The Nation Newspaper

Category: Dayo Sobowale

  • Power, corruption and anxieties

    I start today  on the premise  or saying that power  corrupts and absolute power  corrupts absolutely. To  dilate on this matter I will  look at the life and times of three personalities  in the news recently  and the high expectations and anxieties hanging  on their actions and inactions given their offices and ambitions in their  environment. The first  is our  President Muhammadu  Buhari, his fight against  corruption  and the  public fury over the fact that most  of the appointments he has announced so far  have been lopsided in favor of  the Northern  part  of the nation.

    The  second  personality is  Donald  Trump, American  real estate  billionaire  and for now the   leading  candidate of the Republican  Party  for the 2016 presidential  elections in the US. The  third  is the EFCC  Chairman  Lamorde who is being tried for diversion  of seized money by Nigeria’s  Senate  whose leader  and his wife are good  customers  of the EFCC  on allegations of corruption.

    The  three gentlemen  are very  powerful  individuals and attention is being drawn to  their use  and misuse  of power  by their  actions or  inactions in the last  few days.  Let  me say  clearly  here that  in any democracy such as Nigeria, the largest  black  nation in the  world, and the US  the   leading global  champion  of democracy, the  quest  for equal  opportunities  and  protection  for  all  citizens, fairness  and justice should be the yard stick  to  measure  human progress  and development. It  is in the light  of these values  that I shall   look  at  the relationship of these  three leaders with  the use  of power  or the quest  for it in their  various  stations in life.

    Starting with  our President  I  think he  should  expect  the brouhaha that the announcement    of   appointments has generated  in the nation especially  the South West. This is because  it was in the Southwest  that the egg that hatched a famous presidential 2015  elections  victory  was  hatched  and there is  no need to mention any name. For  now the people  of the Southwest  are  stunned  and in  a quandary.  It  is not as if they  are the only  people in the South  of  Nigeria. But  the last  election results showed  clearly that the  South East  and South  South did  not vote for the new  president.  So expectations are not high there on appointments as in the  South  west  where there is  palpable  grief  and disappointment  on the domination of the North  on the appointments so far. Which  simply  means that the  President should do   a rethink  and redress the imbalance  in the next list  of presidential  appointments. That  is the only way  to prevent the South East  from celebrating what they  see as the emasculation  of the Southwest by the  North and that really will  be  their  way of making merry  with the embarrassment  of the South west which  is what the present  lopsidedness in announced appointments is all about.

    Undoubtedly  the President is experienced enough  as a former  Head of State  and  Commander In  Chief to know that  those  who have sour  grapes  over  his election  are  going to make mischief out of the appointments as they are and revive the fear of the Born To Rule  syndrome associated with  a once dominant North  in our recent political  history. Surely  that must be in the past now and the president’s  subsequent  appointments must reflect Nigeria’s  federal character.  A  redress in the geopolitical   in balance of the present  appointments is needed  urgently to reflect  equity  and justice and reward those  in the President’s  political  camp  who put their lives  on the line to secure  his election and  give  him the huge powers now at his disposal.

    With  regard to Donald  Trump his quest  for the presidency  of the US  was treated  with levity  and contempt before obviously because of  his controversial public  image and  outspokenness. Now most  Americans as  well as their political  leaders are laughing  with the other end of  their  mouths as Donald Trump is slowly  but  surely emerging as the popular choice  among Republican Party  members  and most ordinary Americans. Trump  is handling the campaigns masterfully  and is oratorically  sounder than the rest  of the Republican Party  candidates  and I am  not  too  sure that  he will  not   beat  the  famous Bush  name. Just  like  Barak  Obama emerged from the blues  a few years  back to beat Hilary Clinton and clinch the Democratic  Party  ticket before  going on to become the first   elected  black US president in history.

    Donald  Trump is  lucky he is  contesting  in the US where he is assured  that people  will respect  his immense wealth and know  that he  will  not use his good  offices when  elected  to loot the public  wealth and common wealth. Which  really  is a common  nagging problem in Nigeria when quite  rich people  go  on to  loot  the state treasury on getting  elected  to public  office. A situation that has made  really  honest and wealthy  Nigerians  to stay away  from politics  so  that their  clean money will  not be dirtied  by stolen public  money which some have made indistinguishable  from hard  earned money by their greed  and avarice.

    Lastly  the travails and trials  of  Nigeria’s Anti  Corruption Czar  Lamorde  is to be expected. The  saying is quite true here  that  those  who  live in glass  houses should  not throw stones. Lamorde  should  learn two  things  on the use and misuse  of power on this senate trial. The  first is that media  trial  of suspects and the destruction of reputation  of  suspects before  going to  court is not only unfair, it is unjust  and undemocratic. That  is what the allegation against him has done with his reputation and he has virtually  no sympathizers  as this has  been the modus operation of the EFCC  since its inception  and under his leadership. The  second is that  some crooks  are  bold and shameless  enough  to claim  what they stole  as their  own and are  ready  to  contest the amount in question. A former  governor of Kano State once said he left a  certain  amount in government house  far higher than what the police said  they  found  and that is the same thing happening to the EFCC  boss nowadays.

    Undoubtedly  I  do  not  see Lamorde  getting  away  with the allegations against him at a trial  in a senate which has many of its members on trial by the EFCC  in the media. In  a way  its payback  time for the EFCC  boss  and I do not envy him the grilling  and harsh  questioning awaiting him. I  pray  all  the same that   he  gets  justice in our senate. Otherwise  I  take  consolation in the statement that what is good for the goose  is  sauce  for the gander. Again, long live the Federal  Republic of Nigeria.

  • Transparency, corruption and governance

    Given  the charming disposition, body  language  and warm smiles on our President‘s face as he receives reports from Federal Permanent Secretaries delegations in  Abuja recently, there  is no doubt  that he is  more at ease with civil  servants in governance  than politicians. That  to  me is an obvious  fact and has nothing to do  with the fact that he has not chosen his cabinet yet. Given his background and the fact that he served as a military  head of state before you  can  say  that is to  be  expected.

    For  a man  with a proven reputation for integrity  you  can even  concede that given the financial  mess he found on the ground on being elected he would  rather know the true state  of affairs  from the Permanent  Secretaries who as the Chief Administrative Officers in the Ministries are  also the bona  fide Chief  Executive  Officers in our public  service. The  danger  however  is that this  same set  of  Permanent  Secretaries  served the last government  that looted our treasury  very  diligently  and  cannot  like  Pontius  Pilate  was  their hands clean  of the looting  and rape of our  economy which the last  administration did  so  maliciously  and  majestically. Even  with  great impunity  as if tomorrow  will never come and detection  of such abysmal  crimes will never arise.

    My  contention  here is that transparency  is an inherent part  of the fight against corruption  and the present bunch  of Permanent  Secretaries  are just  incapable  of  it. Their  reports  should ipso  facto  be taken with  a pinch of salt by the president as they  cannot claim ignorance  of the various breaches of due processes that resulted  in the abysmal looting of our treasury. This has so much astounded  and  astonished  the president that he had  to cry out on the magnitude of the embezzlement  for all Nigerians to know and to assure them that he will not do much else until the culprits  have  been apprehended  and brought  to book. A    decision  which  has the approbation of all  Nigerians except the  looters,  their cronies, stooges and  beneficiaries  of their  atrocities.

    Ironically   and  unbelievably,  a  public  servant  like these permanent  secretaries blazed  a trail on transparency in public service  in  Nigeria this last week  and that person is a Nigerian. That person is  Amina  Zakari  the Acting Chairman  of  INEC, a lady  after my heart,  with  no romance intended,  but who by her revelations on the last 2015 elections  was a lesson  in vintage transparency   of   the type our president should look  out for  and reward  in his  lofty   and famous  tussle with corruption  in  our polity.  Zakari,  under attack  by the opposition PDP  not  to be confirmed as INEC boss  for  being purportedly  a relation of the president  went about her duty with great   aplomb  and candor.  She    announced that as at  now even after  the last 2015   elections, 10 m  voters  cards  have  not been collected by  registered  voters.  Which confirms  that INEC  disenfranchised 10 m  Nigerians  for  no just  cause   even  after  the postponement   and the Jega  affirmed  state  of readiness. This  fact  was  never revealed  by her former  boss  and  her  known    penchant for   truth  and frankness   must  have dissuaded her former  boss from recommending her as his    successor, as  he   chose someone else  before the  president  announced Zakari’s  name and Jega’s  choice  had  to go into limbo.

