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History And Oyo’s Show Of Shame By Akinyemi Akinlabi FLORIDA, USA
For the first time in my life, I was ashamed of my Pacesetter State last week. In a similar vein, I was ashamed of my party’s lack of ability to manage its electoral success and intra party frictions in Oyo State (Just like other States). The dishonorable conducts of our so called honorable members of house in Oyo State last week is a show of shame, display of crudeness, political rascality and exhibition of shallow knowledge of history.
I wonder if the sponsors of these legislators and thugs have forgotten history because the principal actors were old enough to remember how the country was set on fire in 1962. Although some of the legislator’s were born around and after 1962 (like me), it seems like they did not study our political history or went through books written on the western region crisis of 1962. They are following the same path that led to the abrupt end of the first republic. The western region crisis started as a result of internal power tussle among the leadership of the then ruling Party in the West, Action Group (AG). There was a sharp gulf between Chief Awolowo (leader of the party) and his deputy (Chief SL Akintola). In the ensuing crisis, Chief Akintola was impeached as the Premier and got replaced with Chief Dauda Adegbenro. The post of Premier then is almost equivalent to the current position of speaker of the house (except that the premier also serves as the head of government).
Various interventions to resolve the problem by all well meaning leaders and Obas were rebuked by the conflicting politicians. Just like the current crisis was taken to Abuja PDP Convention where the State deputy governor and his delegates were humiliated, the political hostility was carried to the 1962 convention of Action Group held in Jos. At the Jos convention, The Action Group leadership rectified the expulsion of Chief S.L Akintola (as Premier and deputy leader of the party) along with members of his faction, including the party secretary, Chief Ayo Rosiji. The final stroke that broke the camel’s back was the invitation of thugs and the police to the Parliament building in May 25th, 1962 when both Akintola and Adegbenro claimed the Premiership of the house and both attempted to preside at its seating. Coincidentally, the same building where the 1962 crisis started is the same Parliament building Oyo State house of Assembly is using today. It is the same floor invaded by the police and thugs on Thursday 22nd of December, 2005. Just as it’s is being rumored now, Akintola fought Awolowo’s group with the support of the Federal Government . At the end, most of the politicians who started the 1962 crisis did not live to see the end of it. Are we threading the same path?
As an indigene of Oyo State, I see the current attempt to impeach the governor as uncalled for. In the first instance, the group of 18 legislators has not made his impeachable offences known to the people. They have not given any cogent reason to the electors, why they think the governor should be impeached. Most people see the current efforts of group 18 as being motivated by a few powerful cabals trying to foster their greedy wish on the people of the State. Secondly, their wish is not even in the interest of the commoners in the State. It is nauseating and stinking to hear someone saying that the only panacea to the problem is unconditional release of an offender standing trial for murder. What kind of democracy is this? Even if the governor committed impeachable offences, there is a constitutional process for his removal from office. There is no where in the world a governor will be impeached by hooliganism, political rascality, looting his office, killing and maiming the people a leader is supposed to protect. If we are in a decent democracy, all the leaders of this cabal and their agents should now be facing trial for disruption of the proceeding of the house, illegal possession of weapons breach of public peace etc.
Section 188 (2) a & b of Nigeria Constitution clearly states what needs to be done to commence the impeachment process: (2) Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the House of Assembly. (b) Stating that the holder of such office is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified.
To commence the impeachment process, the constitutions wants a written consent by 1/3 of the legislators. Since 1/3 of the 32 legislators are 10.66 conveniently, the group of 18 can commence the process. However, they can not pass the motion to have the allegation investigated until they satisfy section 188 (4) which states that: “(4) A motion of the House of Assembly that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed unless it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of the House of Assembly. In order for the group of 18 to go ahead with the investigation, they need to have 2/3 of the 32 legislators. Constitutionally, 2/3 of 32 legislators will be 21.
If they are so desperate to get the governor out of office their only alternative will be to complete the history of 1962 by making the state ungovernable for him so that a State of Emergency will be declared subject to section 305 of 1999 constitution. However, they must be quick to remember that the State of Emergency declared in the West on May 29 1962 was followed by crisis unprecedented in Nigeria history, the historic operation we tie. Most of the actors did not live to tell the story. Those who survived it lost so much in property and lives of relatives that they vowed never to go near politics again.
Rather than a display of crudity and barbarianisin, the opposing groups should imbibed democratic tenets and wait for the 2007 to test their power at the poll. A popular Yoruba saying is that Ibere ote laa mo, ko si eni to ng mo Ibi ti yo pari si . (You may know the beginning of crisis but you may not know what it will lead to). If we forgot 1962, June 12 crisis should be fresh in our memory. Most of the principal actors (except Babangida) did not survive it, Abiola, Yar”adua, Abacha and many others paid the supreme price. Several others big names were jailed for nothing and most people like Babangida, Kingibe, Jakande, and Babatope lost their names and credibility in the process. Aabo oro laa so fun Omo luabi
Akinyemi Akinlabi |