the lowest number of
voters. The south-south geopolitical zone, President Jonathan’s home
zone registered only 7.959 million voters. Despite President Jonathan’s
popularity in the south-south region, Edo and Delta States hold about
2.1 million votes and show strong affiliation with Mr. Ribadu and his
party, ACN.

The southeast, the PDP’s second
stronghold registered 6.892 million, the least volume of registration
nationwide. PDP is also not certain of clean out victory in Imo State
with its 1.6 million votes following the defection of Ifeanyi Ararume
and other former influential members of the PDP in the state.

Both zones registered a sum of
14.852 million voters, which is less than the 18,368 million voters
registered in the northwest, and just hundreds of thousands above the
14,057 million voters registered in the southwest. Both the southwest
and the northwest are President Jonathan’s weakest links. The northwest
is held as the iron grip of the Congress for Political Change (CPC)
whose presidential candidate, Mohammadu Buhari, is also from the region.

“The northwest believes Jonathan
has stolen their mandate and may never vote for him in bloc,” Ikemefuna
Justice, an analyst said. However, Mr. Buhari’s high handedness and
allegations of imposition of candidates as well as his choice of vice
president have loosened his party’s grip on the fundamentally Islamic
northeast. The crises rocking the CPC however place Mr. Ribadu and the
ACN at the lucky end in the North West. In Kano state, Abdullahi
Gwarzo, the deputy governor, recently quit the All Nigeria People’s
Party (ANPP) to join Can. Meanwhile, Mohammed Abacha, who was one of
CPC’s most influential members in the state, is at loggerheads with the
party and Buhari over his gubernatorial ticket. The same crises plagues
the party in Katsina, Bauchi and Kaduna where Buhari is said to have
abandoned the politicians he built CPC with for others. Nuhu Ribadu,
the Presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria is from
the northeast region; however, he has his highest acceptability in the
southwest.

Not all lost

The PDP, however, still has the
potential of pulling large votes in both Oyo and Ogun state in the
region despite deep rooted divisions in the party there. The northeast
and north central states are forage fields for all the presidential
candidates. In the northeast, the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP)
becomes a factor. The northeast registered 8.560 million voters while
the North Central registered 8.142 million voters. Together both zones
have 16.702 million voters which both the PDP Presidential Campaign
Council and their principal are not certain of victory. In the
northeast, ANPP with Ibrahim Shekarau as its presidential candidate
wields a high level of popularity in Borno but shares equal potentials
with the CPC in Yobe state. While PDP is almost certain of winning
Gombe state, the ~ ruling would have to put up a strong fight to win
Bauchi state over CPC. Adamawa, Mr. Ribadu’s home state is most likely,
but not certainly, going to vote in his favour. However, both the PDP
and CPC have strong potentials in the state. Mr. Ribadu and his party,
however, wields a high potential in Taraba, the least registered of the
northeast states. While the traditional bloc votes will determine the
basic direction of votes, other factors such as the personality and
media popularity of the contenders will finetune factor their
achievements in each of the states.

There is a flurry of activity in
the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Piles of files and documents are being collated and officials have been
detailed to analyse the huge mass of documents and data. NEXT
investigations reveal that the SGF’s office is working behind the
scenes for President Goodluck Jonathan who is determined to produce a
comprehensive response to the report of the Presidential Advisory
Council (PAC) which last month accused his government of wasting funds
on a behemoth work force.

Among other things, Mr. Jonathan
will put up a valiant defence for the over 133 personal aides which he
currently hires for the Presidency and who get paid about N780 million
every year. Sources who spoke with NEXT in confidence said that
although there are civil servants officially stationed in the State
House, the Presidency has not only hired this large array of private
aides but is furious with the Theophillus Danjuma-led committee for
questioning these appointments.

The advisory council was set up in
March, 2010 by the president, “to evaluate policy implementation and
advise on areas requiring adjustments; to advise the President on how
to maximise the benefits derivable from government’s efforts; to advise
on such actions and programmes that may improve credibility and
performance of the government.” Almost a year later, on January 20,
2011, the group submitted a major report, which heavily criticised Mr.
Jonathan’s government.

The council had among other
recommendations, advised the president to prune the bloated federal
bureaucracy. But few days after the report was released, Mr. Jonathan
announced the appointment of new special advisers and assistants.

Yet, determined to respond to the
charges by the council, the presidency has set up a team, mandated to
prepare a report that will reflect the government’s gripe with the PAC
report. The team is being coordinated by officials in the office of the
SGF, Yayale Ahmed, and is expected to show that the PAC, made up of
eminent Nigerians including Fola Adeola and Kanu Agabi, is largely
ignorant of the intricacies of government affairs.

