Obasanjo’s ‘Impeachment’ Of Atiku!

By

Zayyad I. Muhammad

 

 Official lawlessness with impunity is one character of Obasanjo’s government that is extremely impossible for one to take no notice of; on 22nd December 2006, the People’s Democratic Party in her  NEC meeting, with president Obasanjo in attendance, conferred on itself  the function of the chief custodian and  interpreter of the Nigerian constitution, and thus the PDP  ask her leader, the ‘father of modern Nigeria’, president Obasanjo  to invoke   the provision of  section 142(1) of the  1999 constitution, and  declare the office of the vice president of the federal republic of Nigeria vacant, so the  PDP has assume the powers of the chief justice of Nigeria, and President Obasanjo  through his special adviser on public affairs  Mallam  Uba Sani,  in a slapdash fashion   bestow on himself  the function of the National Assembly and subsequently bypassing all the laid down rules and regulations on impeaching a sitting vice president as spelled-out in section 143 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution. Nevertheless, Obasanjo’s action and bigheaded PDP double standard   has not come as a surprise to Nigerians, as all the state Governors impeached in the current dispensation were done in a complete disregard to rule of law at the behest of Aso Rock. President Obasanjo quite knowing the huge illegality of such action in declaring the office of Vice President vacant by merely relying on section 142 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution refuses to announce it by himself.  Despite the fact that, the office of  vice president has for the last three years been subjected to brazen impertinence by president Obasanjo , but  no Nigerian expects a common aide of the president to announce such a big constitutional matter capable of plunging the nation into huge constitutional crisis;  if Atiku’s  change of political party can warrant a reckless announcement of his office as vacant, then Obasanjo himself have ever since relinquished  his position as the president of Nigeria, because the original  PDP on which he use her platform to ascend  to the presidency has since been ‘liquated’ by the president himself, because the current PDP is nothing but a creation of Obasanjo.

 

The persistent inclination of PDP and president Obasanjo toward selective justice is so far taking a dangerous dimension; where are the president and indeed the ‘learned men’ of the PDP? when Gov. Saminu Turaki of Jigawa state who was elected on the platform of the ANPP decamped to the PDP, Attahiru Bafarawa of sokoto state who was also elected on the platform of the ANPP is now a presidential aspirant on the platform of the DPP, prior to the 2003 elections former Gov Mbadinuju of Anambra state who was elected on the platform of the PDP, left the party and seek re-election on the platform of AD, the same thing former Gov. Malam Kachalla of Borno state did.       

 

It is heart bleeding and sickening to see a government that came to power through constitutionality, is from top to bottom bent toward averting due process and rule of law,   President Obasanjo and the PDP are now operating and interpreting the 1999 Nigerian constitution at their own discretion- the PDP and Obasanjo clearly think the Nigerian constitution is like that of their PDP which can be operated and interpreted or some of its section invoke to satisfy someone’s whims; it is  still fresh in the minds of Nigerians when the Obasanjo and his lapdogs thought the Nigerian constitution can be amended using fraud, insincerity, Ghana-Must-Go and a gift of land in Abuja.

     

It is apparent to all Nigerians that president Obasanjo have use every means possible at his disposal to see that vice president Atiku Abubakar have not got the opportunity to vive for the presidency on the platform of the PDP; what Atiku did was only to relied on section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution which entrenched the fundamental right of every Nigerian for freedom of association, and seek his political fortunes on the platform of Action Congress. The bottom-line of   president Obasanjo’s action is not far beyond his attempt to elongate his stay in power; the action to declare the office of the president vacant is nothing but an attempt in bringing constitutional crisis in the nation hoping it may pave the way to derail the 2007 election.

 

Since the time the PDP and president Obasanjo suffered a colossal defeat, in their attempt to have an illegal third term in office, the government have brazenly over-turned, ignored, abused and discarded provisions of the Nigerian constitution which upholds principle of due process, limit arbitrary action by the state, limit government power to infringe on citizens rights, protect civil liberties and avoid actions that are in conflict and insconsistent with the constitution

 

Obasanjo style of governance lately is nothing but a replica of the past military regime- arbitrary actions, disregard to courts orders, official   deliberate creation of confusion in the nation to satisfy personal ego, outright disrespect   to court orders and immodesty in actions and assertions.

     

This is an issue that need to be tackled and  look upon beyond politics; an immediate  wedge to such arbitrary actions  and  a mechanism to halt future attempt need to be put in place; the former is the responsibility of the judiciary and the National Assembly, while the  later is  feasible by strengthening  civil societies  and the media, to    embark on strong advocacy progammes  to enlighten ordinary Nigerians that they have  a strong stake on the polity ; the  rose revolution we saw in some former soviet states and other  Latin American nations are products of a citizenry that is enlightened  through  civil societies and the media.

 

Wishing president Obasanjo, vice president Atiku and all Nigerians a Merry Christmas, happy Sallah and a prosperous new year

 

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta

zaymohd@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

Obasanjo’s ‘Impeachment’ Of Atiku!