    Now  Zakari  has defined her  relationship with the president and debunked the in law issue. She  even  announced that some  44, 000 voters cards were  not delivered  at  all.  That  to  me is transparency  in the face of all odds and  regardless  of whose ox  is gored  including herself as INEC  boss. It  is such  a person that  all Nigerians should wish  to conduct  elections knowing that she  will say  the truth on the state of readiness  to conduct a free and fair elections and  receive wide  credibility in saying so.  That  really  is the catalyst   for  a real  democracy  as elections  are the engine  room of  any  viable and vibrant  democracy.

    Transparency  was on display  too at our legislature  this last week  but  it was  of a very disturbing type. The news  was that  our  Senators  and Representatives have shared N12.9bn in two months whereas  they  have not passed any bill  since they  opened  shop on June 9  and shocked  the nation  and the majority  party in the nation and legislature with a bizarre leadership election which the Police has now confirmed was   enacted  with  bent house rules. According to media reports the  109  Senators  got  N 36.4 m  each  and  the 360  members  of the House  of  Representatives  got N25m  each. While  one can commend  the legislators  for being transparent  in making their allowances  and emoluments  public one  cannot  but recoil in disgust  and annoyance  at  the huge amount  the legislators  are  paying  themselves. It  is even  more odious to recall  that they have rejected  a plea  by a Committee they set up in house  to review these same emoluments down wards. This  is a legislature that over the years have acquired  the dubious reputation of holding the executive by the jugular  over its  constitutional  duty of approving the budget. The  Nigerian legislature is noted  for asking the executive to jack up its budget to accommodate the  allowances of legislators and add it to the budget before approving. Whereas the duty of a worthwhile and really honorable  house is to cut national and budget costs  to  have a productive  and salutary  deficit. I  am  sure that when the budget is presented the legislators  will still  repeat the same chicanery  in spite  of what they have done just two  months  into their  tenure.

    It  is  necessary  to let  the legislators  know  that they are the elected representatives  of  the  Nigerian  nation and  people  to whom  they  are  accountable  every time and day  and not just at election time. Nigerians  are  hurting and are pained  by  the huge  and unrealistic amounts  our legislators are paying  themselves as if they live on the moon  and are not fellow Nigerians like those unfortunate enough to have elected them but whose   trust  they have now  betrayed by the amounts  they are paying themselves  for elective offices.

    They  should  know that they  do  not live in a vacuum and that their  present disposition is bound  to have serious repercussion given the present socio economic living conditions  of those  who elected them which are  quite harrowing as most live on subsistence  level. Meaning most  Nigerians live from  hand  to  mouth  and cannot comprehend why those they have just elected  can be earning over N20m  in  just   two  months after being elected to make laws which they  have  not found time to make. Certainly  the legislators  need to know that with such  emoluments in the midst  of so much  suffering they are virtually  getting away with  murder. For  how long they can do that is a matter  of conjecture and I  will  illustrate   from a childhood cartoon, with what  a Red  Indian Chief  told an American Officer in charge of the Indian Reservation Camp where the Officer  was  stealing the meat meant for the Indians and  giving them rotten meat instead. The Indian Chief  told the officer named Lang. ‘Believe  me Lang, my patience  grows thin. This rotten  carrion I  will  not  give to a dog. If  my people should  rise against  you in their  anger, it  were better that you and your kind had  never  been born. ‘A word  I think  is enough  for the  wise on this high legislators allowances and emoluments.   Again, long  live the Federal  Republic  of Nigeria.

  • Corruption, stability and accountability

    As  the anti  Corruption train  of Nigeria’s  President  Muhammadu   Buhari  gathers  steam, there  is no doubt that it is going to be an uphill  task and that those  who  know  they  are   neck  deep in the  murky and dubious game of using public  money  to feather  their  own  nests  and   coffers  are  bound  to  desperately   look  for a way  to escape their looming nemesis. Given  the   announced volume  and billions  of dollars  and  naira  stacked  away,  the Federal   government  must expect to traverse  a very rough road  in tracking these  fraudsters and  should   be on the look out for distractions and  diversionary tactics from  high  and low places in its quest to clean  our  Augean  stable  in  the life of this   Buhari  Administration.

    Today  we  shall  envisage such diversionary tactics  and the danger they  pose  to our political  stability as a nation and stress  the need  to surmount such  ploys  in order  to make accountability and transparency the bench mark  public  finance  and  socio –economic  and  political  system  in   our nation. The  first  of such   salvo  has been fired from  the religious sector by the  Catholic  Bishop of Sokoto Rev  Kukah  who  reportedly said that the  Buhari Administration should  concentrate on  governance  rather than probing past governments. That  is an unexpected  statement and in  bad taste coming from a Catholic priest  and  Bishop. I  wonder  what someone  like Anthony  Okogie  the  retired   Catholic  Archbishop of  Lagos and  a fiery  anti corruption crusader even during  our  military  regimes who  constantly  spoke  out against corruption, stealing of public funds  and military dictatorship,  would say  to  that.  Obviously  Bishop  Kukah  misjudged the public  mood  and should retract  his extravagant  and annoying  warning at this particular  time. He  probably  needs  to refresh his knowledge of  Liberation  theology especially in  Latin  America  where priests  like  him led the fight to bridge  the gap between  the rich  and poor which  our anti  corruption charge is all  about. In  addition  he should read  about the present Pope  Francis and his love for the poor and needy  which  Kukah’s  call on  governance  seem  to ignore. Surely  governance  does  not entail  a blind eye  to dishonesty  and theft and  a priest  should  know that. I think  Kukah should read  what the Emir  of Kano Mallam  Muhammadu  Sanusi II  said that government should plug all avenues  to leak  our  revenues  and he knew  what  he was saying because he  was  the Governor  of  the CBN.  In  addition  to that he is the religious  leader of Muslims  in  Kano  and was brave enough to speak  out against  Boko  Haram who bombed his mosque in the palace in  Kano   consequently. However  that  has not deterred him  in any way because he knows  a true leader must  stand up and be counted against anti  social and corrupt  practices if he is to lead correctly as he should  by  example and not  foot dragging and dithering in guiding  the polity  aright which Kuka’s warning entailed.

    Undoubtedly  the present  administration has  three main issues it must tackle if only  for the fact that the issues will  not  go away unless they are tackled head on  and defeated. The  first  is the anti  corruption battle  which  has already  started. The second  is the annihilation  of  Boko  Haram on which the President  gave the Chief of Defence and  Service Chiefs three months to achieve  when  he decorated them  with the Vice  President in Abuja this week. The  third  is  the relationship  with the legislature which is bound to get tough and testy  especially with the Senate  over  the forged rules the Police  have confirmed in the last  leadership elections in the  Senate. Let  me now comment    serially  on these  three  issues  of  great  public concern and  interest.

    The  fact  is that Nigerians  voted  for the present president  because  they were fed  up with the  corruption that was the hallmark  of the defeated Jonathan Administration. President Buhari  has a zero level  tolerance  for corruption and is a man of integrity as attested even by the American  President Barak  Obama who said  as much during Buhari’s  last  visit  to  the US. It  is gratifying to know that in spite  of taunts on the speed  of his administration  he has kept  to his goal  and road  map  on fighting  and  routing corruption in Nigeria. That  is clearly  visible  from  the actions and  utterances  of the new  helmsman at NNPC. It is also  palpable   from the president’s  personal  observation  that when he was Oil  Minister he used  to  get the  Executive  Council  approval  for his estacode  on official foreign trips  before  leaving  on such  journeys. So  you  can imagine how he felt when the US told him and his entourage  that a Nigerian Minister in the last  regime had over $6bn in his or  her   private account as reported  in the media  during  the US trip. Surely  the war  against  corruption  is  a war  that must  be won  by this  administration.

    Similarly  the insurgency  of  Boko  Haram must  be crushed  by  November  as the President  demanded and  I think the military  is in a right frame  of mind to deliver this time  around. It  is nice to know  that the military tribunals of our soldiers  for  cowardice  has been halted on the orders  of the president. How  can  soldiers  lacking equipment be tried   for cowardice when  at  long  last their  boss on  his  retirement admitted  he led an  army  that lacked  funds  and equipment? I expect  the new  Service  Chiefs  to shore up the spirit de corps  amongst  the commanders and officer cadre fighting  the insurgency  and the officers  in turn  should  make the welfare of their troops a priority  as advised  by the Commander-in-Chief, so  that  Boko  Haram can  be  sent  packing before  the end of the year as the president  has directed.