“They have concluded that the
Danjuma group is made up of people who do not understand the workings
of government,” a source within the SGF’s office said, asking not to be
named since he was not speaking in official capacity.

“Danjuma and his people have
become infamous because of the report. To them, the group does not
understand issues like national character or the constitutional
provision for the engagement of assistants,”

133 aides

An official document obtained by
NEXT, titled ‘List of presidential Aides as at February, 2011’ shows
that the country currently pays for at least 133 personal aides to the
president, the vice-president, and the first lady. These aides, who are
mostly political appointees, include the Chief of Staff to the
President, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Principal
Secretary to the President, Principal Secretary to the Vice President,
25 special advisers, 42 senior special assistants, 52 special
assistants and 12 personal assistants. Two of the personal assistants
are Malian and Senegalese tailors who sow the president’s clothes.

Activist Shehu Sani, president of
the Civil Rights Congress, said most of the appointees were simply
engaged by President Jonathan as campaign foot soldiers.

“The president is simply wasting
our national resources and applying pressure on the economy by settling
cronies, bootlickers and parasites on the corridors of power with
appointments,” said Mr. Sani who wants labour, civil society and
opposition parties to check the trend.

Looking through the list, some of
the appointments indeed appear to be duplication of duties. For
instance, there are six physicians (two senior special assistants and
four special assistants) who attend to the health needs of the
president, the vice president and the first lady. They include two
chief physicians to the president and vice president, two personal
physicians to the President and the vice president, an assistant
personal physician to the president and a personal physician to the
first lady. Yet some public hospitals across the country do not have a
single physician.

Apart from the large number of
domestic staff in the presidential villa, who are civil servants, there
are also six special assistants in charge of domestic matters for the
president and his vice. Their job descriptions are special assistants
on presidential household matters, domestic affairs, domestic matters,
household administration, social events and household matters, and
domestic affairs.

Eleven of the presidential aides
on the list work for the unconstitutional office of the First Lady.
They are Ike Neliaku and Oroyemisi Oyewole, both senior special
assistants on administration to Mrs. Jonathan; Mary Oba, a special
assistant on administration; Grace Koroye, coordinator, Organization of
African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS, and Martha Owuzurumba,
coordinator, African First Ladies Peace Mission. Other aides of Mrs
Jonathan are Hannah Offor, a special assistant on protocol, Isiaku
Aliagan, her media assistant, and Elizabeth Austin Amadi, her personal
physician. On August 13, 2010, Mrs. Jonathan’s stylist, Agnes Aineneh,
was appointed a presidential assistant. Two ladies-in-waiting were also
appointed for the president’s wife. In the United Kingdom, the term
Lady-in-Waiting, according to Wikipedia, is used to describe a woman
attending a female member of the royal family other than the Queen or
Queen Consort. In Cambodia, the term refers to high ranking female
servants who served food and drink, fanned and massaged, and sometimes
provided sexual services to the King. It is however not clear what
Justin Adaba and Amina Iye Ahmadu do for Mrs. Jonathan.

Yet, there are other aides of the
First Lady that are not on the list. Among them are her steward, Benson
Okpara; her luggage officer, Geoffrey Obuofforibo; her aide-de-cap,
Jacob Tamunoibuomi; her orderly, Abigail Jonah, her chief security
officer; Francis Ibiene; her director of protocol, Mfama Abam; her
principal protocol officer, Nuhu Kwache; and another media assistant,
Ayobami Adewuyi.

It remains unclear the exact
number of official staff permanently employed by the federal government
for the state house in addition to the 133 personal aides. This would
include bureaucrats, directors, security personnel, administrative
staff, and cleaners. Indications are that this figure would be higher
than that of the special aides since the State House has budgeted an
additional N1.42 billion for the payment of salaries of these other
staff this year.

The cost to the nation

The Nigeria Labour Congress is
seeking a minimum wage of 18,000 naira for civil servants. The total
sum used in paying the annual salary and allowances of the 133
presidential aides is N775, 207,125. This money will pay the basic
salary of 3,600 civil servants. The money is also more than the Federal
Ministry of Education needs this year to construct new schools (N202
million) and provide infrastructure in existing ones, including all the
103 unity schools (N102 million).

This money, even by government
estimate, can construct 100-room hostels in each of the nation’s five
first generation universities which will comfortably accommodate
thousands of young undergraduates who have no place to sleep in our
universities. (Cost of constructing a 25-room hostel is N41million.)

Between Jonathan and Yar’Adua

Investigations by NEXT indicate
that Mr. Jonathan has more appetite for personal aides than his
predecessor. After he was sworn-in in May 2010, following the death of
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Mr. Jonathan retained almost all the special aides
appointed by his late boss. But he has also appointed 57 new ones. In
the nine months that he has been president, Mr. Jonathan has appointed
a chief of staff, a deputy chief of staff, nine special advisers, 23
senior special assistants, 21 special assistants and two personal
assistants.

