CONSENSUS, NONSENSUS, DISENSUS? HOW ABOUT EQUITY?

CONSENSUS, NONSENSUS, DISENSUS? HOW ABOUT EQUITY

Mallam Adamu Ciroma was once, not long ago, hailed as a nationalist par excellence by the same politicians, journalists and public affairs commentators who are falling over each other in castigating him as an ethnic bigot and an irredentist today.  He was the toast of our commentators when he directed the re-election campaign of Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.  At that time Mallam Adamu was hailed as a politician with foresight for insisting that the likes of the late Abubakar Rimi and Barnabas Gemade were not allowed to contest because of an existing agreement signed in 2002 for power rotation between the north and the south.  That each region should be allowed to lead the country (whether we like it or not) for eight continuous years.  Today Mallam Adamu is vilified for insisting on the implementation of the same agreement, freely signed by all present – the difference this time is that the shoe is on the other foot and those who believe Nigeria belongs to them are of the opinion that others shouldn’t be allowed to come near political power in the next hundred years.

I have had numerous arguments with friends and colleagues on the propriety or otherwise of the zoning principle enshrined in the constitution of the PDP as a mechanism for ensuring that all sections of the country at one time or the other attained the presidency of the country and as an instrument for satisfying the diverse ethnic and religious groups of the country.  I have never being comfortable with the arrangement, though if this be the best instrument that is devised for those who believe Nigeria must remain one, no matter what, I said so be it.  Besides, being not a member of the PDP, I feel I do not have the moral justification to question how the party choose to govern its internal affairs, though in the long run, it will affect me one way or the other.  And then ‘Yar Adu’a died.  Zoning took on an entirely different meaning because the advocates of the policy believe they can hoodwink the rest of us into believing their own interpretation of zoning, contrary to all known English or legal language.  Some even went to the ridiculous level of saying though the north is supposed to “enjoy” the arrangement for eight uninterrupted years, with the demise of ‘Yar Adu’a, Jonathan is now in pole position to complete the north’s turn.  The zoning antagonists polarised the country by their actions and utterances – blackmail, harassment by security officials, bribe, insults, etc.

While the brick-a-brats were going on, the Adamu Ciroma Committee emerged with a view to pruning the number of northern aspirants seeking to contest for the presidency on the platform of the PDP.  This was the first quiver fired from the arrow of the zoning protagonists that sent shock waves down the spine of Goodluck’s patrons and cronies.  Goodluck’s handlers targeted Babangida, one of the quartets under consideration by the Ciroma Committee, thinking he will be the one to be selected as the consensus candidate of the northern branch (?) of the PDP.  The attacks were so reckless that his campaign director general was hauled-in on charges bordering on treason and wilful murder in the aftermath of the Abuja bombings.  Skeletons were rattled in Babandida’s closet and dead issues were exhumed.  Already some gullible voters were beginning to believe that Babangida was the worst thing to happen to the country - a twentieth century reincarnation of Dracula.  Suddenly the issues of Dele Giwa murder, the Ejigbo airforce plane disaster and other unsavoury policies of Babangida became topical issues.  The whole Goodluck train passengers’ minds were conditioned to the fact that Babangida will be selected by the Ciroma Committee.  When the Committee’s selection was announced, they were all dumbfounded as their reactions revealed.  It means going back to the drawing board for them.

The reactions that trailed the announcement are my concern and not the announcement itself.  Two groups continue to baffle me – the Goodluck and the Babangida groups.  While Babangida overtly congratulated Atiku for emerging as the consensus candidate, his coterie of “die-hards” keep lampooning Mallam Adamu Ciroma and his Committee members.  Many will now tell you with a straight face that the Committee was populated with Atiku supporters that why why he emerged as the Committee’s consensus candidate.  Some even said the Committee was bribed by Atiku.  I have never liked Atiku or Babangida’s politics, but I feel it will be wrong for Babangida’s supporters to start such a campaign only after their candidate failed to make the grade.  The right thing to do was to have pointed out the lopsided nature of the Committee’s composition well before the announcement and not after.  And if truly the quartet were trying to worst Goodluck politically for flouting his party’s written agreement (which he was a signatory) then the most honourable thing for Babangida to do is to keep mum because they will also be guilty of what they are accusing Goodluck of – flouting a written agreement.  The Committee had the presence of mind to make all the aspirants sign an agreement to abide by the outcome of the Committee’s work.

