Nigeria; 2011 Elections, The Leadership Challenge (3)

THE PRESS AND ELECTIONS

The press can only report what goes on in society. During elections, the press tells its version of the truth which no politician wants to believe The success of the new dispensation will largely depend on Nigerian journalistic. Objectivity, in an era, in which journalists consider their time to make good.

ELECTION PETITIONS IN NIGERIA

After elections in Nigeria, even those who were clearly losers do litigate based on the hope that the counts can be manipulated either by the intimidation of sitting judges and Corruption. Appeals are filed to stultify the democratic process.

In Nigeria, election petition processes last very long and at times, the election petition processes become mystified and get compounded by occultic advocacy.

THE PROBLEMS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCING IN NIGERIA

There is no art to monitor campaign financing. Some Nigerians are generally ingenious at cutting concerns. Since political office is seen as a money-yielding enterprise, some office- seekers are known to invest their energies and borrowed funds in their campaigns. Many politicians have gotten away with the gamble but many have lost fortunes.

PROSECUTION AND ELECTORAL MAL-PRACTICES

Since 1960, the prosecution of Electoral offenders has not been very successful as a result of the lack of adequate information, solid evidence and the crass incompetence of the police prosecutors when they face lawyers, especially Senior Advocates of Nigeria, who carry the awesomeness of Law gods. There are also tedious studies involved which the average police prosecutor is not used to.

The politician, who had invested a lot to win an election, is not likely to hesitate if giving out little more can win him the coveted seat.

In a State, where the end justifies the means prosecuting even small cases that are obvious and straight forward runs into the deep waters of repeated adjournments, strategic delays, technicalities, preliminary objections, which are manifestly distracting and perverse.

Since the judiciary has admitted their helplessness. in dealing with corrupt judges, may the ALMIGHTY GOD help Nigeria!

ZONING OF PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE

The Nigerian political space has been hypnotized by an invidious cliche dubbed “zoning”. I hope Nigerian politics will transmute and survive the impending self-imposed tragedy, waiting to happen.

If a group of our compatriots think that they have the divine right to rule, other compatriots would challenge a myth they have tolerated for too long. The Delta militants are not taking any arrangement that will exclude them with equanimity.

Poor governance has awakened anarchic instincts in most Nigerians and the chaotic life they live does not seem to cool down the complexities of their minds.

The issue of zoning is deeply embedded in the Caliphate culture and the politics of the administration of Nigeria from 1861-2010.

As A.E Afigbo said during his lecture at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, on 12th April 2002, we quote,” What is now known as Nigeria, is a by-product of the British Conception” Each of the Northern, Eastern and Western areas of modern Nigeria began by way of establishment of administrative technique.

Professor Afigbo put the technique thus “… The first to emerge was the Colony of Lagos (1861), which within 20 years or so, grew into the Lagos colony and protectorate, mostly Yoruba land” The next was the Oil River Protectorate (1885), which by (1886) grew into Southern Nigeria Protectorate. Then, there was the territory of the Royal Niger Company(1886), which again became the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria This protectorate was predominantly inhabited by Muslims.

Kanem- Bornu developed a feudal system between 1393-1501. The Dorgu dynasty, which lasted for over one thousand years. It sustained the statecraft of the Nok culture (500Bc-AD 200).

This is why scholars are surprised at the ineptitude of modern Northern leaders, who have not done well, each time it was their turn to govern.

In 1914, the Northern, Southern and t the Colony of Lagos became amalgamated. Between 1960 and 1970, it became clear that the rate of educational development in the Muslim nation-states was slow, as a result of lack of higher educational institutions in the North.

Those, who attended Barewa College and later, the University of Ibadan, like Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Senator Jibril Aminu and Alhaji Dikko., Alhaji M D Yesuf, who studied in England have done wel in the Nigerian scheme of things.

However, tribalism in some higher institutions discouraged a lot of Hausas, Igbos and Edos from moving on.. From the narrations of Dr. Obi Wali, Dr. Ken Saro Wiwa and Professor Dr.. Emmanuel Omoh Esiemokhai, when he was at OAU, Ife, suggests that the proliferation of Universities in Nigeria, now gives minorities, a good chance.

The Northern elite got used to the concept of Federal character and zoning advantages and their politicians seem to be insisting on still having their way.

However, since federal character and zoning were meant to be temporary measures, these forms of statecraft are now anachronistic and unhelpful.

There is a lot of work to be done before the 2011 elections. Having settled the INEC request for adequate funds, the law enforcement systems need to be re-vamped by adequately equipping the police and the intelligence services with necessary gadgets and life-sustaining salaries.

