The unusual long
absence of President Musa Yar’Adua from office owing to his
ill health has revealed how shallow the socio-political
foundation of Nigeria lies. It has also abruptly unmasked
the real enemies of the Nigerian nation. The actions and
inactions of these anti-democratic elements have clearly
turned Nigeria into a baobab tree standing on the edge of an
erosion prone river.
Events following the official admission that President
Yar’Adua was suffering from severe pericarditis and on
admission at the King Faisal Hospital in Saudi Arabia has
pointed to one ominous reality: The multi-faceted leadership
institution in Nigeria is unarguably not built on the
pillars of justice, fair play, and the rule of law. As a
result of this anomaly, tribal and religious sentiments now
shape the opinions of government officials. Instead of
nursing policies that will unite and improve the lives of
the citizenry, public servants now take pride in pursuing
parochial tribal agendas.
There is no gainsaying that the die hard attitude by some
key government officials in ensuring that President Yar’Adua
does not hand over power temporarily to Vice President
Jonathan is clearly a narrow minded agenda, plotted to deny
a southerner from assuming the political leadership of
Nigeria at this time. It shows how treacherous and
unconcerned some of us are about the survival of democracy
and Nigeria as a country.
Not minding whatever unofficial power sharing arrangement
between the north and south, one must not ignore the fact
that issues are not supposed to dislodge substance in every
society where justice and rule of law are celebrated. In a
presidential system of government, the presidency is a 2 in
1 ticket shared by the president and the vice president. The
prevailing issues as they relate to Yar’Adua’s long absence
from office bothers mainly on the headship of the Nigerian
presidency by natives of the northern belt of the country up
till 2015. On the other hand, there is also the case of
substance regarding the culture of a presidential system of
government, which clearly prescribes the order of
succession.
This writer is of the opinion that whenever issues and
substance clash like it has in the case of Yar’Adua’s ill
health, common sense should be applied. It would however be
necessary at this point to expose the fact that the office
of the vice president is nothing more than a spare tyre in a
presidential democracy? Jonathan had known this since when
he served as deputy governor under Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha
in Bayelsa State. Many persons believe a deputy governor or
vice president should exercise equal powers with their
principals. Jonathan does not think so and has chosen to
pursue his beliefs about the tradition of political
leadership in a presidential democracy. While some had
excused him, others did not. This is mostly responsible for
the very wrong picture several commentators have painted of
Jonathan as a politician. They would quickly dismiss
Jonathan as a lily livered man, not fit to hold a tasking
public office. Would Nigerians sincerely
prefer the Atiku/Obasanjo option, where the president and
vice president were at each other’s throat all through their
second term in office? Of course not!
Perhaps, one should also remind the few tribal zealots and
other self-seeking Nigerians bent on ensuring that the vice
president is not made an acting president even in the face
of glaring constitutional necessity that Jonathan is not
responsible for Yar’Adua’s ill health. He should therefore
not be treated as if he plotted his boss’ predicament. More
than that, the matter on ground is not about Goodluck
Jonathan. It is all about justice, fair play, and rule of
law. Let me recall that it was clearly as a result of
glaring injustice in the sharing of oil and gas revenue that
gave rise to militancy in the Niger Delta region. Like the
Nigerian civil war, we are still counting the colossal loss.
Furthermore, Nigerians are eager to taste the fruits of good
governance through rapid social and infrastructural
development. Ghana and South Africa have all left Nigeria
far behind in terms of democracy, economy, science, and
technology. Continued denial of the vice president
sufficient powers in the present circumstances may push
Nigeria deeper down the ladder of developing nations.
It is necessary to remind the band of Nigerians that have
placed their personal and tribal interests above national
concerns that a day will come when questions would be asked
regarding the inglorious roles they are playing today. Their
children too would be reminded of the shameful roles played
by their parents in attempting to warp the entity called
Nigeria.
Frankly, Nigeria will not lose anything if President
Yar’Adua hands over power temporarily to Goodluck Jonathan.
But Nigeria will definitely lose her poise and shape if
Yar’Adua is coerced into pushing a dishonourable and illegal
tribal agenda. In July 1985, President Roland Reagan of the
United States temporarily handed over power to Vice
President George Bush to enable him attend to his health.
Also between 2002 and 2007, the junior Bush; as president of
the United States also handed over power temporarily to Vice
President Dick Cheney twice when he was to undergo medical
procedure at Camp David- the presidential retreat in
Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains. Presidential spokesperson,
Tony Snow had told reporters then that, “Vice President Dick
Cheney will serve as acting president until the president
notifies authorities that he is ready to reassume his
powers.” A fine example of a decent democratic culture- free
of tribal and political sentiments. This is what Due Process
and Rule of Law really mean.
Within the last four weeks, a number of shallow excuses have
been advanced by the “Power Sharing” army, outlining the
reasons why Goodluck Jonathan would not be given any
opportunity of becoming the acting President of the federal
republic of Nigeria. Chief among them is the charge that
Jonathan is a political son of ex President Olusegun
Obasanjo. I will not want to bother my readers with
arguments about whether this charge is true or false. This
is because; no part of the Nigerian constitution has barred
any citizen from being a political son. Yar’Adua himself too
is one of the many political sons of Obasanjo. More than
that; it is not yet criminal for the political son of a
former president to become an acting president in Nigeria.
Let those that have personal and political problems with
Chief Obasanjo settle same in the law courts and save
Nigeria from disintegration. Nigeria is bigger than Obasanjo.
The Nigerian civil war of 1967 to 1970 was remotely a battle
over the control of the oil wealth of the Niger Delta
people. No doubt, the war would have been avoided if the
spirit of justice and fair play were respected. The Ijaws
were denied commensurate benefits from the sale of crude oil
buried in their swamps. Consequent upon this, the late Major
Isaac Adaka Boro decided to pull the Ijaws out of Nigeria on
the 23rd day of February, 1966. It was a massive protest
against the Ibo dominated Eastern Nigeria administration. On
the other hand, the Ibos were emboldened by the oil wealth
of the Niger Delta people to halt the ruthless and
overbearing nature of the Hausas by seceding from Nigeria.
In order to weaken the Biafra dream, Rivers and South
Eastern States- the main oil producing areas were carved out
of the Eastern Region on the 27th of May, 1967.
The present scenario in the country is getting quite close
to detonating tribal bombs. However, the 2nd Nigerian civil
war will be fought not over the control of Niger Delta oil.
The bone of contention this time around would be political
power. Let every true Nigerian pray that tribal zealots in
and outside of government does not cut the rope that binds
the numerous Nigerian tribes. It has been widely reported
that the United States is afraid Nigeria may break up soon
and has already put in place plans to face the challenges
that such reality may throw up. Quite unfortunately for the
Nigerian nation, her political and traditional leaders are
oblivious of the negative implications of their parochial
and self serving agendas.
KALI GWEGWE
2, Greenvilla-Customs Link Road,
Biogbolo-Epie,
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
0806 407 4810.
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Published
February, 7th, 2010
