More on APC

So a couple of things I've seen over the past few days I would like to comment on. First was a comment on a post asking GMB's supporters to donate towards his campaign. One lady's opinion was that whoever is interested in donating just needs to pass through the Lekki toll gate; after all a fraction of the money paid will go to Tinubu, who is GMB's backer & Osinbajo's godfather. Thinking about it, I realized she's not too far off. Quite frankly I think a good many people will not feel inclined to donate to GMB because the general feeling is that Tinubu has amassed more than enough to sponsor the campaign. The flip side to that is the more Tinubu donates, the more GMB is beholden to him and he will have no choice but to pay back, only this time by collecting federal contracts.

Then I watched a debate clip between Jimi Agbaje & Akin Ambode. Both candidates were asked what they would do about the toll collection at Lekki and the arrangement with AlphaBeta. Of course Agbaje said he will do away with both. But what was more interesting was Ambode's response. On the toll gate he said the tolls will remain because it is a key source of revenue for Lagos state and at that I became confused. When the tolls were put in place, Fashola said it was because the road was built using private sector funds and needed to be paid for. Which is fine, I don't have a problem with that. But if the road has been fully paid off (and none of the candidates said anything to the contrary), why has the toll collection not stopped? Or is APC's plan to continue to use that as a source of revenue, not necessarily for Lagos, but for Tinubu to have limitless funds for his insatiable political ambitions?

And then on AlphaBeta, Ambode said the company will remain a consultant to Lagos state because of the terms of the contract. If Lagos state should try to end the relationship, they will be dragged to court for breach of contract and the payout will be huge. I know a thing or two about contract management and this sounds to me like an evergreen contract that never expires. Such contracts only favour one party, the supplier. So basically Ambode told us that Lagosians have been bound to Tinubu in a never ending contract where he collects all our money in the form of taxes and keeps a percentage. This is just too much. With every passing day I am more convinced that Tinubu is a deadweight the APC is carrying which they need to get rid off and fast. That is the only way they will have a better proposition than PDP.

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APC and the clamour for CHANGE

If APC thinks that the clamour for change is only at the federal level, then I think they are being hypocritical. Do they think we don't need change at the state level? Take Lagos for instance; for how long are we going to be bed-fellows with Tinubu? Our present governor was hand picked by him, same as the current candidate. Even the APC vice-presidential candidate was chosen by him (I hear Osibanjo is a director of alpha-beta, the company owned by Tinubu and responsible for collection of taxes in Lagos state). His wife Oluremi Tinubu has 'represented' Lagos central senatorial district for three terms now if am not mistaken. Unfortunately the only time we see or hear from her is during elections, when her glossy election posters cover every available space on the island promising 'prosperity' for all. Is that what we need? Prosperity or a candidate that is our voice in the legislature? I think we have had enough of Tinubu; he should gracefully take a bow for the work he has done so far and allow the polity to run without saturating the whole place with his family members and cohorts who continue to serve his personal interests first rather than that of the people. The hypocrisy needs to stop; there is no difference between distributing recharge cards with the picture of Remi Tinubu and the bags of rice distributed by PDP with Jonathan's face on it. According to my colleague, the clamor for change is not a mantra, it is a movement. APC has the momentum now but if they are not careful, even they will be swept away into oblivion by the force of the Change movement.

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My Nigeria 'Online' Experience

I am a Nigerian - born, bred and brought up. I have lived in same country all my life excluding a brief stint in the UK and several short visits to other countries. Overall I think I love my country. Some things work, some others don't but who cares? Show me a place where everything works.

I am an avid online shopper. I picked up the habit while living in the UK and have been unable to drop it. I can literally buy everything online. More so since traipsing from one shop to another physically leaves me very tired, it's very nice to achieve the same thing virtually in the comfort of my home. In truth it was one of the things I missed when I came back to live in Nigeria.

Fast forward a few years forward, and I begin to see nice billboards advertising various online shopping sites. And it's not just the shopping, it's also online ticket booking, online banking, online hotel booking, online bills payment, supposedly a gazillion amount of things that can be done on the fantastic world of the internet. Happy days right???

Wrong.

I have had cause to try the various online sites. From flight tickets, to electronics, to gifts for family, to hotel bookings, concert tickets, deals in town, just name it; I have gone online for literally everything.

So what have I found out?

Some sites work, some others are just bollocks. From my experience, these are a few that work.

> Dealdey: I have tried this site for a number of things, from deals in restaurants, to discounted items and services. This site is full of 'awoof' which is not so bad. I have been pleased with some of the deals I have gotten from it. However one needs to be careful. There is a popular saying that 'awoof dey run belle' and this site is no different. My advise, choose carefully and wisely.

> Various airline sites: This is with reference to direct airline sites such as Arik air, Aero Contractors, Virgin Atlantic, and so on. These sites for the most part work. I have used them severally with no issues, except maybe one or two hitches but always quickly resolved.

> Travelstart: This is an online flight and hotel booking site which was recommended by a friend after I had an unsavory experience with one of the other sites (more on that to come). Considering I
used it at a time when I was very desperate, I was pleased that I got good results. I did hear from someone else that she had tried them but was disappointed as her hotel booking did not go through, but I think it's best I base what I write now on my personal experience.

Now to those that are frankly just a waste of space.....

> Wakanow: I wish I had something good to say about this site but unfortunately I don't. I am predisposed to like them but quite frankly they have always come up short. I have used them twice and both times I have been disappointed. First time had to do with a flight booking and after I paid, the ticket was not issued and I was told to pay extra money twice if I wanted the ticket issued. Needless to say I got so annoyed I asked for the ticket to be cancelled and what I paid refunded. It took several trips to their office in Lagos before my money was refunded, and of course by that time not the full value was refunded. Second time was for a honeymoon package and that was so botched up, it took a lot for my husband and I to still go on a honeymoon, no thanks to Wakanow. My advise, stay clear!!!

> Jumia: Quite frankly I think people should stop offering what they don't have to give and that is my problem with this site. I went to this site to buy a voice recorder for a friend. Went through the
modalities of choice, payment and sending delivery details. Two days later I receive a call; the item is not available and so I will be given a voucher to use to buy something else on the site. However if I
am okay to wait one more week, the item will be available by then. So I agree to wait one more week and then I call back and am told the item is now available so I place another order because the previous one was cancelled. Then receive a call the next day, and guess what? Yes you're right, the item is unavailable again. Suddenly sales have picked up and they've gone out of stock within 24 hours. Yeah right!!! My response.... Please cancel my order and refund my money thank you very much.

So has this put me off online shopping?

Well to a large extent it has, especially in Nigeria because it just doesn't work here. The disappointment is so not worth the effort and that's my final answer.

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