    Thirdly the President should  be careful  in enlisting the help  of the legislature  in fighting  corruption. This  is because  of the saying  that those  who  live  in glass  houses  should  not throw stones. The  Senate  especially  must  purge itself of the corruption of forgery of election rules which the Police is fighting rightly  to a logical  conclusion – which should  be the prosecution for criminality of those involved in the forgery. Which  means  that the legitimacy  of the present senate leadership  is  suspect. In  fighting corruption those  come  to equity  must come  with  clean  hands and the Senate  and its leadership  cannot  be an exception. In  our  practice  of separation  of powers under  the presidential system the legislature  can use its powers to delay approval  of appointments, budget and expenditure but even that prospect should  not be allowed to get in the way  of getting rid or minimizing corruption in our political  system as the present administration is  bent  on doing.

    Undoubtedly the war on corruption will  tax the mettle  of our present leaders but they  should be resolute  and focused  because they are  doing the right thing and it is never too late to get stolen money back. The  government  must  however be vigilant and be on the lookout for those who  want to derail the anti corruption brigade such that it does not reach its goal of sanitizing our system of governance  and free our economy from the killing and debilitating cancer of corruption. The  targets of the anti corruption war  have  huge means to pervert the law and even make an ass of it as we shall  soon see. What is important is that the government should never waver  in its resolve and the sky is the limit in  achieving success and bringing those  who loot  public  funds to  book  once and for all as a deterrence   to potential  and real crooks  in our corridors  of power.

  • The politics of war, peace and terrorism

    It  was shocking  to read in the news media   this week that  Nigeria’s top  military  chief  said at the pull  out ceremony of his retirement  that he led an army during his tenure  that  lacked funding and  equipment. If  you  remember that our President Muhammadu  Buhari, [and  not Ribadu as the printers devil  made out last week ]was  reported to have said on his  last trip to the US that the  US in not  selling arms to  Nigeria to fight terrorism  was inadvertently aiding and   abetting terrorism,  then  you wonder  about  the saying that there  can  be no smoke  without fire. Surely  the  two  statements compliment  each  other even though they  were said  at  different places.  More  ominously    though they  are as disturbing as they are credible  given the  political  stature and office  of the two  speakers.

    To  stop  any  doubts  on the authenticity  of the two  observations the former National  Security  Adviser  was  reported  to have  said  that Western  powers  sabotaged  the efforts  of the Jonathan Administration  to buy arms  to  fight  Boko  Haram and  terrorism. Surely  the jigsaw puzzle  is  unraveling on why  Boko  Haram has  become an unsolvable military  and  security conundrum  for the  Nigerian  nation, people  and their leaders.  A  clear case  of treachery  in high places  and  amongst  so called nations  that Nigeria  has come to rely on is  slowly  but  surely  emerging. That  is the problem  we shall  deal with today as we identify  the contents  of this betrayal  of our people  and nation.  We  shall   discuss  the  global politics  of war, peace, insurgency and terrorism that has claimed so many innocent Nigerian  lives  and does not seem  to be abating in spite  of assurances to  contain it by our leaders, both military  and elected.

    We  have  to confront  the problem war  and peace by thinking of what to do to those we call friends  but   who block  our capacity to defend ourselves when terrorists kill our people and such people show concern and sympathy  but refuse to sell arms to us to redress the situation and stop the killing of fellow  Nigerians. What  could be the motive  for such reluctance or outright denial and what is the grouse  of the so  called  Western powers against  Nigeria? That is a question  begging  for an answer. Could  it be that the Western powers  have started  to exact  their  pound of flesh from  Nigeria over the gay rights  issue and was  that why they  did not sell arms  to the Jonathan Administration?  If the  answer is positive then the action or decision is wicked  and  hostile  and the present Nigerian  government  must make inquiries and  seek  the appropriate  redress at  least  diplomatically as  soon  as  possible.

    This  becomes  imperative given the pledges  of western  nations  to  support Nigeria  against the terror  of  Boko  Haram. Really   of  what use  is such a pledge if the same nations or people refuse to sell  arms to us to fight what  they claim is a threat to their civilization – just as it is to our collective security  in the global  village that the world has become?  Surely  something is amiss on this development and  Nigeria  must demand  and deserves  an urgent explanation from  those  friends,  who  as things stand,    seem  tohave been shedding crocodile  tears on our bloody ordeal and  predicament in the hands of the perfidious   terrorism  of  Boko  Haram.

    Nothing illustrates  our befuddlement and consternation on this matter  more than the argument  of the US President Barak  Obama to woo the American  public on the newly signed Nuclear Deal with Iran. In  a one  off speech  delivered at the American University in the US  the US president  was appealing to the American people to talk to their lawmakers in the US Congress not to jettison the Deal because to do so will lead to war  and dent the credibility  of the US in the Comity  of nations. He  assured his audience  that Iran will never have nuclear bomb on his watch as he promised. He  acknowledged the fears of Israel’s PM Benjamin  Netanyahu  on the deal and his campaign  against  it but noted  strongly  that the Israeli PM was wrong on all counts and  that again  brings in another Gordian Knot  to unravel. Is  an American  President  more capable than an Israeli PM to determine the Security  of the state  of Israel? Must  Israel  abide by such  reasoning and conclusion because it depends on US largesse  for its security  and peace in a hostile environment?  Again  answers  need  to be found to these burning questions.

    Indeed the US President rested his case on the issue of credibility  and rightly so except  that in this instance credibility has become  a two  way street and not a presidential close. As  a law professor the US president  should  know that he who comes  to equity must come with clean hands and   that  trust  is an essential ingredient of human cooperation  and progress and the Iran Nuclear  Deal is no exception. At one extreme the Iranians don’t trust either the US or  Israel  but would go ahead  with the deal anyway to make sanctions stop  and ease the economic hardship in the Iranian nation, to reduce pressure on the Ayatollahs ruling the theocracy. On the other hand Israel under its present PM mistrusts  this sitting US president and would risk even its security  to say  it loud and clear as its PM  has  been doing in the life of the Obama presidency. The fact that the two are slugging it out to buy the acceptability or otherwise   of  the deal in the media showed the failure  of diplomacy and bilateral relations between two  traditional and ancestral friends  and neighbors. Either  side has said the alternative  to its stand on the deal is war and  that its view  assures global peace. But  then the nagging question is whose definition of war is correct and whose categorization of peace is wrong?

    Obama quoted   Reagan to the effect that the peace is not the absence of  conflict    but the capability to   control  conflict. However  the issue  seemed  to have drawn attention to the issue of trust   outside  diplomacy and that is the  disturbing fact that the Israeli  leader has  confused distrust of Obama as a person with that of a diplomatic mistrust  and that is a   fallacy. He  may  not like Obama  as a  person  but he cannot make that personal as Obama is the US  and  is not representing himself but the  great US which  has guaranteed  the security  of Israel  since 1948 when the state  of Israel  was established;   and  the  US is in a position to do so under Obama  as  he has promised, an act  which  should have credibility  with any  Israeli  PM who  should normally  be trusting of any US President,  except this Benjamin  Netanyahu.

    In  this particular  instance  the issue  may not be simply that of separation  of morals amongst individuals from that of morals  or  values  amongst  nations. In  personal relations great store is placed  on loyalty and consistency. In  international relations  however  there  are  no permanent  enemies  but  permanent  interests.  On  both scores US – Israeli  relations seem  to have nose dived steadily  on this Iran Nuclear  Deal and  both nations should  take a good look at the strategies being used to sell or jettison the Iranian Nuclear  Deal both in the US and globally  because credibility  is taking a hiding on the international stage as both sellers and buyers  of the deal are exhausting their  goodwill and trust  capital without showing a clear path to  peace. And  at the end of it all  that is really  the light at the end  of the tunnel.  Similarly  such  a debate  is necessary  in Nigeria too.  In  our  own case   it will  be to  find out why those we call friends have not been willing to sell arms to us to fight those killing our people with impunity.  Again  long live the Federal  Republic of Nigeria.

