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Impeachment: Sugar And
Spice, Produced In Nigeria...
By Prince C Dickson
pcdbooks@yahoo.com
If you cannot explain where you are going in simple English, you are
probably doing something wrong, so also when speculation has done its worst,
two and two still make four, Fayose is gone, Dariye is going, may be going,
Alams, Ladoja, Ngige, has since gone, only God knows how much of the drama
Mr. Obi of Anambra would endure...In Nigeria it is an air of impeachment and
some people are feeling good. Some even are of the opinion it is good for
our democracy, it is democracy at work.
I was at the cafe sending out my reports, news stories and tidying mails and
the network went blues and the local administrator told me that services had
been impeached...by whom and for what reasons he could provide none...He
said I was lucky that there was no State of emergency with the service.
I know for sure that at this moment Obasanjo and his PDP, Ribadu and quite a
number of Nigerians at this moment must be feeling “Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good,
I knew that I would, now, I feel good, I knew that I would, now. So good, so
good, I got you”. So good they have got Fayose, General Olurin must be
having that feel good feeling, while he was at home in retirement some
foolhardy politicians has decided his bread must be buttered. The so good
feeling that Dariye is walking the tight rope and may fall at anytime.
These are interesting times in Nigeria and in my style I never hesitate to
say that it is good to watch the drama if it does not affect one but sadly
we have no where to call home other than this contraction called Nigeria. I
was refreshing my mind on the American History vis a vis the building of
democracy in the nation fondly called God's own and I smiled, they did
worse, their experiences were far terrible than it is with us today. Please
do not get me wrong I have not said we should experience worse or that we
deserve the present debacle but the truth is that we have not done badly in
terms of our democracy. So we should feel good like sugar and spice.
Obasanjo has not faired well, statement of fact but give it to the man that
has succeeded in redefining democracy to 'Obasancracy'...the practice of
governance where only those in Abuja feel good, those in the slums don’t get
the feeling, the President’s friends feel good and his enemies don’t. In Aso
Rock they feel so good with the PTDF while the masses in Tudun Wada, Aba,
Nyanyan, Ajegunle feel sour.
The people be damned is the focal point of this kind of democracy where the
constitution is a paper brazenly abused. We have a crony government that
sings “when I hold you in my arms, I know that I can't do no wrong and when
I hold you in my arms. My love won't do you no harm”. If we only believe
that we are all foolish, Obasanjo and his PDP are the only wise; no harm
would come our way. If only Peter Obi had decamped to PDP no harm would have
come his way, as the President's arms would have been around him. If Atiku
had resigned, call off his ambition no harm would come his way, if he had
supported the third term with love, PTDF would have gone with the wind.
The PDP acclaimed leader of Nigeria could not call Fayose, his Deputy, an
ambitious Speaker to order and he tells the nation that the best thing is a
State of emergency, which only delays the necessary evil but if the
President feels good about his actions, our feelings as citizens counts for
little.
Nobody listened to Alams when he blew the lid that more will follow in his
footsteps, but today the reign of many of our crooked Excellencies are at
risk in their own self styled democracy. It is important before I go far
that I echo the stand of the Nigerian Bar Association...I do not have any
problem with the impeachment of an elected Official that has abused his/her
office but the methodology is where I defer. So to an extent like sugar and
spice, “So nice, so nice”, we are getting to corrupt government officials
somehow and maybe with time the present state of chaos in the nation may
kick-start a form of revolution. If impeachment galore, state of emergency
are the solution to the nation’s problems we better start feeling good
because the journey is still far.
The Alams miracle happened when he was impeached from outside the State, for
Ladoja we invented a new two-third, one that is on the verge of being
renewed in Plateau State If care is not taken. Fayose in hiding is saying
that he is still the Governor; his deputy held sway briefly, the Speaker
sworn in as acting Governor so technically there are three Governors, and
one retired military administrator in Ekiti
At the expiration of the emergency rule would Fayose still be Governor, will
EFCC have nailed him, hear he is Germany, or we will have by then just
wished the problems away.
Lets not forget that Alams and Ladoja are still contesting their removal. In
an interview from hiding Fayose claimed he has done nothing and that he was
Obasanjo's boy...He even left N5.5B in State treasury as if that is a feat
but now the once upon a Joshua treatment has been given to him and his
legislators. Quite a number of people will feel good at the turn of events.
Ladoja was Obasanjo's boy, Dariye was once referred to as the Obasanjo's
Joseph, who had a coat of many colors given him by Mr. President. Atiku at a
point could do no wrong; Kalu was Obasanjo's biological son in the rumour
mill and could do no wrong. When Audu Ogbeh supervised while Tony Anineih
was the chief rigger, the PDP could do no wrong but the sugar and spice is
sour now. So impeachment it is, even the President's own homeboy Gbenga
Daniel is not safe.
A lot of political analyst and commentators cannot seem to figure out the
sins of Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra, although Anambarians that I spoke with
were of the opinion that Mr. Obi has spent more time in crucifying his
predecessor Dr. Ngige than working for the people. But in this era of long
knives, someone feels good and woops you are impeached.
Someone said he was waiting to see how the divorce, sorry I meant
impeachment of Dr. Odili would take place. The drama in Ekiti has brought to
the fore that sometimes it takes more than intellectual and academic prowess
to navigate the political waters of Nigeria, so the fountain of knowledge in
Nigeria is at sixes and sevens. Our democratic studio has produced several
hit tracks from dividends of democracy to immunity, to anticipatory
approval, third term, loyalty, swearing by the Bible or Koran, attempted
kidnap, resource control, National Reform Conference, PTDF, and many more,
today impeachment is it and I did not forget State of emergency. We should
all feel good like toasted maize and coconut for the President’s afternoon
delight.
Like sugar and spice no doubt not many of these Governors accused can really
prove that they are innocent but then like it is with democracy, rule of
law, separation of powers, the constitution should not be made to bear the
brunt of our political weakness. Today the Judiciary is under serious threat
and I smile wryly when people talk of political expediency. Sugar taste
sweet, so when we elect representatives to serve us they serve themselves
because power is sweet, the money an addictive spice, so they feel nothing
but good when they lie to us. They feel good when they talk about reforms
that reform only their pocket.
The bitter truth and the summary of my stand on this matter is that there is
a feel good factor about EFCC, like sugar and spice, people are being
caught, how they are caught, another issue entirely. If leadership has
stolen or abused office let them be impeached. The populace will feel good,
tomorrow the same EFCC under another Ribadu may find Obasanjo guilty and who
knows like speculated Ribadu may not be clean, so what goes round will come
round and we will all feel like sugar and spice.
Nigerians could have felt really better than good if corruption can be
impeached, bad governance impeached, insensitive councilors, chairmen,
Senators, Governors, Ministers, President and Vice are impeached.
Like the classic song 'I feel good' Nigerians want more than impeachments,
the want more than a fight against anti-corruption (though what we have now
is a beginning), but we want to feel good about our system, our democracy,
our infrastructure, our education, our health, even our polity and politics
should feel close to sugar and spice. Nigeria can be great we all can be
made to feel good and proudly Nigerian. Almighty Allah we ask for your
mercies and grace.
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 2006