Third Term Movement: Between Pride & Reality By Sina Ogundipe
In what seems like a subtle attempt to smuggle in the third agenda, the Governors’ forum, at a recent meeting in Abuja, had finally given their indirect blessing to the project. In a resolution taken by the Governors (although some had refused to attend in protest), they “unanimously” agreed to a “comprehensive amendment to the 1999 constitution.” It is not surprising therefore, that the Governors’ decision is widely seen as a victory for the President and members of the third term train.
Admittedly, constitutional review is a dynamic and desirable process in a democracy because of changing needs and circumstances, which necessitate the amendment. Indeed, nations amend their constitutions to suit changing political and social realities or exigencies. To that extent, nobody should quarrel with the idea of amending the constitution. But the fanatical zeal with which the Obasanjo administration wants the constitution amended at all cost before 2007 raises more troubling questions than answers.
For example, why has this particular constitutional amendment excited more much controversy and fears than any before? While other ordinary Nigerians may support constitutional amendments with pure motives, the intention of the Obasanjo administration is open to widespread public suspicion. Although there are as many as one hundred and one areas crying for amendment in the 1999 constitution, the Obasanjo administration is stubbornly attracted to this amendment in one particular respect: tenure extension to consolidate the “gains” of the reform programmes.
Using the instrumentality of the State Governors, who are also likely to benefit from the secret deal, the Presidency wants to count on their perceived influence over their lawmakers to smuggle in the tenure extension agenda. Of course, this was not the first time the administration had attempted to railroad this hidden agenda. The October 2005 constitutional reform conference was a good example of the first desperate effort of the Obasanjo administration to persuade delegates to see the “wisdom” of such tenure extension. Smelling a rat, the delegates overwhelmingly gave the move a kiss of death. Despite its tight-fisted nature, the Obasanjo regime independently sourced over one billion naira to fund the conference, after the National Assembly had refused to provide the money.
Once again, the same National Assembly, which the Obasanjo administration treats with suspicion, is now his desperate port of call to achieve the constitutional amendment. But the mere fact that this administration is motivated by selfish reasons for the amendment has made Nigerians to react with cynicism to the Governors’ final “endorsement” of the constitutional amendment. Since this administration has self-seeking motives for this exercise, it cannot be trusted to carry out such amendments without manipulating it through the Governors to crush the sovereignty of the voters.
The American State Department has repeatedly reminded the Obasanjo administration that constitutional amendments by a sitting regime, motivated by entrenched political interest, rather than higher public good, cannot command credibility. The Americans wisely advised that the task should be undertaking by a succeeding administration. It seems all efforts to make the administration see reason is hitting a brick wall. Already, the issue has placed the credibility of the Governors on the line as some of their own members in the National Assembly have vowed to resist the amendment with the dark motives that precipitated it in the first place. Again, other lawmakers have threatened to go to court to challenge the legality of the Senator Mantu-led joint constitutional review committee. Such is the extent this issue has polarized the nation.
However, like the proverbial ostrich that buries its head in the sand in the face of obvious danger, the promoters of this agenda are still pretending that the political coast for the third term project is clear enough to take the plunge. Their ridiculous audacity to resist the hostile popular mood to the project must have bewildered many observers. Even as the third term agenda is becoming increasingly a DOA (dead on arrival) case, the campaigners for tenure extension are still under the illusion that they can overcome popular hostility.
Are the third term promoters misreading the disapproving popular signals? How long can they labour under the illusion that they can bend the will of Nigerians to accomplish the selfish objectives of such widely unpopular project? What are they so afraid of that they don’t want to respect the constitutional limitation of tenures? Why is the tenure extension such a matter of life and death that it should unnecessarily create tension or rancour in the nation? Have the third term campaigners forgotten the words of Abraham Lincoln who said, “the will of the people is more powerful than a standing army?” And finally, are the third term promoters ready to resist the armour of popular hostility to their project? Millions of patriotic Nigerians are not against the amendment per se but the private motives behind it. The formidable opposition to this project cuts across the nation and what is more interesting is that the most strident critics of President Obasanjo’s autocratic rule are his own Yoruba kinsmen such as Professor Wole Soyinka and Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the redoubtable human rights lawyer. Professor Soyinka had recently warned the nation of the dangers facing our democracy under Gen. Obasanjo’s dictatorship. “The nation”, he said, “is confronted by a mind that has gone awry; a mind that is subject to no order except that of the crudest, most despotic notions of dominance in a primitive society. Nigeria is not a primitive or private fiefdom. Law governs it.” Therein lies the danger: any amendment with these hidden motives means the continuation of this order.
