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An Interim Government Is Imperative By Baban Iya Bala Forwarded by Mahamman Adarawa
At long last, Obasanjo’s rule has ended last month. It proved the most corrupt and crime-ridden rule Nigeria ever had. Thus, Obasanjo would be remembered for worsening insecurity, dilapidated services, contempt for rule of law, contempt of due process in democratic governance, graft & bribery, swindling and theft of public property. Apart from that, Obasanjo as a person proved to Nigerians that he is the most callous, cruel and sadistic ruler in contemporary times. He razed two communities namely Odi and Zaki Biyam. His former protégé (before they fell out) Dariye did the same in Yelwan Shendam. Individuals like Bola Ige, Harry Marshall, Dikibo & Sa’adatu Rimi were cruelly murdered and no one was brought to justice. After rigging the 2003 elections, he hiked the price of fuel to punish the masses for complaining about rigging and before that, he shouted down at grieving relatives of victims who drowned in Lagos. He tried to extend his rule to prove his shamelessness. Then a week before he stepped aside, he again hiked the price of fuel, sold the remaining public properties like the refineries to his cronies and then lied against Bola Ige by casting aspersions on his performance while in the Power & Mines ministry. Thus, even the dead are not spared of his callous instincts.
One of the most corrupt and criminal projects he would be remembered for is the 2007 elections .Out of fear of prosecution for financial corruption & crimes against humanity, he anointed Umaru Yar’aduwa (a protégé) as a presidential candidate against the wishes of his party members, then went ahead and committed the most fraudulent election. Thus apart from outright rigging, people were disenfranchised in many ways. The Governorship and Parliamentary elections were also rigged to ensure a tight seal cover against prosecution. Umaru Yar’aduwa, a former chemistry teacher and a communist who did his own perestroika during the third republic is a convenient cover for Obasanjo. It is a situation best described in an African proverb “hiding behind a blind man to strike another person in front”. In such a situation, Yar’aduwa is the blind man because for sure he has turned a blind eye to Obasanjo’s misrule. Obasanjo is the one behind him holding a big stick. The “man or men” in front of the blind man are Nigerians being bashed by Obasanjo even outside office.The one that will always take the blame is the blind man.
Apart from Yar’aduwa, his VP Good luck Jonathan is another lame duck that was not associated with any good development in the Niger Delta state where he was DG and subsequently Governor. The senators most of whom are beneficiaries of the rigged elections connived with their master Obasanjo to hoist David mark whose only political qualifications are being IBB and then OBJ boy. To worsen matters Obasanjo as a patron of the party has formed another organisation to be “advising” Yar’aduwa, thus confirming the weakness of the latter. It is in reality third tenure extension by stealth.
It reinforced most people’s view that in Obasanjo’s calculation, Yar’aduwa has limited life expectancy because of a chronic kidney ailment. Many believed, he would stage a comeback on expiry of Yar’aduwa either naturally or otherwise.Yar’aduwa is in reality Obasanjo’s prisoner , though he felt so comfortable and trust Obasanjo so much ,that he sent a delegation including his mother to go and thank Obasanjo for rigging him in to Aso Rock.
The reality of the situation is that we have a grossly illegitimate government of pawns which is run by a gang of corrupt and dangerous criminals headed by Obasanjo, Assisted by Olabode George, Anenih, Ahmadu Ali, John Odey , Andy Uba, Ibrahim Mantu , David Mark and a host of other deadly foot soldiers scattered all over the country.
There is a palpable risk of disintegration & fragmentation of our country with the above individuals terrorising us as warlords. This scenario is how failed nations like Somalia and Congo started, before their status as failed states.
The options we have to stem the tide are one, yar’aduwa can develop courage to dissolve the national assembly and his government and hand over to and interim government made up of retired non-partisan civil servants and judges to revisit the constitution and organise free elections within six to twelve months. It is unlikely that Yar'aduwa will ever be courageous to do that. The second option is for the civil society groups to support the tribunals to do justice and annul the rigged elections in which case the Chief Justice of the federation can be acting head of interim government until elections are held.
Yours Fiathfully,
Baban Iya Bala.
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