The reactions from the Goodluck group are, to say the least, nauseating.  A representative of their reaction is where someone called the Committee’s work “...nothing but a display of primordial sentiments”.  I cannot fathom what the man means because I thought the whole thing began from Goodluck’s corner when tribal organisations, herded by ethnic potentates, endorsed him as their candidate in 2011 in flagrant disobedience of Section 7.2(c) of the PDP’s constitution.  The south west governors endorsed him, South-South Peoples Assembly and their governors “anointed” him, Oha Naeze and the south east governors crowned him.  There is nothing primordial in all these.  But if some northern PDP members decide that the right thing must be done, it is “sectional” and retrogressive.  For daring to insist that the authors of the agreement respect their work of fiction, the Ciroma Committee members are labelled “primordial sentimentalist”, while the authors of the agreement. who are the primary beneficiaries of the contraption, are “pan Nigerians”.  For Obasanjo, Clarke and Ralph Uwechue to “anoint and endorse” Goodluck in flagrant disregard of a subsisting agreement, they are forward looking, not minding the dangerous precedent they will be setting, even if the corporate existence of the country is threatened.

It is perfectly alright for this group to dredge up the murder of Dele Giwa (which was taken to the Supreme Court) and the Ejigbo air disaster and try obliquely to hang these on Babangida’s neck and sweep under the rug the recent brutal and unsolved murders of Marshal Harry, Bola Ige and all those killed during Obasanjo’s tenure including complete obliteration of Zaki Biyam and Odi.  What sort of a country are we trying to build?  The Ciroma Committee was among other things accused by this group as essentially set-up to subvert Goodluck because he is a southerner yet they conveniently forgot to tell Nigerians that subverting a subsisting agreement put in place in the first instance to allow all components of the country a sense of belonging is not just subverting the political interest of the north, but the corporate existence of the country. 

To me, Babangida, Atiku and Goodluck are all the same and none will get my vote.  I do not have an iota of political sympathy for the trio and never will.  My sincere advice to Babangida’s supporters who feel robbed by the outcome of the Ciroma Committee’s work and strongly believed a northerner must be voted as the president of Nigeria come 2011, they have a choice from among the plethora of candidates in the other parties.  For Babangida to question the selection of Atiku by the Committee is tantamount to coming to equity with not only soiled hands, but soiled underpants.

NIGERIA HAS REALLY COME OF AGE - BOMBS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL

NIGERIA HAS REALLY COME OF AGE – BOMBS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL

Nigeria has really come of age – what with the spate of kidnappings including primary school children four days to the N7billion carnival, in the run up to the 50^th independence anniversary celebration that culminated in the senseless killing of innocent revellers through the detonation of a bomb in Abuja.  Yes, Nigeria has really come of age and did celebrate in style by spilling blood in Abuja, far away from the theatre of war in the Niger Delta, where perceived grievances are settled through the use of brutal force against the innocent.  The south-south is really in charge of the affairs of the country as attested to by the ease of access the bombers have into the capital city despite the heavy presence of security men all along the road from the Niger Delta to Abuja.  Though this is not the first time the militants “invaded” the seat of government because earlier this year they were given “safe passage” by the powers that be to come and terrorise people on the Airport road when traffic was brought to standstill for more than three hours.  If anyone entertains doubts about the assertion that Niger Delta militants are in charge of the country, the defense put up by Goodluck on behalf of MEND should leave no one in doubt though MEND chose to disclaim him.

