2007 Elections: OBJ Is Becoming Power Drunk

By

Kunle I Sowunmi

Human memories can be very short to the level that we always forget where we were coming from and where our actions can lead us including the very entity entrusted in our care be it a nation, family or company. Power belong to God Almighty alone but some of these powers are delegated to us as human beings at any point in time in life to use with the fear of God that “He” can at the same time take it away from us but human beings are so naïve. We forget that it is only when God allows us to wake up in good health the next day that we can continue to exercise the same power we tend to misuse on others.

I am just amazed at the events in Nigeria in the last 12 months and after the fruitless effort of President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo to extend his tenure in office beyond May 2007 failed and all his efforts to destroyed all the progressives that made him to abide with the constitutional requirement of two terms as entrenched in the constitution and post actions of the failure of the extension exercise.

Firstly, they were all denied all benefits accorded to various offices each one of them held at the same time suspended from the PDP party before the primaries to make it difficult for them seek re-election and when they tend to seek their political ambition in other parties that may not necessary win election the presidency still went ahead to seek more of the blood and flesh of his political enemies.

Ordinarily, as a Yoruba man from Abeokuta I should have been very sentimental about Aremu staying in office beyond May 2007 but I believe in the rule of law and constitutional democracy. Life is give and take and no single ethnic group out of 200 fought for Nigeria Independence. It was a collective efforts of all and sundries. The approach of OBJ is negating all we fought for from independence to Abacha regime.

This article is not to defend Atiku but to advise that there are better and polished ways to fight opposition without destroying the foundation of democracy in Nigeria. OBJ approach is wrong and crude in the language of Professor Wole Soyinka OBJ is closer to the barbarians in his association and method.

The Inspector General of police recently said the Bola Ige murder case is closed that may the destiny of Atiku if he returns to Nigeria. MKO Abiola returned to Nigeria after he ran overseas like what Atiku just did he never survived it. Atiku is better advised to stay away from the former mustached General otherwise his case also will be closed like Bola Ige, Dele Giwa, and many unsolved murder cases in Nigeria but this is not the Nigeria of our dreams. We want an egalitarian society where everybody should be allowed to exercise his or her right to aspire to any position in the country without any fear from any group or individual

This writer is praying for Nigeria everyday because the actions of OBJ will lead to complete break down of law and order in 2007 and after effect of it may be very unpredictable. I hope wisdom and fear of God will guide our leaders particularly Aremu in this very senseless and crude approach. I will enjoin Aremu to seek wisdom from God and ask the court for constitutional interpretations of any action before taking including removal of the vice president, which the so-called section 142 did not categorically stipulate or explain

All the allegations against Vice President Atiku should left for the court and National Assembly to decide not by Aremu or his click of power drunk associates because we have seen leader who returned from jail to become president only to go back to jail again just because they could not handle opposition properly when power was entrusted to them again. May God help Aremu and Nigeria? Happy New Year

Kunle I Sowunmi

 12/25/06