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Politics
Thursday, July 4, 2013
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
2015: ‘Jonathan should go the way of Mandela’ Nigeria’s amalgamation will be 100 years next year. Would you say we have achieved the dream of the founding fathers of Nigeria? Certainly not. What we are going through now is not what our founding fathers planned. At that time, democracy was in charge. But now, it is the demon that is crazy. Corruption has permeated every sector of the society. Corruption used to be in the public sector only. Now, it has crept into the private sector as well. That was not the dream of our founding fathers. Our founding fathers dreamt and actualised a federal system. What we now have is a unitary form of government instead of a federal system of government. That is not what our founding fathers fought for. Our founding fathers fought for the development of each region at its own pace. They fought for a united Nigeria, not divided by tribes and tongues or religions. But now, it is the opposite. I’m quite sure that the likes of Zik, Tafawa Balewa and Awolowo will be turning in protest in their graves; they’ll be feeling sorry for all of us. At that time, you could travel from Lagos to Kano, from Sokoto to Port Harcourt anytime of the day without any fear. You can’t do that freely without fear of insecurity today. The basic cause of this insecurity is corruption. You can’t win any election in this country unless you are corrupt. That is the truth. Nigeria is now in difficulty and every time I think about it, it saddens me. If I don’t have children and family here, I would have relocated from this country. Because each time I imagine what would happen to us in 2015, we need prayer for this country. A country where 35 governors cannot conduct a credible election signals a lot of problems for this country. Is there any hope for Nigeria? One needs to sit down and reflect. Our president just needs to do what is right. A primary one pupil knows if you remove 19 from 35, the answer is 16. And if 35 governors, for any reason cannot conduct a credible election among themselves, don’t you feel frightened what CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 the state and make the Amaechi administration unstable, the councillors: They expressed displeasure with those they referred to as undemocratic forces”’ outside the state heating up the polity, and urged political stakeholders in the state to support Amaechi to achieve more for the people of the state. The biggest surprise, which astounded people all over the country, however, was the visit of the former Minister of Petroleum and don, Prof. Tam David-West. He described Amaechi as a victim of injustice, while also noting that despite the fact that the governor is going through difficult times at the moment, he would prevail in the end. His words: “I am not a member of any political party. I am supporting a cause that is very dear to me and that cause is justice. I have been a victim of injustice in my life, so when I see people suffering injustice or victims of injustice, I naturally support them. “We are going through very strange times in Nigeria, stranger still that 16
Former Managing Director and Chief Executive, Nigerian Life and Pensions Consultants, and Head of the Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Solomon Adegboyega Alao, at 75 years of age, has seen the good, the bad and the ugly sides of Nigeria. In this interview, he shares his views on the state of the nation and the 2015 elections with PADE OLAPOJU. Excerpts: no country has ever survived two civil wars. We are moving gradually towards a civil war. So, what can be done to avert a civil war? I don’t want to sound political. If I were the president, I will sacrifice my future ambition and not stand for election in 2015. That will reduce heating of the polity. I will go the Nelson Mandela way and become a hero in Nigeria. He has served two years as President when Yar’Adua died, plus his own four years, making six years. He has been a Vice President for two, so what else is he looking for? He should now sit down and ensure that the person who succeeds him will put the country on the right path.
Alao
will happen in 2015? And the man who is supposed to uphold the constitution is siding or seemingly siding with the minority faction of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, because of his interest. I think we are in trouble in this country. But God favours Nigeria. If not for His mercies upon Nigeria, this country could have ceased to exist years ago. But my fear is that at the rate we are going,
So many people have suggested holding a sovereign national conference as the way out of Nigeria’s problems. What is your take on this? I am not a lawyer, but it does not require one to be a lawyer to know that that is the most sensible thing to do. The amalgamation is a forced marriage and if you don’t allow a change to occur peacefully, it will occur violently. Things are not going well with Nigeria, and our leaders pretend as if they don’t know. Of the first 19 top positions in the Federal Government, there is no South-West person there. And you think the Yoruba are happy? Secondly, a forced
I WILL GO THE NELSON MANDELA WAY AND BECOME A HERO IN NIGERIA. HE HAS SERVED TWO YEARS AS PRESIDENT WHEN YAR’ADUA DIED, PLUS HIS OWN FOUR YEARS, MAKING SIX YEARS. HE HAS BEEN A VICE PRESIDENT FOR TWO, SO WHAT ELSE IS HE LOOKING FOR?