The double standards of the government in handling security situations in Nigeria can be attributed to this brazen show of bravado by these vagabonds, who believe they hold the country by its jugular.  This state of affairs began with Obasanjo’s cuddling of killers and rewarding them with government patronage and appointments.  OPC killers like Gani Adams who was once purportedly declared wanted by the Police surfaced at his own sweet time only to be appointed into a so-called Leaders of Thought Committe by the same government that declared him culpable for the mass killings that then swept the south western part of the country.  Rather than being taken to court like those accused for attempted murder Gani Adams was treated as a conquering hero returning from a war of attrition.  Then in 2009 after the army overran the compound of one of the warlords, a certain Tompolo, the government halted military operations and granted amnesty to murderers who never gave any amnesty to their victims.  The military will have routed these oil thieves by now and Nigerians will be the better off for it.  But what do we have now?  Since the release of their armourer – Henry Okah – and the fortuitous ascension of Goodluck to the number one seat, we have seen heightening of activities by these crooks.  Two weeks ago I had cause to comment on Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration speech.  In enumerating his achievements since ascending the ‘throne’, the president mentioned the provision of security for life and property as one area he has excelled.  We have now seen the level of the security we have attained under Goodluck.

With the surfeit of security men on our highways and airports, I think Nigerians deserve explanation on the way and manner the bombs were smuggled into Abuja.  No one will convince me that there is no official connivance in all these.  While discussing with a friend during the earlier ‘invasion’ of Abuja by the militants, most of whom came in Bayelsa State Transport Company buses, I told him that I was of the opinion that some highly placed people must have brought them to Abuja to make a diabolical point.  It was my very strong believe that were they to be some bearded, gown wearing mallams in just one bus, they will have been promptly arrested at the first road block they encountered on their way to Abuja and labelled Boko Haram terrorists. 

What have we actually celebrated?  Is it the resurgence of ethnic assertiveness which has taken a dangerous turn as exemplified by the increase in kidnappings and bombings by criminal elements masquerading as freedom fighters?  This can be seen in the emergence of the Boko Haram group, a group of people disgruntled with the way and manner the country is being run and the way social justice is dispensed to different parts of the country under the same set of circumstances.  While oil thieves and illegal bunkerers, who turned to kidnappings and murder, are treated with kid gloves, glamorised as heroes by the media and given red carpet reception by the government.  Boko Haram, the group that nearly resembled the Niger Delta militants in terms of brutality in the north, on the hand, were hunted and killed like rabid dogs.  We all remember the footage aired by Aljazeera sometimes back where policemen were seen killing helpless people with glee.  We have seen how Mohammed Yusuf and Baba Fagu after their arrest while Tompolo, Boyloaf and their likes were treated like royalty.Is it this enclave mentality that we just celebrated or the inherent lack of justice that turn otherwise sensible people to beast?  Or is it the lies fed to Nigerians by its callous leadership that was worth celebrating?

Goodluck Jonathan’s government is blaming the South African government for the blasts – but what has the government of Nigeria done with the information they claimed was passed to them by the British government which in turn they said was passed to the South Africans?  Did they passed the information to the South Africans and then went ahead with their preparations for their jamboree leaving others to do their work for them?  What did our government do after learning from its media friends about the press statement sent media houses by MEND in which the bandits claimed to have planted explosives in cars and trash cans in and around the Eagle Square, venue of the celebration?  Why are we looking for scapegoats and spoiling for a fight with another country because of our ineptitude and irresponsibility?  Why did we allow Okah to leave the country in the first place knowing his antecedents?  Truth be told, I don’t trust our leaders or what they say.  Our president is on record as a man who signed an agreement when it suits his then purpose only for him to turn round and disclaim what carried his signature.  If his signature is not worth a dime to him, why would his word mean anything to me?

I would have joined Goodluck in celebrating if what we were to celebrate includes the geometrical growth of corruption, the phenomenal rise in banditry, kidnappings, darkness, unsolved murders, dilapidated infrastructures, vote rigging and such other vices nurtured by the government.  We would have been honest with ourselves by celebrating our achievement of joining such nations like Mexico and Colombia as a haven for kidnappers; or Somalia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq as countries whose breakfast consists of the occasional explosions and human entrails on the street as part of the scenery.  Let’s not kid ourselves – we just blew up in firecrackers.  We certainly don’t have anything to celebrate.

