|
The Proposed 3rd Term: How Objective was New York Times Editorial Warning? By Emeka Oraetoka Two events took place two weeks or so ago, over President Obasanjo’s proposed tenure extension bid. One of the actions took place in far away USA, the second occurred in Asaba, Delta State. While New York Times insisted that 3rd term would ruin Nigeria in its editorial comment, Senator Ahamadu Ali, the chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP), in Asaba, Delta State Capital, made it abundantly clear that PDP now wants tenure extension for performing office holders in the Party, in apparent response to the huge success recorded at the zonal public hearing on constitution amendments, where Nigerians rejected the operational Military imposed constitution. He criticized journalists for being alarmist on the issue of 3rd term bid [fresh term shot after constitution amendments]. This is how Ali puts it, “there is no backlash. It’s just some editors in some 10 -12 papers that are trying to force the nation to accept their views. All the Newspaper columnists are writing what they like”.
Ali’s position on 3rd term runs
counter to the view of New York Times editorial. The implication
of these positions [Ali vs. New York Times] is that either
Ahamadu Ali or New York Times is being economical with the truth
as far as the effect of 3rd term bid on stability of Nigeria is
concerned. In determining which of the parties is being genuinely
economical with the truth, one fact about Ali led PDP should be well
understood. For Ahmadu Ali led PDP that controls more than 2/3 majority
of the State Governments in the Federation, more than 2/3 majority of
the members in the States Houses of Assembly, and more them 2/3 majority
of members in the Two Chambers of the National Assembly, a near one
party state, so to speak, nothing will be more satisfying to them than
to “carry go” as far as constitution amendments for tenure extension is
concerned, that is the basic truth. Democratically speaking, PDP has the
constitutional ability to effect whatever amendments it desires. What
Ali led PDP has to ensure is stability in the Party, simpliciter.
As for the New York Times, as far
as it is concerned, tenure extension for Obasanjo will ruin Nigeria. The
posers here remain: [1] How objective is their view, considering the
fact that Obasanjo’s Party, PDP has the required wherewithal to effect
constitution amendments? [2] Considering also the fact that Nigeria
practices multi- party democracy and as such other parties will surely
benefit from Obasanjo’s unpopularity, if eventually, he stands for
election? I think, it is much more civilized for anti-tenure extension
protagonists to show the world that indeed, PDP and Obasanjo, are now
unpopular through the ballot box, than what appears like oppositions’
sponsored editorial from Times. The only apparent snag in the 3rd
term for Obasanjo and other performing office holders is the fact that
PDP could still present other candidates, who could still win elections,
why not that option? The position being advanced by proponents of 3rd
term in return to this poser is that the fundamental factors that led to
Obasanjo’s miraculous return to power in 99, as the only one who could
bring about stability in Nigeria then, is still with us. They contended
that if he goes without solving these fundamental problems, we would
still be hunted. According to them, what is paramount in Nigeria today
is the delicate issue of finding a genuine patriot in mold of Obasanjo
capable of solving vexed issues like: [1] zoning of the office of the
President among the six [6] geo-political zones in the country,
constitutionally. [2] The problematic issue of what should be the
appropriate derivation for the Niger Delta region, which, not too long
ago, nearly tore the National Political Reform Conference [NPRC] to
pieces. [3] The issue of creation of one more State in the Southeast
zone, for equity and fair play. Since this task [finding Obasanjo’s
substitute in PDP is almost impossible based on the itemized issues],
the best bet is to allow him a 3rd term bid in office. They
contended that only a Nationalist in Obasanjo’s mold cold ensures the
fixing of all these fundamental concerns without compromising the
sovereignty of Nigeria. They further declared that Obasanjo is a first
class Nationalist whose belief in Nigeria project is unwavering. To
further drive home their point, they readily point to his, “From Prison
To Presidency” feat as a selling point that makes him presentable for 3rd
term bid in PDP.
Many anti-3rd term opponents
have hailed New York Times editorial for its timely warning to
Obasanjo. But the only shortcoming in Times position, according
to experts in News reporting, is the assumption by New York Times
that democracy and party politics started and ended with Obsanjo and PDP.
Put differently, Obasanjo is one and the same with democracy in Nigeria.
How else can one explain this extract from the editorial, seen by many
as an attempt by the Times at insulting the collective
intelligence of Nigerians? It reads: “and it is incumbent on
President Bush to tell Mr. Obasanjo that changing his country
constitution so that he can remain in office is foolhardy. Another four
years is not worth a Nigerian civil war”. Is New York Times
implying that president Bush, for instance, can willfully change the
constitution of USA so that he can remain in office, experts in
Newspaper reports queried? They conclude that just as Bush cannot change
the constitution of US without the consent of Americans, Obasanjo cannot
do it in Nigeria without the go ahead of Nigerians.
These experts reminded Nigerians,
Americans and friends of Nigeria of Time tested sayings [Quotes], by
former US President and other intellectuals on the fallacy in wholesale
reliance on Newspapers reports. Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the
USA, has these to say on Newspapers: The man who reads nothing at all
is better educated than the man who reads nothing, but NEWSPAPERS.