The studies by BOSAS INTERNATIONAL LAW BUREAU Abuja show that under their present working conditions, the Nigeria Police live in decapitated barracks, dingy offices and lack mobility.

Even ordinary stationery are often unavailable forcing complainants to bring or buy these items. We have not agreed to publish police salaries, which the Minister for Police Affairs, will be shocked to receive.

The politicians are quick to exploit these harsh conditions of life of the police. In a nation, where we all buy from the markets, the desperate situation of some citizens, create those complexities of mind that lead the people to lose confidence in governments.

The purchase of three airlines by the presidency and the reason given by the government, raised serious issues of balanced judgment capability.

The police that will be crucial to the 2011 Federal Government Elections do not have cars, trucks. Motor-cycles, that would increase their mobility and efficiency.

Why pay the huge amount for planes that would be delivered in December and beyond?
It was no surprise that the labour unions, civil society groups and other sensitive intellectuals felt very despondent at what is obviously a misplacement of priorities.

NUPENG and NEPA announced that they would go on strike in a protest of their discontent in the last week of August 2010.While the government was justifying its purchase of three presidential jets, a nation-wide outbreak of cholera, which had already 350 lives, was announced on August 2010.

This fostered more discontent among doctors, student groups and civil society. The outcry by citizens on the NEPA strike caused the government to change its policy. In the last three months, we have seen the government reverse itself after making inexcusable decisions.

The new Nigerian dispensation can only be managed by anointed persons, not by men with blood on their sleeves, blood-money, stolen wealth and satanic connections, through oath-taking and other negative spiritual initiations.

The Spirit of the Lord will prevent politicians with ancestral linkages to negative demon ism, foundational bond ages, covenants with the kingdom of satan, infested with curses, attachments to demonic spirits, satanic bewitchment, initiations into multiple satanic cults from ruling Nigeria.

Those politicians, who cannot surrender to the Triune GOD, cannot rule Nigeria as Nigeria enters the Era of the Gentiles, Atonement and the Brotherhood of Man.

After the American Federal Bureau of Investigations collaborated briefly with the EFCC, an empowered EFCC, announced that the anti-fraud agency would “bar 14 ex-governors, five former ministers and 35 other political office holders from the 2011 elections.

As screening starts, it has become clear that transparency could dominate the electoral process.

The curious news that the PDP headquarters got burnt down is reminiscent of the burning down of the NITEL headquarters, during the Shagari regime.

Dark Thoughts and Negative Pronouncements

The statement issued by the Arewa Consultative Forum Chairman, General Ibrahim Haruna that anarchy looms and General Olusegun Obasanjo’s revised version of do-or-die politics, code-named “operation totality” are frightful and thoughtless.

Primate Olabayo’s cheap predictions in the last 30 years are a patch-work of asinine guess-work, which are inconsistent with inspirational, Holy Ghost illuminations.

Bishop Gbonigi and Reverend Bakare are also in the scare the people Assembly. A man of God, who turns himself into a scare-crow, will surely face occasional degradation and opposition.

God did not ordain any preacher to terrorize the people’s peace with predictions of woes that catch the headlines.

The problem with Nigerian pastors is that those, who acquired dubious fame or notoriety keep assailing our sensitivities, with cheap, sensational, tithes-attracting pronouncements.

There is need for more Pentecostal fire that will burn away the satanic order in Nigeria.This type of ecumenism does not ride on cheap, occasional rantings and inconsequential, political predictions. We need intercessors and not hallucinatory musings by primates.

Of course, there are some Nigerians, who wish destruction upon the people, but as long as the birds sing, rivers flow, the Olumo Rock and the Zuma cannot be moved by negativism, such evil pronouncements will remain a nullity and of no effect whatsoever.

Kidnappings and the Electoral Process.

It will become very difficult for political leaders to campaign freely if kidnappings become rife.

If anyone thinks that holding successful elections will solve our societal problems, such a person or persons are not imbued with the realities and complexities of Nigeria’s real politik.

I have extensively and consistently canvassed that we hold a Conference of the Federating states of Nigeria, in order to find out what house we are going to build unless and until we go through this democratic process of consultations and accord, the Federal Republic may be standing on a broken tripod.

This is based on scientific, social appraisal by the scholars at BOSAS INTERNATIONAL BUREAU, Abuja.

Since the elections are scheduled for January 2011, we can use the month of October to organise the Conference of the Federated States of Nigeria. There are many illegalities that could render the constitutional amendments of the 1999 Constitution inoperative. The Republic is fond of rushing things, only to reverse itself.

In a National Assembly, in which those, who know the legal processes, are dutifully excluded, the nation’s legal development will be the subject of endless debates.