Human rights lawyer, Bamidele
Aturu describes the appointments as “extreme recklessness”. “It’s
wasteful and irritating,” he said. It shows brazen disregard for the
people of Nigeria most of whom live below the poverty line. We should
ask the president whether he wants to create a new country for himself
in the villa.”

The situation in other climes

In the United States, there are
470 employees working in the White House. But most of them are
employees on permanent appointments who have worked there for years.
President Barack Obama only appointed a handful of key advisers.

Similarly, in South Africa,
according to the 2009 annual report of the presidency, President Jacob
Zuma appointed only seven advisers while the remaining 582 members of
staff were mostly career civil servants.

Government officials in relevant
agencies expressed differing views on the legality and appropriateness
of the Presidency’s huge number of aides. An official of the Revenue
Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the body
empowered to fix salaries and allowances of political office holders,
who did not want his name mentioned for fear that he might be
victimized, said most aides ought to be sourced from the government
departments and should be on secondment to the State House for as long
as their services are needed.

“Special assistants and personal
assistants to the president should be seconded from ministries i.e.
they should be civil servants,” the official said. I don’t believe that
the President has the right to appoint special assistants from outside
the service, unlike his special advisers.”

The spokesperson to the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Salisu Na’inna, however disagrees.
“The President has all the right to choose his assistants and advisers
and there is no constitutional limit to the number he decides upon,”
Mr. Na’inna argued. “Anybody who has a circular to the contrary should
produce it.”

What the law says

Section 151 of the 1999
Constitution provides that, “The President may appoint any person as a
Special Adviser to assist him in the performance of his functions.

“The number of such Advisers and
their remuneration and allowances shall be as prescribed by law or by
resolution of the National Assembly.

“Any appointment made pursuant to
the provisions of this section shall be at the pleasure of the
President and shall cease when the President ceases to hold office.”

But the Revenue Mobilisation and
Fiscal Commission says the President and heads of other arms of
government are appointing too many aides. In its latest executive
report on reviewed remuneration package, the commission noted “there is
non-compliance with the provisions of the remuneration packages such as
contained in either the Report of the Commission or the Act itself.

“Such violations by the three
tiers and arms of Government,” the commission further said, “include
arbitrary appointment of high number of Personal Assistants which is
adding more cost to the running of Government at the various levels.

“It is difficult to determine what
value they add to service delivery or to governance. The Commission
advise that all these illegal appointments by the 3-Tiers of Government
be stopped and officers concerned be relieved of their appointments.
Also the three tiers and arms of Government should eliminate or limit
the number of Personal Assistants to reduce cost of governance.”

Civil Society is angry too

Members of civil society groups
were also quick to condemn Mr. Jonathan for his large army of personal
aides citing the lack of regulation as a cause of the trend, which
persists in the National Assembly as well.

“Section 151 of the 1999
Constitution allows the president to appoint a number of advisers
approved by the Senate to help him in his work,” says Eze Onyekpere of
the Centre for Social Justice. “But what the president does is to
appoint all manner of aides that have become a drain on our national
resources. We should blame this on the dereliction of duty by the
National Assembly, which has failed to prescribe the number of aides
the president could appoint as well as their emoluments. The
legislature should quickly call the president to order,”

Mr Sani also described the
President’s numerous appointments as an act of frivolity. “Jonathan’s
many aides are simply campaign foot soldiers employed to be paid with
government money. And for a government that has less than four months
to leave, what assistant or advice does he need at this time? I think
that Nigerians – labour, civil society and opposition parties should
openly condemn and resist this wicked act,” he said in Abuja over the
weekend.”

Osita Okechukwu, spokesperson of
the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, also believes the
appointment of many aides is a reckless political strategy.

“By appointing such ridiculous
number of aides, the president is building a brigade for the election.
For instance, Bianca Ojukwu was appointed to capture APGA. His action
shows that all he is saying about reforming the economy is an orchestra
of deception. Can you reform the economy when you are increasing the
recurrent expenditure profile instead of trying to limit it to enable
you to have more funds for capital projects like the Mambilla power
project? It’s wastage and this does not give confidence to investors.
Foreign direct investment cannot come to a country with that level of
wastefulness,” he said.

Response from the presidency

The Special Adviser to the
President on Communications, Ima Niboro, wouldn’t comment on his boss’
penchant for appointing special aides. He did not respond to text
messages and calls to his mobile telephone on the matter.

Musikilu Mojeed, Idris Akinbajo and Elizabeth Archibong contributed to reporting for this story.