  • Security, diplomacy and emerging perspectives

    Nigeria’s  President Muhammadu  Ribadu, under pressure  to choose his cabinet in time,  was reported  to have retorted  that there was scarcity  of good honest  human  capacity.  According to reports he said so many knowledgeable  Nigerians have been compromised  by those who want  to use them to subvert our security  and loot  our  economy.  So  it is not as if the Nigerian president is wasting time or buying it.  He  is busy  working to live up to his mandate and his billing, especially on security and the anti  corruption crusade. But he  knows as well that what is what  doing at all is worth  doing well and  I  cannot  agree more.

     That really  is the name of the game today as  we  look  at  how what seemed to have hamstrung the Nigerian president  in living quickly up to the expectations  of those who elected him recently seem  akin   to  the same thing that has changed  the course of world diplomacy  in recent times. This  is because  on  the global   diplomatic  scene  solutions are not forthcoming fast enough and   where they  have surfaced they have been baffling and complicated, throwing up confusion in terms of expected appreciation  or  understanding. The result is an emerging trend  of world perspectives,  relations and alliances pitching strange bedfellows  together  in  bizarre     and   assorted relationships  both  in  the  volatile  hot spots as  well  as the   peaceful   regions of the world.

    Starting with  Turkey   in  the  EU,  NATO  had  to hold a special  meeting last week  to consider how to  defend  Turkey  against  the increased  onslaught  of  ISIS which  has killed several people in that  nation recently.  Yet  Turkey  has been  struggling for over 50 years to become a full  member of the EU  in  which  some powerful  member nations  are  suspicious  of  Turkey’s  Islamic credentials  and  background.  But now NATO  is  to  defend an Islamist  nation  against ISIS in the name  of humanity and for  its  own security.

    Similarly,  US  Secretary  of  State  John  Kerry  was busy  this week  explaining  to US  legislators why they  should not  throw out the Nuclear  Deal  the Obama  government  had struck with  Iran. This is in spite of the fact that even the  US  president  has sworn to veto  any turn down  of the deal  by Congress and  the  Ayatollah  Khameini, the real power in Iran  has questioned US good intentions on the deal.  So  on whose side  is the  US Secretary  of State? Definitely  the US legislators are  not going to take him  seriously as  most  of them  have sympathy  for Israel  and  its security and Israel  has said through   its vocal  Premier Benjamin  Netanyahu  that the Obama government  has been fooled on the deal because an  Iran spokesman still  recently said that Iran  will  never recognize  Israel.  So  the new  perspective is a US government pleading for understanding of a nuclear  deal with,  of  all  nations-  Iran,  whose Ayatollah  Ruhollah  Khomeini called  America   the ‘Great  Satan‘ during the  Iran  Hostage  Crisis  during the Jimmy  Carter  Presidency.

    More  bizarrely Iran  and  Saudi  Arabia  are  jointly  fighting ISIS  on  all fronts except  Iraq  where  sectarian violence between  Sunni  and  Shiite  Muslims  have made Iraq ungovernable  and a doomed  failed  state  in spite  of US airstrikes  to shore up  the country and preserve  the  territorial rumps  of its sovereignty.  Yet   it has  not  occurred  to  the ruling House  of Saud  which is the monarchy  in  Saudi  Arabia or  the Islamic  Autocracy in Iran  that  they  could bury the hatchet on their sectarian  differences  to fight a common ruinous foe that ISIS  has  become to them in their nations  and regions of influence.  Instead  the Iranian Nuclear  Deal  made  the Saudi  Monarchy  suspicious  of US intentions although they knew that the volume of trade  with  the  US  assured  that he who  paid the piper  should  dictate  the tune.  Even  then  however given  the enormity  of the challenge of ISIS  the  two  champions  of  Shiite and Sunni  Islam  should  have shown each  other some armistice  or respite  to get ISIS  out  of the way  as quickly as possible in the  interest  of their  religion and the  welfare  and security  of   the millions of adherents following their dictates and direction.

    In  the same vein  the  visit  of the US  President  Barak  Obama  to  Ethiopia a Marxist  nation almost  laid waste  recently   by IMF  conditionalities  which    it  rejected  when  it needed  economic  assistance is  instructive.  This time the US is asking for Ethiopian  military  cooperation  in fighting Al  Shabaab in the region  on the  Horn  of  Africa.  When  Ethiopia asked for  World  Bank  loans in the past  the American  funding officials  and bankers asked for such repayment arrangements   and  terms that would have crippled the Ethiopian  nation  and ruined  its social  fabric  and cohesion.  The  present  Ethiopian government rejected  such  anti  social  and anti  people  conditions  and did things their own way and Ethiopia survived  to  date   to be the new bride of the US  in the war against Islamic  terrorism  now threatening   the global  dominance and  security  of the US.

    Actually  the visit  of the new  Nigerian president to  Cameroun  should  be seen in terms of new  perspectives  and diplomatic  vistas. After  the  past,  bad  vibes  of Bakassi  and the trauma  of the World  Court verdict favoring our neighbour   our  president has done well  to let bygones be bygones  and allow  the two  nations to chart a new course  of  détente. Of  course the Boko  Haram  menace  was a stimulant  for the new  cordiality  and its security  input  are certainly undisputable.  But  then Francophone nations in  Africa especially   West  Africa  have always begrudged  Nigeria’s  size  and  leadership not through their own volition  or disposition  but because  they have been culturally  tied  to the apron string of  France  their  colonial  master  that  never  wanted them  to be truly independent  individuals capable  of being on their  own.

    President  Paul  Biya is over  80  and is much  older than our president but  the issue of security cooperation  transcends age as it  has to do with the present dangers  and the protection of populations  and posterity. Boko  Haram  has penetrated both  Cameroun and Nigeria with impunity  in recent times and especially during the life of the last  administration. We  even read  stories  of Nigerian soldiers  shedding their uniform  and surrendering across the border to be returned later in humiliating fashion. The  appointment  of new service chiefs especially for the Army  and the appointment  of a new Army  Chief  should show unserious military personnel  that it  cannot  be business as  usual  in the fight against  Boko  Haram.

    The  fact  that the  new  Army  Chief  was photographed as he set  his walking stick aside to do  press  ups  in front of troops in the war zone of the North  East  showed  that the  era  of pot bellied leadership of the Army is over and that indeed the days  of  Boko  Haram  are numbered under the new military leadership.  That  surely  is another  welcome perspective that  should  delight Nigerians in terms  of the expected turn  around of our security and economic  fortunes under  the present dispensation. Again, long live the Federal  Republic of  Nigeria.

  • Economic priorities, leadership and culture

    Before  leaving the US for Kenya,  his ancestral  home   this  week, US President  Barak  Obama  was  reported as telling some journalists  that he  would not relent on telling them in Kenya some home truths  he called ‘blunt talk‘on gay rights.  According   to him he  would  not  be intimidated in telling off anyone who  discriminates  on the basis of religion, race, sexual  orientation and  gender. Before  that however the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta   elsewhere had  bluntly told Kenyans that the issue  of gay rights  was  not on the agenda of the US president’s  visit to  that  nation. Of  course  it is easy  to see why either president spoke with  finality on the visit.  This  is because  economic  priorities tied  to security  concerns far overwhelm  the mutual  suspicion  on gay rights during and after the visit.

    By  now   I  am  sure  the US  president must  have seen  the real  strength of the disdain for gay rights in nations he had selected  to visit  in Africa and those he had avoided on this particular visit.  The  Nigerian President Muhammadu  Buhari was shown in a CNN interview  with  Christiane  Amanpour joking  that he would like to see the American president visiting Nigeria  some time later and he would be sending a formal invitation to  that effect.  That however  did  not prevent our president from telling them in the US  that gay  rights and  homo  sexuality are alien to our values  and  culture  as a nation. Yet  Nigeria  is expecting  a lot from the  US in  terms  of economic  aid, military  hard ware, intelligence  and training to  fight  and eliminate  Boko  Haram which  is ravaging our North  East with  its brand of religion. One   which does  not respect human rights or the dictates  and  direction  of the established and well known  Islamic sects  and organization that have promoted their religion as one of peace  right  from its establishment. In  case  of any US  attempt to  misuse or misjudge  its  economic  assistance or aid we heard that the  Nigerian president told  an  audience  in the US in his last visit  that the US would  be aiding and  abetting  Boko  Haram,  if it withholds selling arms  to  Nigeria to  fight the murderous sect which is an  ally  of  Islamic  State  an enemy that the US  under President Barak  Obama  has sworn  to  destroy.

