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Senate: Recall as Tool in the Hands of Anti-PDP/3rd Term Governors? By Emeka Oraetoka
Democracy is supposed to be practiced in a
society that cherishes freedom of Speech, Worship, Opinion on issues,
including political views etc. The trend of insidious but politically
motivated recall threat arising from States controlled by the ruling
party, supposedly masterminded by the governors of these states; appears
to be making nonsense of the notion that Nigeria is now a free
democratic society, where varied opinions are freely expressed and
democratically accommodated. Of recent, the trend of recall threat
dangling dangerously on the heads of some Senators in the National
Assembly appears to have rubbished the concept of free speech and
opinion which our democracy is supposedly ascribed to, or so this writer
thinks.
Initially, it was Deputy Senate President,
Senator Ibrahim mantu that was under recall threat from plateau State.
Senator Dalhatu Tafida, representing Kaduna north senatorial district,
has come under the sledge hammer of his constituency, supposedly?
Senator Arthur Nzeribe, representing Imo west [Orlu Senatorial Zone],
has joined the growing list of endangered species, probably become of
his belief in, first, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and secondly, the
position of the Party on tenure extension for performing Executive
office holders in Nigeria – 3rd term.
The Senate Leader, Senator Dalhatu Tafida,
is probably under threat of recall becouse of his stand on the issue of
constitution amendments. It will be recalled that not too long ago,
Tafida made it clear that Senate will go ahead with the constitution
amendments, not minding the positions of pro and anti constitution
amendments. On April 1, 2006, LEADERSHIP WEEKED carried a report that
moves to recall Tafida had begun. The report specifically suggested that
his membership of Senator mantu-led joint conference for the review of
the 1999 constitution (JCRC) could be part of the reason for his
travail. If LEADERSHIP Newspaper report is juxtaposed with the report of
WEEKLY TRUST of the same April 1, 2006, of the meeting between Kure and
Makarfi, on page 41, with the caption, “3rd term:
Kure, Makarfi sneak into Sokoto” then, one can only infer the reason
behind Senator Dalhatu Tafida’s current travail.
For Senator Ibrahim Mantu, the leader of
JCRC, he is being assailed by different kinds of threats. The genesis of
his current predicament could be traced to the feud between him and his
governor. The Governor’s anti-3rd term stance of the governor
is said to be responsible for the recent onslaughts him, Senator Mantu
in the Senate. In-fact, one political school of thought is of the view
that the whole reactionary forces in the country have converged in
plateau state, for epic battle against democracy in Nigeria. Information
has it that the scrip playing out in the National assembly over Mantu’s
suspension is just a tip of the ice-berg of what these reactionary
forces have in stock for the country. Unconfirmed reports have it that
at least each of “Senator Mantu must go Senator” received not less than
hundred million [100m] Naira for the project, and the ultimate intention
is the destabilization of the country. This school of thought wondered
why the disperation to remove Mantu has assumed a matter of life and
death; a purpose that could be injurious to PDP led government and
catastrophic for Nigeria eventually. If Senator Mantu must be removed,
why not go about it in a civilized manner, this school of thought
queried. Even the mover of the motion for Mantu’s suspension, Senator
Nuhu Aliyu, who among other things, insisted that Mantu made a sweeping,
but derogatory statement about Senators; was also reminded of the
similar sweeping statement he was alleged to have made mid last year,
about the same Senators his now curiously defending. For avoidance of
doubt, many Newspapers reported Nuhu Alyiu as saying that the “Senate is
full of Crooks”
In fairness to the anti-PDP governors?,
the predicaments of these Senators could not be directly linked to them,
because recall is the exclusive responsibility of the recalling
constituency. Were it not for trend analysis, when confronted, they may
simply tell you that they are not involved in the recall process.
The most interesting in the recall
roll-call is that of Senator Arthur Nzeribe. The promoters of his recall
hinged their action on non-performance of the Senator as reason for
their move. They also said that he is calling for the creation of Orashi
State, as against Orlu State being canvassed by Governor Achike Udenwa,
the governor of the state. When told that their action could be liken to
dictatorship encouraged by the governor as every Nigerian is entitled
to his democratic opinion, which accommodates Nzeribe’s demand, what you
be told is that the first citizen of Imo State, the governor, wants Orlu
State, therefore, Nzeribe and Co., are duty bound to follow Udenwa’s
order. According to information on facts on ground in Imo State, the
recall threat is just a tip of the insidious plot against Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State. When this information is harmonized
with the power struggle in Imo State PDP, the picture may get clear to
doubting Thomas[s] as to the authentic reason behind Nzeribe recall bid.
It is no more news that Governor Achike Udenwa, lost out in the struggle
to control PDP’s structure in his state, which in all honesty was not
the making of Nzeribe. According to reports, the governor had resolved
to get even with PDP, for not restoring Mr. Alex Obi led PDP in Imo
State. To this end, the governor appears to have perfected the plot of
going for the jugular of the most vocal proponents of 3rd
term in Imo State. Nzeribe appears to be the first casualty for
supporting 3rd term and the position of his party-PDP?
The belief in many quarters in Imo State
is that it will be suicidal for PDP led government to accede to
Udenwa’s dictatorial request for the creation of Orlu State, for the
simple reason that the governor could use the opportunity to seek final
solution to PDP, for humiliating him. To further buttress the point
that proponents of regime extension are in for hard times in Imo State
in the hand of governor Udenwa, his fight with his deputy is another
case in point. Information has it that the governor fell out with his
deputy because of divergent but democratic interest in state creation.
While the governor wants his deputy to support the creation of the state
of his choice-Orlu/Ijaba, the deputy is pushing for the creation of
Etiti State, democratically and in accordance with the constitution of
federal republic of Nigeria. Political pundits are linking governor
Udenwa’s relentless war against proponents of 3rd term to the
recent report in SENTINEL Newspaper, that the first batch of Udenwa’s
political structure in the state has joined Advanced Congress Democrats
[ACD]. It is the view of these pundits that when these recalcitrant
proponents of 3rd term are finally taken care of, Udenwa will
formally dump PDP for ACD.
The desperation on the part of Udenwa on
the issue of state creation has led many to conclude that he needs it
for sinister purpose, probably, against PDP. Whether this view is
reflective, is another point all together. For this writer, the slow,
steady but insidious plots by these anti-PDP governors against the
party?, suggests opposition to the Party itself and 3rd term.
Nothing can be more revealing of the trend of involvement of Anti- PDP/3rd
term governors in these Senators’ recall bid than this comment:
“Already, the consequence of this voting pattern has started to manifest
as the Benue state government has began the process of recalling Senator
Fred Orti for casting his vote to retain Mantu on his seat”; in
LEADERSHIP Newspaper, of April 6, 2006. If truly these governors are
involved in the recall process of [pro PDP/3rd term]
Senators, they may well be reminded that the fundamental principle of
democracy is freedom of Speech, and freedom to hold Opinions.
Emeka Oraetoka
Information Management Consultant
Wrote in from Garki-Abuja
E-mail:
oramekllis@lycos.com
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