Jauleru Nchokoh: Candidate Goodluck Jonathan: A Man To Trust?

Jauleru Nchokoh: Candidate Goodluck Jonathan: A Man To Trust?: "CANDIDATE GOODLUCK JONATHAN: A MAN TO TRUST? Now that Goodluck Jonathan has summoned the courage to let the poor folks he leads as president..."

Jauleru Nchokoh: Candidate Goodluck Jonathan: A Man To Trust?

Jauleru Nchokoh: Candidate Goodluck Jonathan: A Man To Trust?: "CANDIDATE GOODLUCK JONATHAN: A MAN TO TRUST? Now that Goodluck Jonathan has summoned the courage to let the poor folks he leads as president..."

Jauleru Nchokoh:

Jauleru Nchokoh:

Candidate Goodluck Jonathan: A Man To Trust?

CANDIDATE GOODLUCK JONATHAN: A MAN TO TRUST?

Now that Goodluck Jonathan has summoned the courage to let the poor folks he leads as president what everybody knows since November last year – that he wants to be the president of Nigeria post 2011. Politicians all over the country must, of necessity, restrategise, realign and to some extent replan.  With his declaration, it is no more possible for a free and fair election to hold in the country next year.  His action has also slanted the playing pitch in his favour with his opponents trying to play the game on an undulating field resembling the creeks of the Niger Delta.  With the declaration, I hope we will now be spared the orchestrated cacophony of appeals for GEJ to come out and contest.  We were even treated to the ridiculous when women threatened to stay away from their husbands’ beds.  That is how low Nigeria has reached – the depth of the pits of depravity all in the name of “persuading” a president whose mind was already made up before his late principal died. 

We have had the privilege of living through GEJ’s administration in the past five months or so and seen his idea of governance and therefore are honoured to have a sneak preview of what to expect from him when (or if) he is eventually elected to office on his own merit.  Our ear drums were constantly bombarded with Goodluck’s “achievements” by his court jesters. But from where I am sitting I only see a candidate whose sole success constitutes of unearthing political dinosaurs to be his arrowheads in repudiating an agreement that he was a party to in a language that is not fit for any ballroom.  I only see a candidate whose stock-in-trade is reminiscent of Obasanjo’s third term misadventure – blackmail, intimidation, insults and where all these fail, bribery.

In the past four months we have been inundated with why Goodluck can be trusted and be voted as president in next year’s general elections.  We were constantly reminded that his is a divine candidature and that he is the best man for the job; that Goodluck is the only truly pan Nigerian candidate while the rest, particularly those from the north are just tribal champions; that voting Goodluck is the only politically correct thing to do; that if Goodluck is not allowed to contest or even if he decides on his own not to contest then Nigeria will disintegrate.  While all these nonsense were going on, Goodluck feigned disinterest in running though the whole world knows he can give his right arm for the chance.  We all knew well before his declaration that he will contest, even if it means he will be the last president of Nigeria as we know it today.  In the background, Obasanjo, Clark and Anenih were busy pulling the puppet strings of which jobbers like Mantu, Abba Aji, Ali Gulak and Sambawa are dancing.

I have tried severally to see if there is anything about Goodluck that is trustworthy, but fail to see one redeeming feature in him apart from the fact that luck has played a very crucial role in his life.  What I see is an ambitious man who, in his impatience to succeed his boss heated the polity unnecessarily to create an environment that gave the impression that Nigeria was on auto-pilot when ‘Yar Adu’a was sick and we know all the while that he was in charge.  All I see is a man who is not averse to bribing governors and national assembly members to have them support his coup, dressed in a legalese known as “doctrine of necessity”.  I only see a man who is not averse at demonising his sick boss by giving the word cabal a new meaning.  I see a man who has depleted $7billion dollars in less than six months and we are told he is prudent and focused.