 Official lawlessness with impunity is one character of Obasanjo’s government that is extremely impossible for one to take no notice of; on 22nd December 2006, the People’s Democratic Party in her  NEC meeting, with president Obasanjo in attendance, conferred on itself  the function of the chief custodian and  interpreter of the Nigerian constitution, and thus the PDP  ask her leader, the ‘father of modern Nigeria’, president Obasanjo  to invoke   the provision of  section 142(1) of the  1999 constitution, and  declare the office of the vice president of the federal republic of Nigeria vacant, so the  PDP has assume the powers of the chief justice of Nigeria, and President Obasanjo  through his special adviser on public affairs  Mallam  Uba Sani,  in a slapdash fashion   bestow on himself  the function of the National Assembly and subsequently bypassing all the laid down rules and regulations on impeaching a sitting vice president as spelled-out in section 143 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution. Nevertheless, Obasanjo’s action and bigheaded PDP double standard   has not come as a surprise to Nigerians, as all the state Governors impeached in the current dispensation were done in a complete disregard to rule of law at the behest of Aso Rock. President Obasanjo quite knowing the huge illegality of such action in declaring the office of Vice President vacant by merely relying on section 142 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution refuses to announce it by himself.  Despite the fact that, the office of  vice president has for the last three years been subjected to brazen impertinence by president Obasanjo , but  no Nigerian expects a common aide of the president to announce such a big constitutional matter capable of plunging the nation into huge constitutional crisis;  if Atiku’s  change of political party can warrant a reckless announcement of his office as vacant, then Obasanjo himself have ever since relinquished  his position as the president of Nigeria, because the original  PDP on which he use her platform to ascend  to the presidency has since been ‘liquated’ by the president himself, because the current PDP is nothing but a creation of Obasanjo.

The persistent inclination of PDP and president Obasanjo toward selective justice is so far taking a dangerous dimension; where are the president and indeed the ‘learned men’ of the PDP? when Gov. Saminu Turaki of Jigawa state who was elected on the platform of the ANPP decamped to the PDP, Attahiru Bafarawa of sokoto state who was also elected on the platform of the ANPP is now a presidential aspirant on the platform of the DPP, prior to the 2003 elections former Gov Mbadinuju of Anambra state who was elected on the platform of the PDP, left the party and seek re-election on the platform of AD, the same thing former Gov. Malam Kachalla of Borno state did.       

It is heart bleeding and sickening to see a government that came to power through constitutionality, is from top to bottom bent toward averting due process and rule of law,   President Obasanjo and the PDP are now operating and interpreting the 1999 Nigerian constitution at their own discretion- the PDP and Obasanjo clearly think the Nigerian constitution is like that of their PDP which can be operated and interpreted or some of its section invoke to satisfy someone’s whims; it is  still fresh in the minds of Nigerians when the Obasanjo and his lapdogs thought the Nigerian constitution can be amended using fraud, insincerity, Ghana-Must-Go and a gift of land in Abuja.

     It is apparent to all Nigerians that president Obasanjo have use every Means possible at his disposal to see that vice president Atiku Abubakar have not got the opportunity to vive for the presidency on the platform of the PDP; what Atiku did was only to relied on section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution which entrenched the fundamental right of every Nigerian for freedom of association, and seek his political fortunes on the platform of Action Congress. The bottom-line of   president Obasanjo’s action is not far beyond his attempt to elongate his stay in power; the action to declare the office of the president vacant is nothing but an attempt in bringing constitutional crisis in the nation hoping it may pave the way to derail the 2007 election.

Since the time the PDP and president Obasanjo suffered a colossal defeat, in their attempt to have an illegal third term in office, the government have brazenly over-turned, ignored, abused and discarded provisions of the Nigerian constitution which upholds principle of due process, limit arbitrary action by the state, limit government power to infringe on citizens rights, protect civil liberties and avoid actions that are in conflict and insconsistent with the constitution

 

Obasanjo style of governance lately is nothing but a replica of the past military regime- arbitrary actions, disregard to courts orders, official   deliberate creation of confusion in the nation to satisfy personal ego, outright disrespect   to court orders and immodesty in actions and assertions.

      This is an issue that need to be tackled and  look upon beyond politics; an immediate  wedge to such arbitrary actions  and  a mechanism to halt future attempt need to be put in place; the former is the responsibility of the judiciary and the National Assembly, while the  later is  feasible by strengthening  civil societies  and the media, to    embark on strong advocacy progammes  to enlighten ordinary Nigerians that they have  a strong stake on the polity ; the  rose revolution we saw in some former soviet states and other  Latin American nations are products of a citizenry that is enlightened  through  civil societies and the media.

Wishing president Obasanjo, vice president Atiku and all Nigerians a Merry Christmas, happy Sallah and a prosperous new year

 

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta

zaymohd@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

Obasanjo’s ‘Impeachment’ Of Atiku!

