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	Atsar Terver Public affairs Commentator Port Harcourt Rivers, Nigeria
Atsar Terver	Atsar Terver's ECHOES Commentary on burning public issues
We Must Beg the President by Atsar Terver January 17, 2012 If you need anything from a President Jonathan there is something you must know how to do very well. Begging! The man loves to be begged. Begging moves the body, soul and spirit of the president faster than strikes and street protests. This is one lesson ASUU has not learnt and hence their prolonged strike to which the man has not given them as much as a glance. NigerianNews Special
This Fresh Air Stinks. by Atsar Terver January 08, 2012 If anyone still doubts the insensitivity of President Goodluck Jonathan to the suffering and yearnings of the Nigerian masses after the 1st January hike in PMS  price then tonight's national broadcast should erase such doubts. The President referred to the escalating violence in the north as mere security challenges while he casually alluded to planned protesters as mischief makers NigerianNews Special   Monkeying Around the Villa by Atsar Terver January 06, 2012 When I first voiced my opposition to the candidacy of Goodluck Jonathan for last year’s presidential election, one of the reasons I put forward was that Jonathan did not demonstrate sincerity or honesty in his handling of the Zoning Formula of his party. His manipulation of party leadership and denial of the existence of an agreement to which he was a signatory just to further his ambition clearly portrayed him as a man who could not be trusted. I argued that it was a dangerous gamble to place the destiny of 150million Nigerians in the hands of an opportunist who could not be taken by his words. NigerianNews Special   Why Nigerians Should Stop Praying by Atsar Terver December 21, 2011 Recently I had a squabble with a friend. He is a businessman and a Christian leader. We were held up inside a taxi in a nasty traffic snarl on our way from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja as we sought to catch up on an appointment in the Central Business District of the capital city. The argument started when he made a remark about Nigeria’s future being great! I had asked him why he believed Nigeria will become great but was annoyed at the simplistic answer he gave me.  He said that since Christians were praying for Nigeria God will one day give us a good leader. NigerianNews Special   Fuel Subsidy: This Pot Is Leaking by Atsar Terver October 14, 2011 The real tragedy of our nation is that those trusted with responsibilities for governance are so despicably clueless on the expectations and demands of their job. Going by the shallow and vague reasons canvassed by Diezani for the planned removal of the so-called fuel subsidy it would appear that her most potent asset might just be a fine face! NigerianNews Special   Six-Year Single Term Proposal is a Charade by Atsar Terver August 17, 2011 Being one of the most ardent non-supporters of a Jonathan Presidency for reasons I did not fail to elucidate in my previous writings before the 2011 general elections, I had planned to remain silent for a while when he finally clinched victory in an election that has been (doubtfully) christened ‘free and fair’. My decision was for two reasons; one was to give him a chance to prove me wrong on most of my gloomy predictions about his performance. The second is related to the first; that is not to give the impression that my opposition to his presidency is just for the sake of it! NigerianNews Special   On Jonathan’s Divisive Victory by Atsar Terver April 21, 2011 The 2011 Presidential election has come and gone, but like a Tsunami that leaves rubbles in its trail, the nation will have to grapple with the aftermath for a while. The country needs some tremendous capacity to absorb political shockwaves generated by this election. NigerianNews Special   Why Jega May Fail. by Atsar Terver November 03, 2010 The appointment of Prof. Atahiru Jega as the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has been widely acclaimed as putting a round peg in a round hole. It is one of the rare appointments to be commended by the civil society, prodemocracy activists, human rights groups as well as even the opposition.NigerianNews Special   Twinkle, Twinkle Little Stars. by Atsar Terver September 02, 2010 The first time I saw a helicopter was in 1979. As a village boy, together with my primary school mates, we had gathered in the open field of the LGEA School Ikpapam on that sunny afternoon to witness the arrival of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the then Presidential candidate of the UPN. Our enthusiasm was not as much about Awolowo as it was for the mode of his coming.NigerianNews Special   This House Has Fallen. by Atsar Terver June 28, 2010 Almost three years after Hon. Aminu Safana was ‘killed’ right inside the chambers of the lower house of the Nigerian Legislature, a repeat of the ugly incident was nearly witnessed in the House Tuesday when attempts were made to forcefully remove some members purportedly suspended from the House because they attempted to commence impeachment proceedings against the Speaker. Luckily no one died this time but one is reported to have left with a broken arm.NigerianNews Special   The Pitfalls of Anti-Zoning Argument by Atsar Terver June 15, 2010 Perhaps one of the hottest topics for political discourse in Nigeria today is the Zoning Formula which allows for the rotation of the Presidency between the Northern and Southern divides of the country. The death of President Yar’Adua and the consequent ascension to power of his erstwhile Vice, Goodluck Jonathan has suddenly awakened some political analysts to the ‘unconstitionality’ of the Zoning arrangement.NigerianNews Special   Jonathan is still the ‘Vice President’. by Atsar Terver March 17, 2010 I am a lone voice that has been unable to see the ‘emergence’ of Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President as being equivalent to a change in government. Perhaps there could be others who feel this way but are afraid of being labelled with unprintable names by a largely opportunistic but extremely vociferous mob overtaken by some ecstatic, even sardonic euphoria of seeing a deputy upstage his boss.NigerianNews Special   The Enemies of Electoral Reform and El-Rufai’s Silly Outburst. by Atsar Terver June 09, 2009 When former President Obasanjo recently declared in his characteristically reckless manner that he was not aware of any ongoing electoral reforms in the country, not many may have read the evil intentions pregnant in those words. Coming at a time the Uwais Report on Electoral Reforms was being widely debated by the public, such a declaration from a former President meant either of two things, namely that he was truly ignorant of political happenings around him or that he was just expressing cynical apathy. The later seems more plausible for a former head of state that he is.  NigerianNews Special   Obama Not a Snub. by Atsar Terver May 21, 2009 Efforts have been made by many Nigerians to interpret the planned visit to Ghana by American President Barack Obama as a snub on Nigeria for failing to demonstrate commitment to free and fair election-a feat which Ghana has managed to achieve in three consecutive times since Jerry Rawlling’s revolution. NigerianNews Special