    Let  me now dwell  somewhat  on the perspective of Kenyans on the presidency of the US  leader as he visited their nation as well  of the of  Africans generally on the Obama presidency and its import  for Africans and their economic  progress  dur ing his tenure.  We  shall  also take    look at the oil theft  charge leveled  against  Ministers in the last Jonathan  administration by  our President as  well as the news  that the Buhari  Administration has not disbursed funds for the education  of militants  abroad  as agreed by the Yar Adua   under  the Amnesty  Agenda  and  pursued by the Jonathan Administration. In  the context  of today’s  topic  it is necessary to  highlight what  one sees as propelling the  Nigerian President and  his American   counterpart  in the various strategies  they have adopted in leading their two nations at this point in time in their  history.

    Starting with Kenya  it is a fact that Kenyans are proud  to host a son of a Kenyan who  has become the President of the most  powerful  nation on earth. That  is the stuff  of legend and  patriotism and  no one can take that away  from  Kenyans and their  nation. That  is heady passionate stuff  that  can  be satisfying  and exhilarating like good  African liquor. But  Kenya   also needs the US  under their  son  to help  in fighting the lethal,   militant  Somali  group Al  Shabaab  that has made Somalia a failed  state and  is trying to make the nations  bordering  Kenya  around the Horn of  Africa ungovernable.  The  Ethiopians  are helping in this regard  as Ethiopia is an ancient war faring nation while  Kenya’s only  military experience  was that of Mau Mau fighting the Colonialists to secure Kenya’s freedom under the leadership of  Jomo  Kenyatta, the  father  of Kenya’s present  president,  aptly  named  Uhuru    which  means freedom, by  his father, Kenya’s  first  president.

     President  Obama is visiting Ethiopia tomorrow  and would be the first  US  president to address the African  Union in that  nation.  He  would do that at the beautiful 20m dollars Head quarters  of the AU  donated by the  Chinese  who  are doing a lot to outpace the Americans in providing  economic  aid  to African  nations. Without asking  too many questions  and  creating  debilitating  conditionalities on  repayment terms and schedules like US  driven financial  and banking  institutions like  the World  Bank and  IMF which has milked Africa dry from such  inhuman financial  strategies.

    Kenya  of course is expecting a lot of aid in millions of dollars  from  the US to  fight Al  Shabaab  which is trying to carry  the  terror war  to the streets  of  Nairobi.  The  fact  that the US  has  deployed drones  to bomb and kill Al  Shabaab   leaders in the area showed that military  collaboration and cooperation  on security is a priority for both Kenya and the US at this point in time in spite of the blunt talk on both sides on irritable  even  though  unshakeable   culture  matters.

    It  is in this light that one should see the  reluctance  of the Buhari Adminstration  to continue  with the Amnesty Policy  of training militants from  the Niger  Delta  oil  Creeks. It  was a dubious policy at best to make state  funds available to train people blowing up the nations oil wealth. It  was a policy based on blackmail and sustained by choice  and convenience by the Jonathan Administration. It was a security problem deliberately transposed to an economic priority in a political culture that we had,   and still  have, which  does not  subscribe to the fraudulent dictum  that you  can  always  use a thief  to catch  a thief.  Anyway that policy  was bound to meet its Nemesis  the moment a person like  Muhammadu  Buhari  became the President of  Nigeria and that is what we are witnessing     right  now.

    The  word  blunt  has been bandied about a lot in this write up.  Yet no where is it more apt than when the Nigerian  President reportedly said that  ministers in the government of his predecessor were  oil  thieves  milking  about  one million barrels of oil a day. He  went on to promise to prosecute such ministers after blocking their  foreign  accounts in the US which was part of the economic aid expected  of the Americans. Which  must  have sent many potential oil  prisoners looking for  escape routes ever since  the presidential  disclosure from a president who  was a former  oil minister and certainly  knows what he is looking for and what  he has seen in the toxic oil waters  of economic  mismanagement in  Nigeria.

    Definitely  it can  not  be business as usual with the sort  of information in the files the Nigerian  president said  have  been put  on his table. He  does  not  need to plead for patience  as those asking for speed at the expense  of sight  must  have their  agenda . Anyway who told them a presidency  is a sprint event as in Athletics. It  is not.  As in politics, tenure is assured and  that is the ultimate  political consideration  to judge  and   time  an elected  president’s  legitimacy   and  performance  in any democracy and this cannot be  an exception as  time even  is on his side.

    Effectively  then the economic priorities  of the Buhari  Administration are emerging. The first is to use economic  intelligence  to identify the looters and their loot then go after them to cough out the ill gotten money which can be made available  for public use. The  second is to make sure  Nigerians are not destabilized  by the sudden removal  of oil subsidy which  can  make oil  unaffordable even  if available  and create predictable  social  violence that disrupt  social  cohesion  and   investment   in  the economy. The  third  is to create  an  environment that  makes corruption  unattractive and shameful as  discredited treasury  looters  are disgraced,  imprisoned   and  made to return their  loot.

     No  family  wants it name to be tarnished and the  average  Nigerian  family shies away from being labeled  with  the opprobrium  of theft.  In  all these  I   am  certain that justice will be served as this  was what this president assured Amanpour  on  CNN.  Definitely  the pursuit  of justice  in catching the oil thieves is one that the Vice  President, a professor of law,  Professor  Yemi  Osinbajo   is more  than capable in handling and  making sure  that justice, swift  and deterrent,  is served   to  the delight  and relief  of all  Nigerians. Again  long live the   Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Buhari, Obama and the battle of ideas

    When  Nigeria’s  President Muhammadu  Buhari visits  US  President Barak  Obama next  week it will be a meeting of two titans or leaders  at  the crest of their popularity and  leadership  charisma. They  meet with their heads held high as proud  representatives of their nations  very  much in cordial relations in terms of diplomacy , economic cooperation, political  and   military  collaboration.  Indeed in  mind as  in  spirit  the two  leaders  are in harmony as are their two nations. It  is in the area  of ideas  however that they  must wrestle to fashion out a solution that will  not throw their bilateral relationship  into  disharmony or be an harbinger of discord or friction.

    The  two leaders meet at a time when terrorism or precisely Islamist militancy  is threatening world peace and harmony and in particular is attacking  global  democracy and the free market  economy which are the ideologies the US and its allies in Western Europe or the EU have been marketing around the world as the best  form of government in our time.

    The  two  leaders come with  impeccable  democratic credentials to their  meeting although their age and the experience in the practice of democracy  is inversely proportional. Obama is a young man compared to our president but the US is a far older democracy  than Nigeria. Buhari’s  tall  and stately figure is equally matched  by the  imposing  basket baller height  of the US  president. Both have arresting and dignified presence. Yet our president brings into this meeting the full  weight of  Nigeria’s  travails and challenges with democracy which  he expects the US president  to appreciate and understand and help without any loss  of face on the part of the Nigerian  people  and nation. That really  is the Gordian knot of this visit  as Nigeria goes  to  Washington to get help  not only to fight Boko  Haram  but to kick start  our  economy and our  presidential system  after an unexpected legislative hiatus so  soon after a smooth election that the US was amongst the first  nations to congratulate us on its  success.

    Let  me state clearly from the onset here that Nigeria and the US  face a long  and challenging  battle of ideas in their relations and this meeting is just  the tip of the icebag. Both  nations have a shared background in terms of their big size and  diversity and cultural  plurality. Nigeria’s  motto is Unity in  Diversity while that of the US is In God  we trust.  Nigerians  in  particular worship  God in mosques  and churches so  much that religion is such a booming  business nowadays  such  that pastors are  the  most   eligible bachelors amongst our youths, outpacing youthful bankers, oilmen and  IT magicians who  used to be favorites of our fairer sex before. That  however has not prevented the emergence of  Boko  Haram the terrorist  group  that has been  killing Nigerians with impunity  for some years now and whose blood  letting must be the priority  on the agenda of the meeting of the two presidents next week.

    In  the last  one month  Boko  Haram  has killed about  5OO innocent  Nigerians and this no doubt  has prompted  the replacement of Nigeria’s  security and military  chiefs  by the Nigerian  president. A move that has made Nigerians to heave a very heavy sigh  of relief  of  hope that Boko  Haram will at last be contained and destroyed  by the Buhari  Administration.

