USAfricaonline.com, 1st African-owned U.S.-based professional newspaper on the internet, assessed by The New York Times as the largest (and arguably the most influential) African-owned, U.S-based multimedia networks; established May 1992. News@USAfricaonline.com 713-270-5500. wireless: 832-45-CHIDO (24436)
As Frank Annunzio, a shrewd former Democratic member of Congress from Chicago – reflecting on how Congress really works – once observed: “All the matters here is the votes. Everything else is [baloney].”
Right now, Obama and the Democrats should be concerning themselves solely with cobbling together bare majorities in both houses to achieve final passage.
Nigerians are moving on, with casual regard for the mysterious presidency of the indisposed Yar’Adua and the man who imposed him and his VP Goodluck Jonathan on Nigeria in 2007, the retired General and former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The truth of the matter is that Nigerians are sick and tired of subjecting our youth and children to compete and struggle for the same political positions with their grand-fathers…. the demands of Nigerians for a responsible and responsive government will not quieten with the return from Saudi Arabia (after 100 days) of the unwilling president of Nigeria ‘Baba Go-Slow’ Umar Yar’Adua. Nigerians say welcome, and goodbye….
With Yar’Adua out of sight and reach since Feb 24 return, confusion continues in the presidency. Special to USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine Umaru Yar’Adua’s unexpected return to Nigeria while still too ill to resume office has undermined the acting president and sown further confusion in the government, analysts say. “We are just creating a bundle of confusion [...]
Nigeria’s indisposed 58 years-old President Umaru Yar’Adua, apparently, has returned to Abuja a few minutes ago into the wee early hours of Wednesday (Nigeria), after 90+ days in a Saudi Arabian hospital undergoing treatment for a heart condition and other complications….. more info, breaking on www.USAfricaonline.com THE AUTHORITATIVE LINK. wireLess: 832-45-CHIDO (24436)
“I saw him the day before yesterday … He’s really feeling better now,” Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Aminchi told AFP.
Aminchi confirmed that a delegation of senior legislators were not allowed to see Yar’Adua earlier this month despite coming to Jeddah on a mission to gauge the health of the 58-year-old president, who checked into King Faisal Specialist Hospital on November 23 for an acute heart condition.
Niger’s junta enters as Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, led by Major Salou Djibo. Special to USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine, Houston NIAMEY: Salou Djibo, leader of the coup that overthrew Niger’s president Mamadou Tandja, is an army major who is virtually unknown to the people of the underdeveloped but uranium-rich west African state. Born [...]
Into 2010 in Niger, whether the military coup succeeds or not, Tandja’s age and relevance to Niger’s future and representative democracy are dim and out. In one of his most controversial moves, after more than 10 years in office as commander-in-chief and president, he extended his rule via an unfair referendum in August 2009. The conflicts and rumbles within and outside the military grew….
A few months following the twisted referendum, he dissolved the Nigerien national assembly/parliament and the country’s court for constitutional issues. Soon after, in October 2009, he rail-roaded a parliamentary election which was widely condemned by African countries, the U.S., European countries and donor agencies who for almost 50 years have supported the needs of the poor country which shares borders with Nigeria’s northern region.
After three coups hit Niger between 1974 and 1999, Tandja twice won votes deemed fair. But in the waning months of his final term, critics say he went down the path of many long-serving African despots, breaking a promise he had frequently made to step down when his term expired in December. Opposition leaders say Tandja morphed from democrat to dictator over the course of several months last year. In May 2009, he dissolved the national assembly because it opposed his plan to hold a referendum removing term limits.
He is reputed as the first Nigerian attorney at law in the State of Texas.
He was the founding president of the Nigerian Foundation and has actively devoted many years of service to many community, faith-based groups and business organizations.
Nominated for Best African player on the continent: Uche Agba (Heartland FC, Nigeria), Mputu Mabi (T.P. Mazembe, DR Congo), Abdelmalek Ziaya (Entente Setif, Algeria)
A group of Nigerian lawmakers who tried to visit Yar’Adua (in Saudi Arabia) to determine his state of health returned at the weekend after five days without seeing him.
Sudan’s 2011 referendum: who’s afraid of freedom? By Prof. Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe Special to USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine, Houston Jean Ping, the chair of the Addis Ababa-based Commission of the Africa Union, recently criticised the likely outcome of next year’s referendum by the people of south Sudan on the restoration of their independence. Ping told a French [...]
Presidential voting postponed; Togo’s main opposition quits elections commission, calls it “electoral masquerade” Special to USAfricaonline.com Togo’s main opposition party said Saturday it had quit the commission organising presidential elections next month (March 2010). The Union of Forces for Change said in a statement that it did not want to be associated with an “electoral [...]
Deadlock hampers governance in Zimbabwe, PM beckons on South Africa to intervene HARARE, Zimbabwe — The Zimbabwe prime minister’s party says South Africa should intervene in a deadlock that has hampered governance in this south African country. Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party, said Friday that President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party was [...]
CHIDO NWANGWU, recipient of the Journalism Excellence Award (1997), is the Founder and Publisher of the influential and respected USAfrica, USAfricaonline.com (first African-owned U.S.-based professional newspaper to be published on the Internet), the Chinua Achebe project www.Achebebooks.com, the ultra-glossy CLASS magazine, the exciting photos and events mega-site with the largest collection of contemporary images/events of continental Africans in [...]
Why do we celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life? By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfricaonline.com Special to USAfrica The Newspaper, Houston USAfricaonline.com and CLASS magazine and The Black Business Journal (First written on April 19,1999, exclusively for USAfrica, updated after his retirement as President and on February 11, 2010 remarking 20th anniversary of his release from apartheid South Africa [...]
“The events of the recent past have put to the test our collective resolve as a democratic nation…. We have all shown that our unity as a people, our love for this country, and our hope for its great future cannot be shaken”, said VP Jonathan in a tv address to Nigerians,
Nigeria’s democracy, Anambra’s Governorship election: Winners, Losers and task ahead By Attorney Chris Aniedobe Edited version for USAfrica, USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine (Houston) and IgboEvents USAfrica, Feb 8, 2010: I am satisfied that the re-election of Governor Peter Obi was, substantially, free and fair and does reflect the electoral wishes of the voters/citizens of Anambra State of [...]
South Africa’s prez Zuma apologizes for another sexual affair; married to 3 women; 4th wife in a few months Special to CLASSmagazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma says he deeply regrets the pain caused by an extramarital affair in which he fathered a child a four months ago. President Zuma issued a [...]
Anambra Gov. Peter Obi affirmed by INEC as winner of governorship election, amidst tales of voting, logistics problems Special to USAfricaonline.com Awka, Nigeria — The incumbent in Nigeria’s Anambra state was on Sunday (Feb 7, 2010) pronounced the winner of a flawed gubernatorial vote seen as a test for Africa’s largest democracy ahead of presidential [...]