 Official lawlessness with impunity is one character of Obasanjo’s government that is extremely impossible for one to take no notice of; on 22nd December 2006, the People’s Democratic Party in her  NEC meeting, with president Obasanjo in attendance, conferred on itself  the function of the chief custodian and  interpreter of the Nigerian constitution, and thus the PDP  ask her leader, the ‘father of modern Nigeria’, president Obasanjo  to invoke   the provision of  section 142(1) of the  1999 constitution, and  declare the office of the vice president of the federal republic of Nigeria vacant, so the  PDP has assume the powers of the chief justice of Nigeria, and President Obasanjo  through his special adviser on public affairs  Mallam  Uba Sani,  in a slapdash fashion   bestow on himself  the function of the National Assembly and subsequently bypassing all the laid down rules and regulations on impeaching a sitting vice president as spelled-out in section 143 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution. Nevertheless, Obasanjo’s action and bigheaded PDP double standard   has not come as a surprise to Nigerians, as all the state Governors impeached in the current dispensation were done in a complete disregard to rule of law at the behest of Aso Rock. President Obasanjo quite knowing the huge illegality of such action in declaring the office of Vice President vacant by merely relying on section 142 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution refuses to announce it by himself.  Despite the fact that, the office of  vice president has for the last three years been subjected to brazen impertinence by president Obasanjo , but  no Nigerian expects a common aide of the president to announce such a big constitutional matter capable of plunging the nation into huge constitutional crisis;  if Atiku’s  change of political party can warrant a reckless announcement of his office as vacant, then Obasanjo himself have ever since relinquished  his position as the president of Nigeria, because the original  PDP on which he use her platform to ascend  to the presidency has since been ‘liquated’ by the president himself, because the current PDP is nothing but a creation of Obasanjo.

The persistent inclination of PDP and president Obasanjo toward selective justice is so far taking a dangerous dimension; where are the president and indeed the ‘learned men’ of the PDP? when Gov. Saminu Turaki of Jigawa state who was elected on the platform of the ANPP decamped to the PDP, Attahiru Bafarawa of sokoto state who was also elected on the platform of the ANPP is now a presidential aspirant on the platform of the DPP, prior to the 2003 elections former Gov Mbadinuju of Anambra state who was elected on the platform of the PDP, left the party and seek re-election on the platform of AD, the same thing former Gov. Malam Kachalla of Borno state did.       

It is heart bleeding and sickening to see a government that came to power through constitutionality, is from top to bottom bent toward averting due process and rule of law,   President Obasanjo and the PDP are now operating and interpreting the 1999 Nigerian constitution at their own discretion- the PDP and Obasanjo clearly think the Nigerian constitution is like that of their PDP which can be operated and interpreted or some of its section invoke to satisfy someone’s whims; it is  still fresh in the minds of Nigerians when the Obasanjo and his lapdogs thought the Nigerian constitution can be amended using fraud, insincerity, Ghana-Must-Go and a gift of land in Abuja.

     It is apparent to all Nigerians that president Obasanjo have use every Means possible at his disposal to see that vice president Atiku Abubakar have not got the opportunity to vive for the presidency on the platform of the PDP; what Atiku did was only to relied on section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution which entrenched the fundamental right of every Nigerian for freedom of association, and seek his political fortunes on the platform of Action Congress. The bottom-line of   president Obasanjo’s action is not far beyond his attempt to elongate his stay in power; the action to declare the office of the president vacant is nothing but an attempt in bringing constitutional crisis in the nation hoping it may pave the way to derail the 2007 election.

Since the time the PDP and president Obasanjo suffered a colossal defeat, in their attempt to have an illegal third term in office, the government have brazenly over-turned, ignored, abused and discarded provisions of the Nigerian constitution which upholds principle of due process, limit arbitrary action by the state, limit government power to infringe on citizens rights, protect civil liberties and avoid actions that are in conflict and insconsistent with the constitution

 

Obasanjo style of governance lately is nothing but a replica of the past military regime- arbitrary actions, disregard to courts orders, official   deliberate creation of confusion in the nation to satisfy personal ego, outright disrespect   to court orders and immodesty in actions and assertions.

      This is an issue that need to be tackled and  look upon beyond politics; an immediate  wedge to such arbitrary actions  and  a mechanism to halt future attempt need to be put in place; the former is the responsibility of the judiciary and the National Assembly, while the  later is  feasible by strengthening  civil societies  and the media, to    embark on strong advocacy progammes  to enlighten ordinary Nigerians that they have  a strong stake on the polity ; the  rose revolution we saw in some former soviet states and other  Latin American nations are products of a citizenry that is enlightened  through  civil societies and the media.

Wishing president Obasanjo, vice president Atiku and all Nigerians a Merry Christmas, happy Sallah and a prosperous new year

 

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta

zaymohd@yahoo.com