    More  importantly  and  unbelievable as it might sound Nigeria faces difficult  problems on the issue  of  democracy  as a concept and its understanding and practice  which  the Americans have  to be apprised of  before  it is too late. I presume it was some knowledge and anxiety in this direction that prompted the unpopular US prediction that Nigeria will  collapse in  2015. Now  Nigeria has seen  2015  and  has had a successful  election that has brought in a president of hope contrary  to this US doomsday prediction. That president  is needed  by the US to lead the ECOWAS region  in the fight against  ISIS  which  is the sole and  worst enemy  of the US in  the war on terrorism which  the US   has  finally, if belatedly,  admitted is a battle  of ideas stretching far beyond the global theatres  of war in the Middle  East  and the rest of the world.  Boko  Haram  is the proxy  of ISIS in the  Sahel covering Niger Republic, Cameroon and  Chad   and  Nigeria’s North  East  and has continued  killing Nigerians even  during Ramadan , the holy month  of  Islam.  Yet it claims it is,  together with ISIS, trying to establish  borderless caliphates in which  it hopes to practice its bloody  brand of religion that says No  to western  education.

    In  addition the two  presidents have to make each  other know the way democracy is understood and practiced in their two nations.  Former US President  Abraham  Lincoln defined democracy as government of the people by the people  and for the  people.  On  the other  hand  Tony  Blair the  former  British  Prime  Minister in his Memoirs called  simply ‘A Journey ‘ – in explaining  the creation  of New Labor  which kept him in  power  for  a decade as the  British  PM, identified  a situation whereby government was not for the people but above  them and  used  the correction of  that  anomaly  to change the Labor  Party and  defeat the Conservative  Party  led  by John  Major  at that time. Nigeria I  am afraid  is in that dismal  situation right now  whereby the  government has been  above the people and   not for them in anyway even though it got elected into office by them  in the 2011  elections.

    That  really was the  origin  of the  momentum of change and expectation  that saw President Buhari elected into office on the platform of his party the APC and  his assumption of office on May  29 2015. However  the  legislative elections of June 9  2015 which brought into legislative power a new leadership of the  legislature unknown or approved by the party in majority in the legislature has brought back  the hand of the clock in the progress made by Nigerians in electing the APC into power and Buhari as president. The  June 9 legislative leadership elections  in  Nigeria  has created what Tony Blair and  New  Labor  uprooted in winning the mind  of the British electorate which is government above the people  as  opposed  to the much needed government for the people and for the people which is what  democracy is all about.

    It  behoves  the US  president then to  direct  its  foreign  and  diplomatic  officials  as well as those of  its allies in the EU nations  to steer  clear  of  the leadership of the Nigerian legislature  until  it is democratically  sanitized  from the opprobrium it brought  on itself  from the June 9 2015  electoral  malfeasance.  This  is really  is to save the face of democracy as promoted  by the US and EU  as many Nigerians were  nauseated  by the trooping of Western  European and US ambassadors  to the legislature to congratulate both the Speaker and President of the Senate while the Nigerian nation was still in a very  deep  shock  and trauma over the manner of their emergence  and election.  Surely  democracy in  principle  as well  as  in practice either  in  Nigeria or  globally deserves better recognition and acclamation  than  the one put on display by those marketing it as the best and fairest form of government  in the world today given  their  reaction  to our last  leadership  elections in our  legislature.

    We  recall  that in August this year it will be 30  years since our new president left office as a military  leader.  He  has moved on since to contest elections thrice and losing before being elected last time around.  He  has paid  his dues in terms  of leadership  experience and he knows his nation and his people like the back of his hands.  He  is a devoted Muslim and has condemned  Boko  Haram in the strongest terms as anti  Islam.  Undoubtedly  on gay rights he will  not mince words in telling the US president  that that is a no go area in terms of any change of attitude   on  the part  of  Nigeria   which  he presides  over  and its  people. He  can say  this clearly and mightily because he was  just  newly  given  his mandate. Unlike  the US  president who is  fastly running out of time and tenure and has become a lame duck  president giving parting gifts  to the US electorate. Unfortunately  he has had to use threats  of presidential  veto to  cement his departure presents to the  US electorate such  as the threat to the US legislature to veto any  opposition  to the controversial Nuclear Deal  with Iran.

    Historically  however the two leaders saddled  with containing  terrorism globally  and  in their  domain remind me of one or two famous world  leaders.  Obama  reminds me of  Abraham  Lincoln who  fought the US Civil  War  to  free slaves  although  I wonder  how  Lincoln  would  react  in his  grave on the gay rights that Obama  has given legality  to.  Our  president reminds me in terms of  his  figure and stature  of Field  Marshal  Bernard Montgomery  of Alamein the Second  World  War British   military  hero  nicknamed  the Spartan  General  who defeated  Erwin Rommel  the  German  general in the same war. Which  really  is  my own way of wishing our new president every success in defeating , first  Boko  Haram, Corruption  and  false  democracy over fake election  rules.  Just  like Montgomery  became  the nemesis  of Rommel in the hot deserts of  Egypt in Alamein so many years  ago. Again  long  live the  Federal Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Security, democracy and the rule of law

    It  is a well  known dictum  in journalism that when  a dog  bites a man it is not news but when a man bites  a dog then it is news indeed. That was what came to my mind on hearing  and reading the news that the  new  Deputy Senate  President has criticized the Buhari  government for not doing enough  on  national  security  and expressed  great  concern that if  care  is not taken Boko  Haram may attack  Abuja and indeed  move down South to kill.  Just  as they have  been  doing in the North  East – a part of the nation that  the concerned senator confessed  as very  dear and close to his heart  because  of the scourge  of Boko  Haram  in the area.

    On  the surface the Deputy Senate  President – DSP – has expressed  a legitimate concern  and  a patriotic  one at that but  if you  agree  with  that then you  need  to be briefed  about certain issues hovering around the DSP  in  the last few days. Especially the fact  that the Police  have announced that he  may  be questioned by the Police over allegations contained in a petition  by aggrieved senators that senate rules  were  tampered  with in the controversial senate leadership elections  that  threw him up as the senate ‘s  DSP.

    Really  it is not that difficult  to decipher  or see through the subterfuge and ruse  inherent in the alarm raised  by the DSP on  Boko  Haram.  This is  because a pattern  has been set by the opposition  PDP  which  on hearing about the impending Police investigation warned  that nothing should happen  to its highest placed  party man in the senate. The party went on to accuse the  APC  government   of political witch  hunting of the DSP because  of the way  he was elected. Which  was  a situation to be expected by  the PDP  given the fact that the DSP  was  not a member  of the APC  which  has the majority in the senate  and is definitely aggrieved  that it has been swindled out of the position  of the DSP  and  no  one in his right senses  should  expect  the party  to be quiet  about  it. That  really  was  the genesis  of the heat the new  DSP  from  PDP  is  facing and I believe  that it is just the tip  of the iceberg.

    Again  no one is deceived  about  the timing of the alarm raised by the DSPand  the expected  or  anticipated outcome  of that. Once  the Police move against the DSP  the  PDP  will  predictably  cry  foul and  accuse  the government of political  victimization of  an  opposition legislator  forgetting very conveniently  that  this is a legislator  on a borrowed seat which  has become very  hot and uncomfortable  for  him. It  reminds  me of Shakespeare’s  Macbeth  where  it was said that Macbeth  had murdered  sleep  and would not sleep  again. Certainly  that is the plight  of the new  DSP  on  this matter.  Again  the legislator is learning fast  that those  who live  in  glass  houses  should  not throw  stones.

    Any way we need  to  look  at  the issues  raised  by the  DSP  closely  even though his locus and official position are both suspect  and of dubious origin right from the way  and manner of his election. There  is need  to step  up our  security apparatus  and arrangement  such  that Boko  Haram is eliminated as quickly  as possible  before it gets  bold enough to attack either Abuja and or Lagos.  That  really  is a grim  prospect  that must avoided  at  all costs  by  our security  forces  by all  the force  and  means at their  disposal. The  security  forces  should not send wrong  or chilling  signals that can  cause  panic or threaten  security  such as the plan to move Boko  Haram  prisoners  to the South  East. This  should be scuttled  so  as not to amplify the theatre  of war  or insurgency as  we now call our terrorism.