The zoning debate that preceded Goodluck’s declaration was twisted and mangled so much so that at the end of the debates you may think zoning was introduced by those insisting on its implementation for the benefit of the north and not the other way round.  We are reminded that the ‘Yar Adu’a/ Goodluck ticket will not expire till 2015, yet we are not sure if ‘Yar Adu’a is alive and were to contest next year whether he will do so with Goodluck as his running mate.  We are told that Goodluck can be trusted – how can I trust a man who can sign an agreement today and repudiate same tomorrow?  If Goodluck can demonise the late ‘Yar Adu’a while the later was fighting for his life, how can I trust him with my destiny?  In a recent advertorial recently in Thisday newspaper, some people from his own Niger Delta region accused the president of appointing only Ijaws, his ethnic kindred, into government offices.  They listed ministers of petroleum, Niger Delta, Foreign Affairs and Power which he retained.  If the president is not capable of doing justice to fellow Niger Deltans who are not Ijaws, how can I, a poor Fulani man from Yola, expect justice from this “pan Nigerian?

Dissecting the man’s declaration speech made me doubly sure of his dubiety and lack of sincerity of purpose.  I became more convinced that he was acting some other peoples’ script, directed by no other than the old despot, Obasanjo, who still believe he ain’t yet done with the north.  Listen to Goodluck, “As president and leader of this government, I decided not to place partisan politics above the immediate needs and priorities of our people”.  Non-partisan my foot!  While Abba AJi and Ali Gulak, two Special Advisers to the president were running roughshod over anyone opposed to his barely hidden ambition, I can’t remember him telling them to back-off.  He was their Abacha and them his Kalus.  Again listen to Mr. President, “The past four months I have served as president of Nigeria have opened my eyes to the vast potentials of this office as a potential instrument for the transformation of our country...”  I would have trusted him had he said his eyes were opened to the enormous potentials for self – transformation and self-enrichment through periodic dipping of the hands in the public till.  The level of depletion of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and our foreign reserve since he took over can attest to that.

Again Mr. President, “In the last few months, I embarked on monumental projects in our road infrastructure to end the carnage on our federal highways”.  Very laudable indeed.  Only the only road contract awarded by the government of Goodluck is in the Niger Delta which costs about N1.5trillion.   the Kano – Maiduguri dualisation project started by Obasanjo is now abandoned while $500million Chinese loan for the Kano –Abuja railway project is diverted for a project not known to any Nigerian.  As a matter of fact while acting as president over N45billion meant for the River Niger dredging was diverted to some projects in the Niger Delta.  On the rampant insecurity in the country the president had this to say, “I have taken bold steps to confront the security situation...” the results of our presidnt’s bold steps in this all important sector could be seen in the increase in the number of kidnap cases, the invasion of Abuja by Niger Delta militants and the successful prison break by Boko Haram members in Bauchi.

The president also beat his chest on his courage in empanelling an INEC commission made up of men of integrity.  In his own words, “I set the stage for free and fair elections by constituting an electoral commission comprising of Nigerians of impeccable credentials for firmness and incorruptibility”.  The president forgot to tell us that after empanelling the INEC, he also constituted his “rigging commission” made up of service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police.

Going to school during his time without a school bag or shoes was made to look as if it is a courageous and rare thing then.  We all went to school bare footed but we were lucky there was school for us to attend without having to pay through the nose.  Millions of Nigerian school-age children are roaming the streets because they can’t afford to pay while government officials are patronising private schools which are way beyond the reach of the poor.

I am expected to trust a president who is ready to sow the seeds of discord among the people he governs and seek their support to extend his tenure in the Aso Villa.  Sorry sir, I cannot in all honesty trust or vote for a man whose principal achievement in four months is to widen the chasm between the Christians and Muslim population of his fiefdom.  Suswan of Benue State unwittingly let the cat out of the bag during the declaration – that Goodluck is a candidate of the minority.  Alas, I am a Fulani man.

Babayola M. Toungo

Kaduna - Nigeria