Introduction
Last week, I took a look into this vexed issue and I want to reiterate again and again that within the precincts of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as altered, it is an expensive tale for the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami to assume that the National Assembly cannot summon the President. Not only can the National Assembly summon the President, an ordinary committee of either the Senate or House of Representatives is empowered by law to summon the President. Today, we shall conclude same in our discourse.
The challenge continues
The Senate wades in
Former Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, had contributed to a debate of the NASS at plenary session, on insecurity by saying troops lack modern arms and were hardly provided with support. He said people in Borno State were paying ransom to Boko Haram before being allowed to go to their farms or move around in their villages. Indeed, Boko Haram are said to have audaciously mounted checkpoints and road blocks in most LGAs, collecting toks and levies. Can you believe that? Fello Nigerians, can you now see why GEJ deserves to be garlanded? Trust Ndume. He shot from all cylinders, when he called for the hiring of mercenaries.
Even President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, was blunt for once, even against his appointers. He shocked them by warning that excesses will no longer be tolerated. He said the resolutions of the Senate must be implemented by the Executive.
The church
Two clerics, Adewale Giwa and Pastor Ebenezer Ologunowa, told President Buhari point blank to resign if he cannot guarantee security of lives of Nigerians.
The mosque
Sultan of Sokoto, tested General (rtd.), His Eminience Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has twice within one week, lamented, the dire insecurity situation of the country, and warned the government to stop paying lip service to it. He described insecurity-ravaged North as the worst place to live in Nigeria. He even called for specialist prayers five times daily. He noted that bandits now rule some communities and set rules that must be obeyed. The Sultan noted the paradox of the common man is “now caught in between two contending phenomena. When he goes to the farm, he gets killed and when he stays at home, he dies of hunger”. He urged the Buhari government to go beyond mere lip service and the traditional condemnation and do something concrete. The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) obviously alarmed, later resolved to meet Buhari, contending that the military is overstretched.
The government – As usual
But, trust Buhari government. Ever incorrigible, it sets its exams, marks them, and awards mark to itself. It blames everyone, everything and everyone, but itself.
Thus, in a swift reaction on Arise TV, Presidency spokesman, Garba Shehu, said sacking the service chiefs was not the solution to the security challenges. Oh, really? Even after they have since outlived their welcome and usefulness?
Northern elders
Garba must be alone in a frolic of his own. This is because concerned stakeholders from the Northern states have warned that there may not be an end in sight if the current service chiefs remained in the saddle.
Specifically, they called on President Buhari to replace all of them without further delay, to remediate the worsening security situation in the country, especially in the North.
But, who is to blame when Muhammadu Buhari cannot see beyond his nepotic enclave to rejig his security architecture? Now, read the following by an avid reader who exposed the dangers of nepotism, sectionalism, favouritism and tribalism in appointing people from only ones section of the country, a most horrific scenario in a pluralistic, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious country like Nigeria. This is how he put it.
“Insecurity in Nigeria: Who is to blame?
President Muhammadu Buhari (Katsina); Senate President: Ahmad Lawan (Yobe); Deputy Speaker: Ahmed Idris (Polateau); Defence Minister: Bashir Salihi Magashi (Kano); Chief of Army Staff: Major-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Borno); Chief of Air Staff: Sadique Abubakar (Bauchi); National Security Adviser: Babagana Monguno (rtd.) (Borno); Director-General of DSS: Yusuf Magaji Bichi (Kano); Minister of Police Affairs: Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi (Sokoto); IGP: Mohammed Adamu (Nasarawa); Comptroller-General of Customs: Hamid Ali (Bauchi); Commandant- General NSCDC: Abdullahi Gana Muhammad (Niger); Director NIA: Ahmad Rufa’I Abubakar (Katsina); Comptroller-General of prisons: Aloh. Ja’afaru Ahmed (Katsina), SGF: Boss Gidahyelda Mustapha (Adamawa); Chief of Staff: Ibrahim Agboola Gambari (Kwara)”.
“CHAIRMEN OF SENATE COMMITTEES
Army: Ali Ndume, (Borno); Airforce: Bala Ibn Na’Allah, (Kebbi); Defence: Aliyu Wamakko, (Sokoto); National Security and Intelligence: Abdullahi Gobir, (Sokoto); Police Affairs: Dauda Jika, Abubakar Tambuwal (Bauchi).