Amaechi: Season of solidarity visits
are now greater than 19 (referring to the outcome of the NGF election). Our governor is going through very difficult times, fortunately, he has the stamina and the strength, the fortitude to bear it.” According to him, Amaechi has outperformed every other governor the state ever had and he therefore commended him for his unparalleled achievements, while calling on all indigenes of Rivers to continue to give him unparallel support. Also the forum of former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly between 1979 and 2011, led by one-time Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Stephen Ezekwem, paid another solidarity visit, to the governor and use the opportunity of the visit to identify with Amaechi. Describing Amaechi as a born leader fighting for justice for the people of Rivers State, the former lawmakers said: “Your Excellency, our solidarity visit is in view of what is happening in the country today, the events that are unfolding in the country and as members of the legislature one
time in the state who had served in different capacities, it becomes imperative on us to come and show our support with you and encourage you and also to tell you that what you are fighting for is justice. If you were not fighting for justice, we would not come and no democracy in the country can succeed without justice.” Also last Monday, the Opobo/Nkoro people also paid solidarity visit to Amaechi. Led by their leaders and elders, the people expressed their unfailing support for the governor, saying that any attack on him is an attack on all Opobo/Nkoro people. In an address presented on behalf of the people, Prof. Wilson Bedford Bell-Gam, stated that Amaechi was being politically persecuted for his belief in fairness and justice in pursuing the common cause of all Rivers people. Pledging to support the governor all the way and stand by him in his trying moments, the people said: “For the past couple of months, the elected representatives, elders, men, women and youth of
marriage that has not produced anything what is there to celebrate? 100 years of instability, 100 years of insecurity, 100 years of bad roads, 100 years of blackout, unemployment, 100 years of abject poverty, corruption and misgovernment? Whether we like it or not, I think we need to sit down and talk. We may not call it Sovereign National Conference because the National Assembly will not accept that as it does not pay them with that word ‘sovereign’. But we need to sit together as ethnic nationalities with equal representation or on state basis or regional basis and fashion out the way we want to go. I don’t want Nigeria to break up. United we should stand. A bigger country has an advantage in the international politics, but I think what is good for Nigeria is a confederation where power will be devolved to the states or regions and the centre is made less attractive. A situation where governors go cap in hand to Abuja to beg for fund is not a federation. In a federal system, the affairs of local government are not the business of the central government, but that of states. In the First Republic, the centre was not this important or attractive. Then, each region developed independently. Awolowo used cocoa to develop Western Nigeria; Sardauna was using proceeds from cotton and groundnut to develop the North. Zik was using palm oil to develop the East and the regions were contributing money to maintain the centre. That was why late Ahmadu Bello, leader of the NPC was not interested in becoming the Prime Minister. He preferred to be the regional premier. I think we should go back to that. I think what we should do is convert the six geopolitical zones into regions and allow each region to control the local government. If we empower the regions, the abuses from the central government will be reduced. Do you foresee a change in status quo come 2015? I believe there will be a change in 2015. If you prevent a peaceful change, then a violent change is inevitable. We should learn from Ghana and South Africa. But I think the progressives will take over in 2015. Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area have watched with total consternation, a string of unhealthy developments unfolding in the political arena in Rivers State and the nation.” They criticised the attempts to discredit the governor and undermine his current achievements and victory in the recent NGF election, even as they also kicked against the transfer of oil wells from Rivers State to other neighbouring states. The member representing Opobo/ Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, in his vote of thanks commended Governor Amaechi for receiving the people at very short notice and said the people of Opobo/Nkoro would not betray his trust. In his response, Amaechi thanked the people for the solidarity visit. For Amaechi, it has been season of solidarity visits meant to shore up the popularity and acceptance of the embattled governor who is not at ease with the Presidency and the leadership of the PDP.