Even non-lawyers with a modicum of commonsense should know that the imprimatur by the Sovereign representative of the people confers jural authority on the Constitution. Where guess-work by unlearned National Assembly members often prevail, the nation must face occasional confusion.

The retired Permanent Secretary of the FCT, Dr Adegoke Adegoroye, in his valedetory address to the Civil Service chiefs at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja on August 28, 2010, said ” I have seen on the national scene and political landscape the sudden emergence of people ( including Vice Chancellors and Professors), without traceable antecedents and pedigree, people of questionable tract record making it to top positions in government.

This, also applied in the academia, where General Sani Abacha’s Vice Chancellors embezzled funds meant for University administration. A notorious Vice Chancellor, now a reporter and his Pro-Chancellor, were disgraced out of office, after Abacha’s death.

Lamentations will not be enough to change the situation, whereby crooked people get top jobs. It is important to expose such people in good time to prevent them from being bulls in China shops.

Squander Mania

The National Conscience Party of Nigeria, has called upon the Federal Government to explain how trillions of Naira, which should be in the Federation Account seem to be missing. The details were published on page 66, Vol 15, No. 5601 in THIS DAY newspaper of August 23 2010.

Barrister Femi Falana, who is now the leader of the NCP disclosed that ” Out of the sum of N24,966,963,665,224,50, received as internally generated revenue, by ministries, parastatals and agencies of the Federal Government from 2004-2007, the sum of N21651,084,008,087,20 was deposited in the Federation Account, leaving a balance of N3,315,879, 657.137.26, with-held by the Federal Government The 20 billion dollars left in the crude account in May 2007, has been drawn down to 460 million dollars.

With colossal sums disbursed to INEC and other sums awarded to contractors, especially, the recent awards of 1.914 billion dollars contracts for 96 projects, very little funds will be available to whoever wins the elections next year.

The authorities seem to create the impression that they are in a hurry to empty the treasury, in case they lose elections.” The grand mismanagement of the economy has also been demonstrated in the renewal of oil licenses to foreign oil companies operating in Nigeria. For instance, the Federal Government is alleged to have renewed some oil licenses for Exxon Mobil in the sum of US600 million whereas a Chinese company had offered US5 billion for the same licenses. Thus, the country lost 4.4 Billion dollars in that single transaction.”

Concerned Northern professionals and Northern leaders.

A group of Concerned Northern Professionals published an objective assessment of the role of Northern leaders in Nigerian politics and development.

In an advertorial entitled, “THE NEW FACE OF THE NORTH” and signed by Arc Ibrahim Jatau, the professionals wrote,” One important question we, northerners must ask is this: how does the rest of the country see us? The painful answer to this question is that other Nigerians see us mostly through the eyes of us leaders.

Therefore they see us as under-achievers, who only love to acquire power for the sake of it. When people from other parts of Nigeria say that our leaders have failed us, they are indirectly saying that the North has failed Nigeria. It is for this reason that the argument against zoning, in some quarters were presented as arguments in favour of competence and efficiency.

It was as if the North is not competent of producing one competent leader. We may contest these assertions as much as we may, but the truth is that other Nigerians believe that the perennial leadership failure in Nigeria is the “north-man’s burden
They ended by saying that the new dispensation “is an opportunity for all Northern elites from all walks of life to rally and present a new face of the north that is built on efficiency, integrity, inclusion, creativity and trust.”

To my knowledge, this is the first effort to take an intellectual approach to the role of the North in national development.

This new thinking that is objective self-criticism will be needed if we do not operate on “not hurting Northern leaders” in order to keep Nigeria one. This almost became a religion.
June 12 and Elections in Nigeria.

The issue of June 12 keeps coming up each time elections loom in Nigeria. There is this boring lamentation that the election, which M.K.O Abiola contested was the “freest and fairest elections in Nigeria”

However, some commentators disagree. They refer to certain factors that cast doubt on Abiola’s candidacy. The have exposed the fact that Abiola and Atiku manipulated the electoral process, which could have resulted in the nullification of their candidacy.

They allege that Abiola was in the service of a foreign intelligence agency. They allege that the Nigerian military had their reservations on his ITT and oil deals. It was openly stated that they complained to IBB that they could not support Abiola’s presidency and that they could take severe action against Abiola.

All these coincide with a recent newspaper article that referred to “higher security problems” in the Abiola candidacy.

IBB must clarify these allegations in order to give history a credible reference and disprove wrong beliefs by gullible, ethnic proselytes.

It would appear that the young voters in Nigeria have become analytical and prefer performance ability than supporting ethnic chieftains. It can be recalled that this type of consciousness put Obama in the White House.