    In  addition state  governments should spend more on security even as they pay  workers  salaries  from the Buhari  Salary Bail  out.  A  situation where state  governor’s  collect  huge security  votes  while security  lapses create  avenues for  terrorists, arsonists and  hoodlums to exploit,  can  no longer be tolerated  in the pervading  insecure  environment  that the  Boko   Haram menace has created nation wide. In  Lagos  in particular  the  Ambode  government must  be commended  for the way it is handling  the issue  of tankers  going to so called  oil  farms  in  Apapa  and creating  the avoidable traffic gridlock  that has paralysed  many businesses  in Lagos  state. The  fire  accidents involving overturned  and overloaded trailers became frequent in Lagos and people were suspicious that they could be deliberate .So   it is good that the state governor has moved in and allayed fears on this as people started hearing strange rumours on Boko  Haram in Lagos as most of the tanker  drivers  were from the North.

    Nevertheless  the menace, violence and nuisance  of  Boko  Haram  should  not prevent  the Police  from  doing its duty on the  allegations  of forged  rules in the election to office of the senate  leadership  at the last  elections which  brought in the man  now  shouting wolf  on the prospect of Boko  Haram attacking  Abuja  or  invading the  South. That  is a premeditated diversion to prevent the Police from doing its duty as expected in a system where the rule of law  is the norm such as our own.  Indeed  I  have  no doubt in my mind that the Police are up  to the task. This  is because the Nigeria Police  has so many  lawyers  in its officer  cadre and they  are aware  that in a system of separation  of powers that we practice legislators  especially senators are not  above  the law.  The  ongoing trial of high profile former governors by the EFCC  resulting in the accused  being remanded  in prison  cells gives  credence that the Buhari  government will  live up  to  its billing  to  root  out  corruption in  our  midst  or make life uncomfortable for those who loot  our  treasuries  while  holding  public  office.

    Of  course  we know that our legislators are not above the law  and they know that too.  But  the last  leadership  elections in  legislature  showed clearly that something fishy  is going  on that  is a strange bedfellow to democracy as we know it and on which  basis we elected our representatives  and senators.  That  is why the Police  must be allowed  to do  it statutory  duty to ascertain the truth about the allegation  of false  senate rules being applied in the leadership  elections in the senate. The  allegations  are quite serious  and weighty and if found to  be true then  the culprits  must face the full weight of the law.  For  if those expected to make laws break  or manipulate the rules  of their election in our temple of  democracy then  there is no  hope for justice in our polity and that is a situation  that must  scuttled  and stopped by all means. We  expect  our Police  to take up this challenge as it falls fully  under its purview  and we have no doubt  that it will  ensure that the truth will  be extracted from the senate no matter whose  ox  is gored. That  for now is the only way to save our democracy  and  ensure that security  and the rule of law are not mutually exclusive and  indeed go hand in hand.

  • Presidential mandates and new global order

    As  US  President  Barak  Obama  was  being expected  this week  at  a  White  House briefing with Brazilian  President Dilmar  Roussef  a  commentator  noted that  the US  president could  arrive with  some spring  in his steps at the event  because  the US Supreme  Court  had just endorsed  two  of the issues  dear  to  his lame duck  presidency. These  are gay rights and  Obama care  and  I would  add the resumption of diplomatic ties with Cuba cut short  since 1962  over the Cuban  Missile Crisis. Of  the three issues  the gay rights Supreme Court  ruling of 5 to  4  has great human and diplomatic implications far beyond the shores  of the US  which is also a leading global  power and promoter  of democracy  and the free  market  economy as a way  of life anytime  and every where.

    The  spring was palpable in Obama’s steps  when he eventually  arrived at  the press  conference but  it is in the  implication  of the Supreme Court  decisions  for the rest  of the world that I am interested in today.  I  am  also  looking at that  as a consequence of the Obama  presidential mandate for the eight years he has been in  power. I  make  bold  to say that that  of  all US decisions  taken  during Obama’s  presidency the gay rights issue is the  most  controversial  matched only in that regard  by the decision in Syria not  to strike that nation  when it was confirmed  that  the  Assad  regime was   using chemical weapons  to  kill  its own  people. That  decision,  with  the help  of hind sight ricocheted into  an  escalation  of the Syrian  Crisis by creating a crisis of confidence on the US loyalty  to its allies  in the Middle  East. This unfortunate situation gave  birth to ISIS   to which  many   global  terrorist Islamist groups  have claimed  alignment and affinity  with in creating borderless caliphates  including  Nigeria’s  deadly  Boko  Haram  which  this week  alone  killed  over 100  people  in mosques  and villages  in  Borno  state  in the North  East  of Nigeria.

    We  will  also concern  ourselves  today  with the mandate  of Nigeria’s  much  respected new President Muhammadu  Buhari and  the euphoria  that accompanied his emergence from  the last presidential elections. This is not withstanding the   obvious  and cruel  fact that the high  expectations of that election victory  of his party  has been befuddled  if not stigmatised  by the way and manner the elections  of the  leaders of the Legislature were  hijacked by APC  members who  did  not toe the  party line on the matter,  but teamed up with the opposition PDP  to elect  both an APC President of the Senate and Speaker  of the House  of  Representatives. This definitely  was  an unexpected legislative and  political  development but  it is one crisis  that would not go away anyway  or any how, and it is one that is destined to shape  the direction and destiny of the mandate of the new Nigerian  president no matter how one looks at it.

    Another  world leader that we shall  look  at  today alongside the Nigerian and US  presidents is  Russia’s  President  Vladmir  Putin who  has  been accused by  the West  of violating  International  law by invading the Crimea  in  Ukraine and  is still  having Russian  soldiers  in  Ukraine  while the  US and  EU  have  imposed  economic  sanctions  against his regime and its key  personnel  by closing their  accounts all  over Europe.  It  is necessary  to  bring in the Russian  leader for the simple fact  that he has never seen eye  to eye  with the US president on many issues especially  the gay rights one  and  he has been  able to successfully  manage  and manipulate  his political  mandate in his nation such  that he has outlasted  two  US presidents with their combined two terms of 16 years  which  is really amazing.

    To  appreciate the presidential  mandates  of the three presidents  one  can take  a look  at their  respective  background.  President  Barak Obama was a law professor  like  our  own  Vice  President  Yemi  Osinbajo. He  however  came into politics  from  the background  of a social  worker,  a fact  which  has enhanced his mobilization capacities  to raise campaign funds and galvanise people at campaigns. The  same  asset  has  however been  deemed a set  back in taking tough  decisions especially  on global  security  and military matters. This  weakness  some have pointed out  has been  seen  by the Russian  leader hence the confrontational foreign policy of Russia in the Middle  East and Europe to  bring about the Cold  War  bi polar world  dominated by the  former  USSR which  the  Russian leader is nostalgically  trying to resurrect by  deliberately  flouting international law  in  Ukraine.

    In  Nigeria’s  case  the  Nigerian  president came into  office with  a massive mandate  and goodwill of the people.  He  ruled  as a military  leader before but no one doubts  his democratic credentials  having  contested for the presidency on three earlier occasions and lost. Boko  Haram has been his priority as he initiated regional security and  military cooperation between Nigeria and its neighbours  facing the brunt  of  Boko  Haram’s  murderous menace.  His  military  background has  been useful  here and he has  even been asked by the EU  at the last G7 Summit  he attended to provide the needs of the region  for the EU  to  help out.

    Yet  Boko  Haram  is still on rampage and  this  week  killed over 134 Nigerians  in fresh  attacks in Borno state in horrendous  manner, attacking mosques  and killing women  and children. Obviously  the new president has to lead the onslaught  against  Boko  Haram  in a  more productive and  deterrent   manner and  direction. Nigerians  need  to be protected  from being  killed  in  large numbers on a daily  basis by Boko  Haram. The last  president  lost the election because  he could  not contain  Boko  Haram  and he could  not bring back  the 200 missing  Chibok  girls who  have not been found  to date. The  military  background of our new  president gives one hope that Boko  Haram’s  days  are numbered but  the military  have to be given the riot act  and  marching orders  to do this and stop the killings fast  as  he  was  and is still  the Commander  in Chief of our Armed  Forces  and that experience really counts.

    With  regard  to  Russia’s   President   Vladmir  Putin he was a KGB officer or a spy, if you  remember  those  James  Bond  007  films,  before he was handpicked  as Vice  President  by Boris  Yeltsin  Russia’s  president  at the time.  Putin  was Russia’s  president during the time of President  George  Bush the 43rd  president from 2001 to 2008.  He  became Russia’s PM  from  2008  to 2012 when  he yielded  way to his hand picked puppet as president because the Russian constitution allows only    two  consecutive terms of  four years.  He  came  back as president in 2012. Which  means  he has outlasted George Bush  who invaded Iraq  and captured Saddam  Hussein  and  he is  seeing out Barak  Obama with  whom  he never saw eye  to eye  on any issue.

