A Mad Cow Constitutional Review

A Mad Cow Constitutional Review, Third Term Republic And Senator ManFlu

Prince Charles Dickson

Ideally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a constitutional review and I an correct when I say Nigerians are not afraid of one, like a make over, but then it must be done to meet the yearnings of the people. It is an exercise that many look forward to; people that have suffered abuse, personally or collectively as a society and they feel such can be corrected by the constitution. The review is an effort everyone looks enthusiastically to participate in. however, the case is different, but let me also note that no one is afraid of a constitutional review exercise, not even the complete drafting of a new one evokes fear. Today, Nigerians are scared, because every and anything is possible right under our nose, so the people is right to suspect and fear even the air they breath.

A mad cow constitutional review, sequel to the beginning of this review, there has been serious security concern about the sitting, but the Committee Chairman Senator ManFlu has said security arrangements are watertight. A review with disease, why should one be exposed to security threats to review a constitution if the motive is right; as the review begins a member of the committee has withdrawn. The entire review has been beset with the third tern republic ‘rumours’ that we all know are real and true.

If the President knows that, the third term is affecting the credibility of this review exercise, why has he not moved to prove us wrong. He cannot because we are not wrong. For those of us that believe that there are problems in the constitution, the least of these problems is the tenure of political office holders or extension of such tenures. Let me point out that I have always been of the opinion that the problems of our constitution is largely that of the political actors and participant, that is why we are always spending billions on these fruitless search of what we did not loose.

The mad cow constitutional review, what good thinking, the committee in its all knowing wisdom has changed zonal headquarters that in the first place is not even recognized by the constitution th ey are trying to review. Oshogbo instead of Ibadan, Katsina instead of Kaduna, Borno instead of Bauchi, and Lafia instead of Jos. If that was not enough sign, the zonal chefs are the President’s beloveth in council.

Only in 1988, General IBB gathered some of the best brains then in the nation to draft a constitution. After several months of arguments, there were contentious issues , meaning that contentious issues would always be a part of a constitutional review but not silly issues, because at the end of that particular exercise they came out with a wonderful document. So why would a bunch impose upon Nigerians entertainment of an acrimonious agenda of a selfish few.

The committee is asking for people to be open minded, open minded about what, when some States have already started thinking of a boycott. Besides, how many people would be really able to attend these few days sitting with an already prepared text? How productive would this exercise in futility be, when everyone is saying we do not want a third term, leave, the next person can continue the review. Is there any constitutional right bestowed on the President that he must supervise the review of a constitution, it is not by force to eat beef with the mad cow disease.

It is sad that in Nigeria, we learn in a slow motion and forget in a fast forward. Have we been here is the question? IBB did all the drama and yet it came to nothing in the end, he had to step aside, with all the late Abacha tried to hide behind those dark goggle of his. We saw how it ended for the man that all caps fitted because he wore it in the world beyond.

The Babangida era tried in the remix we are seeing now, though it did not go this far. Now the government of Obj is nailing everyone and anything that thinks, plans, and wants to see 2007 both with real and imaginary charges. Late Abacha, bless his soul now, never spoke of a continued stay in power, as talented as our own Maradona he was never did too. So also has Baba Iyabo continued in that trend? Nigerians are all dummies but we are not all fools.

It was sweet talk, when Obj was asking Gowon what he forgot, what he wanted with power, but now the same power has blinded him to his own words as he treads the footpath of the third term republic.

Third term republic, everything this government has embarked upon is really nice on paper but we have been there, all these reform fuji and kwanlango music was same with SAP, it was the same who will continue my messiah rule that IBB played. The use of the Soludo’s , Ngozi-wahala and co was the same way we watched IBB and even Abacha use the best and tell us without then life in Nigeria just could not move an inch.

African leaders have two ext reme polar ends, the good, very good and the bad, very, very bad. The good, the like of Mandela who left before the ovation even began talk more of loudest and then Mbeki now, that has allowed common sense prevail in the face of clinging perpetually to power. The other side, the list is endless, but the real truth is watch their ends, like one of such mad men in Uganda that even wants to rule neighbouring nations.

We all know where this third tern thing will end. The PDP which is the ruling mistake has said it wou ld not participate officially in the review but will submit its recommendation to the committee. Who born this monkey, but it would not bare its members from attending as individuals, these guys believe we are fools, what does this statement mean.

A third term republic, one fact, which everybody has neglected to an extent, is that in the real sense this mad cow constitutional review is not necessary now, it started five years ago, there are crisis in every part of the company called Nigeria. Why must it be finished in less than a year, of all the issues like education, agriculture, poverty reduction, health and all other such things having direct and immediate bearing on the masses, why the craze for a constitutional review irrespective of the peoples’ feeling.

This review is a coup against the collective will of the Nigerian people. It is on record that if for any reason this shoddy arrangement sails through it was led and coordinated by a man called Senator Ibrahim Mantu, the Deputy Senate President, one of the politicians with the most dirty wardrobe and kitchen with several unwashed dishes of different kinds of scandals. There is a court injunction and ManFlu says he is not aware, how we expect anything good from flu is asking for snow in Kano, a diseased political bird that is even abhorred by his own people. The government of the day is one of crooks, but wait there are few of them with a reputation, very hard earned one that can be protected but certainly not the flu called Mantu.

This flu is too smart for the Chukwumerije led 78 wise legislators. They should know there is a ManFlu factor, a phenomenon that we all sawing the last failed hajj operations, and nothing happened. The ManFlu phenomenon that led the committee with the longest abbreviation then to alleviate the fuel price increase impact, till date that committee just made noise and kept quiet. The ManFlu that almost dealt with El-Rufai in the first I swear by Allah drama of this dispensation.

I watched with knowing smiles as the ManFlu walked into the offices of the EFCC asking to be investigated of benefiting from the Plateau State ecological offering. He is a political stuntman per excellence that is why Baba has always found him handy in matters like our present quagmire. Senator Mantu lacks the moral right to be associated with a task that has serious bearing on the generality of Nigerians, elsewhere he would have resigned. However the flu cannot leave, our leaders never vacate office, like the bird flu they spread their wings, they never say die until they are eliminated like the flu is eliminated. Insha Allah, their days are numbered, may Allah grant us His strength to battle them.