A Tour of Events
By
Wada Nas
The unfortunate incident that occurred in Kano during the launching of a book on the life and time of the Dan Masanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, has been generating quite some unhealthy controversy. Before commenting on it, I want to state that no one should prescribe violence as part of the political process. We are all witnesses to loss of lives and property it caused in Jos and Niger state, among several other places. We must therefore learn to be forthright in denouncing violence, no matter where it occurred, as part of campaign strategy.
It is in this spirit that I wish to comment on what happened to the Vice President in Kano during the book launch. Before then however, let it be noted that the Kano incident which has attracted attention, was not the first to happen to Mr. Vice President. The first occurred at the Ikeja Army Barracks in Lagos when an alleged angry mob of soldiers poised to threaten him in protest of the comments of Mr. President on the bomb blast that occurred there. Painfully, there was nobody that raised a voice of protest especially that angry soldiers were about to mob their deputy commander-in-chief. Nigerians ought to have protested this then but, as I said, nobody said anything in protest, including those who are today making statements over what happened to him in Kano, as unfortunate as it was.
The next attack on the Vice President occurred in Jama’a, Kaduna State, when, again, some mob pelted his convoy along the route. Like in the case of the Lagos incident neither the media nor any other person commented on the wrongful and ugly incident. Every one kept quite as if nothing ever happened. Even the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP whose members are making various statements today never saw anything wrong in both the Jama’a and Lagos incidents, again as unfortunate as they were, until the Kano one occurred. This was the only time they realized that Mr. Vice President was ever booed, threatened or pelted by some protesting mob.
Without in the least trying to justify what happened in Kano, let it be understood that some of the people that filled the General Abacha Stadium that day were officially brought in, in a convoy of buses belonging to the various Local Governments in the state. Thus, they were hired by the ruling PDP Government in the state. They were never hired by the APP. If any one is to be blamed therefore for what happened in Kano, we know who the cap fits.
The violent orientation of some elements to governance in the PDP could best be demonstrated by what is happening in the House Of Representatives, where a PDP-led government is destroying a PDP-led National Assembly in a manner that speaks volume of the indiscipline within that party. The same PDP leadership has been unable to call to order the presidency over its attempt to impose on the nation a weakened legislature and therefore a weakened democracy. Even as what is happening in the House could degenerate to some unpleasant dimensions, the PDP is folding its arms waiting for the situation to be burn itself out.
In Jos, an ordinary ward election of the party led to mass massacre, costing about ‘70 lives, according to some estimates. This also happened in Niger State and we all know the violence that has been going on between rival factions of the party in the South-South and South-East, for example. What happened to Mr. Vice President therefore was as a result of the character orientation of the ruling PDP with intolerance as their common badge. We may not wish to say more. Let me pose the question. Why was it necessary to bring bus loads of party supporters to an ordinary book launch which was not a political event? What was the reason of bringing such people to the event? It is quite diversionary to blame any other group other than the unruly ruling PDP for the unfortunate incident that happened to Mr. Vice president in Kano. We all know the wars within that party.
Nigerians ought to worry that if violence is the dominant, internal character of the ruling party what would be the future as we approach 2003? Since PDP elements have been killing themselves over ward election, we can imagine what they would be doing in the election proper. We certainly must worry.
Simply put, in the sad incident that occurred to Mr. Vice president in Kano, the ruling PDP authorities there are to blame for importing people from all the local government areas of the state, to an event that was not political but turned out to be so by the authorities of the state. It is from this perspective that we could understand what happened, and apportion blame.
I made mention, in passing, about what is happening in the National Assembly where the ruling PDP of the Obasanjo government is hell-bent on disrupting our fragile democracy by hiring some elements from within to cause havoc. It is painful that these PDP members of the House are complaining of non-payment of salaries at a time when they are witnesses to hordes of tired military personnel, who fought in defense of this country roaming around in Abuja seeking for their retirement benefits, some of which have not been paid for over ten if not fifteen years. Nor are these selfish executive agents unaware that there are thousands of retired civil servants and other public workers who have not been paid their retirement benefits for upwards of twelve or thirteen months or more. The action of the legislators, in causing commotion over non-payment of salaries for only two months, shows their insensitivity to the plight of those who elected them to office, and they stand condemned for this.
The evidence that these House members are playing the ball for the presidency is quite clear. Why are they not taking on Mr. President, who has refused to release their full appropriation, but focus on Na Abba who hasn’t been remitted the full benefit of their salaries? It tells a lot about the direction from where they are coming that they haven’t the voice to condemn the withholding of their entitlements, as provided for in the appropriation act, which, in the first place, is illegal. The demand that the House should change its attitude towards the president so that they would continue to get their pay as when due, speaks volume of the character of some of our lawmakers. Must Nigerians or their representatives be in the good books of any administration before they could get their entitlements? It is a pity that some of these legislators do not see anything constitutionally wrong in what the presidency has been doing by withholding their pay. Mark it that the majority of the lawmakers causing trouble in the House are PDP members. It would appear that is the second name of this party and another instigating friction.
While its members are not killing themselves, its legislators are selling out to its federal government, undermining the democratic process by the unwholesome attempt to diminish the National Assembly. And what corruption are they taking about when they cannot focus attention on the monumental ones that have been reported in the presidency? Where were they when the Americans and the English revealed that 56% of corruption in Nigeria now is located in the presidency?
Where were they when the Abuja Stadium jumped from N38 billion to N54 billion without appropriation? Okadigbo was removed for allegedly attempting to award the phase III of the NASS building at N4 billion. The executive took it over and awarded it for N25.57b! Aren’t our legislators aware of this? The National Economic Intelligence and Monitor Committee once reported that presidency and finance ministry officials connived and defrauded Customs of N8 billion through so called waivers. Haven’t they read of this too? The IMF told us that the Abuja Stadium now being constructed at a cost of about N54 billion could easily be completed at a cost of N19 billion. Doesn’t this bother our legislators?
It is a pity that where 90% of corruption is taking place our legislators are only focusing on where only about 2% is alleged taking place. It is pathetic that the legislators and the papers dancing to their drums beats do not see where the worst form of alleged corruption is taking place. All these so called anti corruption crusaders are merely deceiving Nigerians for selfish reasons. We all know their style and motivation.
Some people are already out injecting religion into the political game. Let me make it clear that nobody can win the presidency on the basis of religious votes in this country and so those making utterances to this effect should better be aware. I had a cause to advice primate Mbang who started this dangerous game to be aware of the fact that Christian or Muslim votes, alone and respectively cannot bring anybody to Aso Rock. We heard of the meeting of CAN in Ibadan and the recent utterances of a clergy in Abuja to the effect that Buhari would impose Islam on Nigerians if elected. I passionately want to advice and at the same warn our respective religious leaders against such divisive utterances. If anybody thinks he is doing good to Obasanjo by campaigning for him along religion lines, such a person should better be aware and be frankly told that Obasanjo was not elected in 1999 through religion votes but through non religion partisanship.
I comment Bishop Okogie, and the Muslim cleric who have been warning against preaching ill will in this country. Nigerians are aware of certain happenings within the corridors of powers along certain lines.