Such were the powerful words of Professor Soyinka and his remarks show the extent Nigerians are united by a common opposition to the style of a “civilian” administration, which in practice, behaves like an un-elected military dictatorship. Internationally, the third term project of President Obasanjo is falling out of favour. What is even more ridiculous however, is that rather than addressing the genuine demands of Nigerians for respecting the rule of law and the constitution, the Obasanjo dictatorship is now drawing red herrings across the trail.
In a recent newspaper interview, a former Chief of Naval Staff, Mr. Akin Aduwo, had accused President Obasanjo’s critics such as Professor Wole Soyinka and Gani Fawehinmi of being motivated by jealousy. What a ridiculous trivialization of a serious national issue! And to divert our attention even further from the main issues, Presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Fani Kayode, had accused Professor Soyinka of being an “atheist” who should be “ignored” or dismissed with a wave of hand.
The sheer puerility of Fani Kayode’s petulant reactions is itself an evidence of the extent to which officials of the administration have run out of ideas of how to handle issues more rationally. Are we in a popularity contest for superior morality or religiosity? The consequences of bad leadership affect the citizens of a nation, regardless of their religiosity or lack of it. The President’s defenders should separate the message from the messenger. In other words, are the allegations made by Professor Soyinka a reflection of the realities confronting our democracy today? If they are, then his religious orientation should have no place in our interpretation of the truth of those allegations. A majority of Nigerians share the views expressed by Professor Soyinka, and does the endorsement of his opinion make such Nigerians atheists too?
It seems Fani Kayode and other bumbling PR men around the President are creating a ridiculous god-like image of their own boss. They have created the impression that President Obasanjo is infallible, and that to criticize him, is to become an “atheist” or “the enemy of God!” These disgusting sycophants who pass off as PR managers for the President are doing the man more harm than good, instead of doing the job with integrity or professionally, in which case they should firmly but courteously tell the President the home truth about the realities of the nation.
However, since survival at any price is more important than integrity in the eyes of Fani Kayode and other minions around the President, none of them would have the courage to advise or guide the boss honestly. And instead of doing the job professionally, they prefer to be abusing fellow citizens who dare criticize their boss. One of the undeclared reasons why the former Minister of Information Mr. Chukwu Emeka Chikelu, was fired is that the man seems more popular in the eyes of Nigerians than the President. To most Nigerians, the former Minister is a humble, calm, cool and collected gentleman who did not have the luxury of abusing the President’s enemies in the newspapers at the expense of his primary function of defining, explaining and defending government policies.
For an administration that has foolishly squandered its good will, there is no way a third term agenda can command popular acceptance, especially at a time when the quality of life for most ordinary Nigerians is going down remarkably. Even as the third term agenda is clinically dead, thanks to the sustained public rejection, its promoters are now hanging onto their pride for its own sake. Though devastating reality is staring them stubbornly in the face, they do still prefer to delude themselves that Nigerians cannot do without President Obasanjo.
How long can the third term promoters close their eyes to the chillingly uncomfortable reality that the third term agenda is a bitter pill you cannot easily force down the throats of majority of Nigerians. When are they going to swallow their pride and embrace such reality? Dictatorship is unfashionable and is facing rejection around the world. And only the insane, would imagine that Nigerians are docile enough to swallow the arguments of third term campaigners who insist that “only” President Obasanjo is credible enough in Nigeria to propel the country to eternal prosperity and progress.
Besides, the campaigners believe strongly in the misleading theory that, without Obasanjo, Nigeria will collapse. But these arguments are porous and fundamentally flawed; greater leaders such as Dr. Azikiwe, Sardauna, Awolowo, Balewa and Herbert Macaulay that had served selflessly without using the influence of public office to build future business empires are departed. Yet Nigeria has survived them and this is enough to humble the third term promoters.
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