Chairmen of House Of Representatives Committees
Army: Hon. Abdurazak Namdas (Adamawa); National Security and Intelligence: Hon. Sha’aban Sharada, (Kano); Navy: Hon Gagdi Yusuf (Plateau); Police Affairs: Hon. Kumo Bello (Gombe)”.
So, who is to blame? That is the big question. Nigerians, do you know?
Democracy and the spectre poor elections in Nigeria (1)
Introduction
Democracy was once defined by Abraham Lincoln in his 19th November, 1863, Gettysburg speech as “government of the people, for the people and by the people”.
The Introduction paragraph of the Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee Report set up in 2007 by late President Musa Yar’Adua, Umaru resolved as follows:
“Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of every democracy and the primary mechanism for exercising the principle of sovereignty of the people. Through such elections, citizens participate in the governance of their country by choosing those who govern in the quest for development. By their choices, the citizens confer legitimacy and authority on those who govern, making it easier for them to mobilize public support and cooperation for the implementation of development programmes. Free, fair and credible elections are therefore a crucial requirement for good governance in any democracy.”
Nigeria has a corrupt, fraudulent and bloody electioneering history. As a matter of fact, successive Nigerian elections from pre independence days, have been characterized by one form of malpractice or the other. While a flawless electioneering process is almost impossible in Nigeria, it is important to note that elections should at least conform to minimum standards of global best practices. To this end, elections should be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, devoid of the usual violence that has come to characterize elections in Nigeria. Elections should also be conducted in a manner that reflects the wishes and choices of the electorates. Voters must not only must be counted; they must be allowed to count.
History of poor conduct of elections in Nigeria
The 2003 presidential electioins
These basic standards of a proper electioneering process are sadly missing in the Nigerian electoral process. For example, the conduct of the 2003 general elections was marred by irregularities, intimidation by the military, ballot box snatching as well as other grievous malpractices.
This led to Justice Pats-Acholonu, JSC, to condemn the lack of transparency and credibility which was characteristic in the conduct of the 2003 general elections, in the celebrated case of Buhari vs Obasanjo (2005) 13 NWLR (Pt 941) 1. His Lordship, highlighted the brazen irregularities, in the following ageless words:
“While though the main appeal has failed due to what I ascribe as to the impossibility of satisfactorily proving nationwide spread of ineptitude, violence, intimidation and other acts of terrorization as well as other barefaced acts that literally chill the bones and would as William Shakespeare said in Macbeth (“make the sitteth heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature “) some of the, revelation that is, where the few evidence was led and proved, are blood cuddling. That in this day and age in this country that has been independent for 45 years we can still witness horrendous acts by security officers who ought to dutifully ensure peace and tranquility in the election process suddenly turning themselves into agents of destruction, and introduced, mayhem to what ordinarily would have been a civilized -way of exercising franchise by the people who are sovereign, is regrettable. I ascribe the nefarious activities of thugs and the few security officers and party men to lack of understanding of the philosophy and ethics behind election in a democratic state and lack of understanding of the dynamics of election processes. It is scary to send policemen to election places when they have not been properly tutored that in the exercise of their duty to maintain law and order in election areas, their allegiance is to the Constitution. Some of the evidence elicited are so disquieting that one would wonder whether we have learnt or in fact can learn a lesson. Such inordinate and impetuous acts are despicable. Such mania to traduce all known civilized practices by the supporters of the parties is reprehensible and condemnable. Some of the things that happened in 2003 election can be likened to what Macduff the Thane of Cowdar said when he saw the bloodied murdered King Duncan in Macbeth by William E. Shakespeare.”
However, despite the widespread condemnation of the conduct of the 2003 general elections in Nigeria, there was no attempt at electoral reforms and as a result of this, four years later, Nigeria still conducted what was regarded as a most fraudulent election,
As a matter of fact, the European Union described the 2007 general elections as a sham:
“The elections were marred by very poor organization; lack of essential transparency; widespread and procedural irregularities; substantial evidence of fraud; widespread voter disenfranchisement; lack of equal conditions for political parties and candidates; and numerous incidents of violence.” They described the election as “the worst they had ever seen anywhere in the world”, with “rampant vote rigging, violence, theft of ballot boxes and intimidation”.
(To be continued next week)
Thought for the week
“In situations of military conflict, civil strife, lawlessness, bad governance, and human rights violations, terrorists find it easier to hide, train and prepare their attacks”.
(Gijs de Vries).