Hear Jefferson again: “I do
not take a single Newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself
infinitely happier for it”. Still on Jefferson’s quotes: “The
advertisements are the most truthful part of a newspaper”. Aneurin
Bevan, a British Labour politician, said this about Newspaper: “I
read newspaper avidly. It is my one form of continuous fiction”.
American Lawyer, politician, Adlai E. Stevenson has this to say about
Newspaper: “Accuracy is to a newspaper what virtue is to a lady, but
a newspaper can always print retraction”. Perhaps, it was American
Newspaperman, Novelist and playwright Ben Hecht quote that captures the
unreliability of Newspaper as a better gauge of event[s]/ issue[s], it
reads: Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading
NEWSPAPERS is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand
of a clock.
A closer look at the
content of Times editorial revealed sharp contradictions that
suggested syndicated comment, probably articulated with the anti-3rd
termers, or how can one explain this comment from the editorial as one
of the backlash of 3rd term agenda of President Obasanjo:
“Nigeria lost more than 1000 people in tit-for tat sectarian rioting
over Danish caricatures of the prophet Muhammad. In the North, Muslims
attacked and killed Christians. In the South, Christian mobs wielding
machetes and knives set upon their Muslim neighbours in retaliation”…Objectively,
if as claimed here, that Obasanjo’s perceived ambition is partly to
blame for enflaming political tensions among polarized ethnic groups,
there would not have been basis for the Muslim in the North, picking up
arms against their brothers in South over an event that did not take
place in Nigeria, in the first place; at least for the simple reason
that they [Christians and Moslems] have a common enemy in Obasanjo. At
best, they should have joined forces to fight President Obasanjo’s
so-called 3rd team ambition.
The only plausible
reason for the carton riot in the North was that political extremists
instigated it against the Igbos leaving there, probably because the
Southeast supported a “fresh term shot via PDP after constitution
amendments”. To lend credence to this view, many believed that the
retaliation of Christians’ massacre in the North should have been evenly
spread in the South, but it took place only in the Southeast, why? Some
have even insinuated that the carton riot was targeted at the Igbos in
the North, so that there will be pressure on Obasango from southeast to
drop his perceived ambition. For Times editorial to admit that
the ethnic groups in Nigeria are polarized, they should have known that
the main reason for the polarization is not Obasanjo’s perceived
ambition, but which part of the country should produce his successor.
On the restiveness in
the Niger Delta Region, experts believe that it was politically
motivated from outside the region. They reasoned that were it not for
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s valid interest in solving the problems in
the Niger Delta Region, the issue of increase in derivation would not
have seen the light of the day from Adams. They point to the problems
he, Obasanjo, encountered in the course of convoking the conference, as
a cogent reason that would have dissuaded him from the project, yet he
was not deterred. In the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC)
proper, when the issue of derivation came up, it is on record that the
southeast and southwest supported the Niger delta in their demand for
upward review of derivation from the current 13% to 25% for a start. The
opposition to this noble position surprisingly emanated from the North.
What is not clear to experts now is the rationale behind the militant’s
attacks on expatriate only. What position has those freedom fighters, as
they [militants] called themselves, articulated against those opposed to
increment in derivation to south-south at the NPRC? If they are sincere
in their struggle, they should articulate a powerful position against
those that opposed 25% derivation at the NPRC. For now the only succor
for them as regards derivation, is Senator Mantu led JCRC recommendation
that jerked derivation from 13% to 8%. Pundits believe that the interest
of South-South would be better served if they [South-south] support
People Democratic Party (PDP), position on 3rd term after
constitution amendments, as the only guarantee for the retentions of 18%
derivation as a starting point.
In the event of PDP
losing out in the power game in 2007, the guarantee that the government
in power then, will not throw away 18% derivation is very negligible,
in-fact, non-existent. On the issue of South-South presidency, political
pundits still believe that it will amount to sheer political naivety on
the part of South-South to expect that those opposed to 25% derivation
to them at NPRC, will open their eyes and allowed PDP zone presidency to
that zone-South-South. On this score, it will be safe to conclude that
New York Times editorial was not properly informed or briefed by
those they relied on for information on Nigeria, otherwise, the
editorial could be said to be base minded on intention
On the issue of
selective application of anti corruption which the Times accused
Obasanjo government of promoting, the believe of right thinking
Nigerians, is that the onus is those being prosecuted of corruption to
proved to Nigerians and indeed the world, that they are being victimized
for their opposition to 3rd term bid. After all, they are not being
prosecuted in camera.
If the death of Rimi’s
wife was politically motivated, then it is barbaric and condemnable.
Political gladiators must in attempt at apportioning blames exercise
care. It should be borne in mind that an interesting event followed the
death of Mrs. Rimi. A week or two after the demise of Hajia Rimi, the
first Son of Alhaji Rimi died. The insinuation after the death of Rimi
Junior was that, the death of the two powerful members of Rimi family
could have been function of deadly family crisis. The task before
relevant security agents in Nigeria therefore, is to urgently unmask
those behind the death of Hajiya Rimi, and possibly Rimi Junior.
Times Comment on this [politically motivated death?] could not be
faulted, except that they should have tasked the Nigerian Police to
unmask the Killer of Hajiya Rimi, instead of prematurely linking it to
politics.
Emeka Oraetoka
Information Management
Consultant
Wrote from Garki-Abuja
E-mail:
oramekllis@lycos
.com
|