    With  regard  to their  mandates and its success  or failure one  can say or hazard  a guess or two. I  am  happy  with the outcome  and success of  Obama Care  and the opening  of relations with Cuba. The  rapprochement  with  Cuba clearly  shows  that in international  relations there  are  no permanent enemies  but permanent  interests. The  Obama  Administration should  remember  this as it rejoices  over the gay rights US Supreme  Court  judgement  which  some  people  in other parts  of the world think  is  an abomination. In  particular the  US  should be wary in the way it equates gay rights with civil  rights and the way  and manner it ties observance of its beliefs on this with the way it gives  out  aid. Especially security and military largess to nations fighting terrorism like  Nigeria  which urgently needs such attention to contain Boko  Haram an ally  of ISIS which  the US knows  and acknowledges  as a mortal  enemy to be destroyed by  all  means.President Obama has utilized  his mandate in the  US but the gay rights issue and the containment of terrorism will outlast his tenure. Both will determine his legacy and his place in world history.

    Similarly  President  Muhammadu Buhari has a date  with  history in Nigeria and  he should  not  allow his mandate to be distracted by the unexpected political  digression of  the leadership  elections in the legislature.  He  must  put his foot down to arrest indiscipline  in his party and clean up the Augean stable of corruption in our nation  and  the economy. That is his mandate and that was why  Nigerians voted for him. That is in addition to the belief that he especially  can lead or shove our military in the direction of giving Boko  Haram  a kick in the ass to send them packing into oblivion and stop murdering innocent Nigerians at night, in broad  daylight or even as they  worship  in our mosques. That  is our hope in the Buhari  Administration even  as we learn  to live with the fact that it will take time for him  to make our world better. We  are confident our choice is right and that sooner than later he will rein in the wild horse  of a political  economy  he inherited with an empty treasury. We wish him God’s speed to realize our hope and his mandate.  Again, long live the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Separation of powers, politics and the violence

    Three  incidents  from the US, Nigeria’s National  Assembly  and  that of the Benue State, as well  as the death  sentence  of the Islamic  court  based in Kano State  provide  the background for the topic of the day. In  the US  a 21 year old white man shot  dead nine people at a bible study in church   famously  used by black  people  in  Charleston  in the state  of South  Carolina. In  Nigeria’s House  of Representatives legislators  fought over the election  of key  legislative  officers leading to the postponement of  the  session  to  July 21  to allow  tempers  to cool   down  by then.  Before  that we watched in horror  as legislators in Benue  state  House  of  Assembly wrestled in the  House  before  a prime time TV  audience over  the same issue of election  of their legislative leaders.

    These  three events throw up  constitutional and historical  perspectives from their environment and culture  all   at  once. Separately  each  on its own  brings   in some concepts  and  ideas on governance, social  cohesion  and  democracy  in practice as well  as a cost benefit  analysis of that  prevailing world  ideology as at  this moment  in time. The  violence  in  Nigeria’s  legislature invite another look at the concept  of separation of power  derived  from the  presidential  system  of  checks  and  balances  which  we  borrowed  from  the Americans.  The  slaughter  of blacks  in South  Carolina   once  a slave colony  inspired by the   Confederate  flag at the Capitol in Columbia in that state   and  reluctance  of the state  governor   to  bring  it down  even as a mark of respect while  burying the victims, raised  serious  issues on the rule of law and  the morbid  impact  of racism in interpreting the law in such  an environment. Similarly  the  sentencing in Kano cannot  but bring to  mind   vivid fears on the rise  of a situation similar  to   that of ISIS in  Iraq  and Syria which  can  also  be seen  as a ploy  to placate Boko  Haram when indeed  all  hands  including that of  the Sharia  judicial  system in Nigeria and Kano  especially, should  be on deck  to put an end to  Boko  Haram as  announced  by  the president   determinedly  when  he assumed  office recently.

    Starting  with  violence  in our legislature I want to take that on from the perspective expressed by the presidency  that the president will not intervene  just as it was made clear  by the same source that he did  not interfere  in the intra party politics leading  to  the emergence  of the Speaker and the President  of the  Senate. That  to  me is an expensive  mistake  on both issues. This  is because the presidential system thrives  on a principle of  checks  and  balances  and is predicated   on  majority  rule.Since  the president  is  from the ruling  APC he is  the leader  of the party  and not the Chairman or the NWC  of the party and  he  should  be interested in those members  of his  party  aspiring for      legislative honors and  leadership. This  is because  his party  has  the majority  in our legislature. To  do otherwise   as  the  presidency  is doing now is to  be seen like the  proverbial  ostrich  with its head buried in the sand. In  the presidential  system of checks  and  balances the three arms  of government, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary are independent  but  they intertwixt  and intertwine in checking the excesses  of each other in governance. In  fact  the independence  comes into play once the  three arms are in place after elections by the electorate and  appointment  of judges. The  executive should  not interfere once the leaders of the legislature are in place after their election. It  should not then  have folded  its hands while the election of legislative leaders of its party was being done only to frown later at the way and manner it was done  and the emergence of  the leadership the legislative  elections threw up. Again  the  presidency  looked  like the cat  that would eat  fish from a pond without getting its paws wet.  Such  indifference can  be counterproductive in politics as the president is seeing right now as he prepares to   announce  his  much  awaited  list  of  ministers  which  he  has kept very  much  close  to  his chest. Without  mincing words I say  that it  is the duty of a majority party in the legislature to ensure  that it is not taken by surprise in legislative elections and that is the duty of the leader which  in the case of the APC in  Nigeria  is the president   on  whose  the table the buck stops in a presidential system  of checks and balances  such as we run in Nigeria today.

    Similarly in South  Carolina many people believed that the Governor should have brought down the Confederate Flag  which  represents  racism, slavery and  secession  in  American  history and  which the 21 year old white  racist murderer said inspired  his hatred and murder of the nine black  worshippers which included a state senator and preacher,  whose  funeral  the US president was preparing to attend. The  governor   of  the state claimed her hands were tied as she had  no power to bring down a flag which had inspired a mass murder   called  the  Charleston  Massacre which  the governor too had condemned very  eloquently. Legal  experts  have however disagreed  with the governor   citing a precedent  in another  state with such a problem  which  invoked  a legal  provision  that the  flag  could be brought down  for washing for some days and that  could be invoked at least  to  allow the funeral  of the hapless victims  of  the Charleston  Massacre and put the racist  murderer  to shame.  Obviously  the S Carolina  governor  was  making out as if  the law was an ass  on the flag  issue  when indeed it was her racist sympathy that was at play and not the law  being any ass, willingly or not.

    Undoubtedly the killing in S Carolina  came  about  because a black president is in power in the US  and  even President  Barak Obama has admitted that  racism is still a problem in his  nation fondly called  God’s  Own country. Which   really  is unfortunate  and  very  sad.  However  the charismatic  US president was  to give the eulogy  at  the funeral  of the slain preacher and senator  Clementa  Pickney in   Charleston   in S Carolina and  I bet that would  be another classic on the wickedness   and futility  of bringing back racism or  any form of discrimination by the backdoor  of violence  in  today’s  modern society especially in  the US, the  global  promoter and champion  of democracy  and  human  rights.

    It  is in such  light  that one should see the death sentence   for  blasphemy   by the Islamic Court  in  Kano  on the nine people in the state.  My  own  plea  here  is for mercy  and clemency.  In  South  Carolina  the families  of the victims  said  they forgave the killer of their  loved  ones. That  is to show the superiority  of love, mercy and tolerance over hatred and violence. These  are virtues that all  religions preach and not only Islam  and  Christianity.  Pardoning  these people  in  Kano  would send a strong message  to ISIS  and  Boko  Haram – which both Saudi Arabia, the champion  of Sunni Islam and Iran, the Shiite  champion are  fighting both in their regions and internationally –  that  blind and reckless  violence  has  no place in this modern world  we live in   today. That  simply  is my plea on this matter- even in this era of post election violence which we have  just  averted and the new phenomenon of legislative   trickery   and violence which we thought we had put behind us. Again, long live the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

     

    Editors Note;   We  apologise for the error of calling late Senator Abubakar Sola Saraki a Senate President in his time.  He was indeed a  Senate Majority Leader. The mix  up on George  Bush instead of Jeb Bush later in  the  column is  also  regretted.