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Uneasy lies the head that wears the
crown. So goes a popular adage and so true does it apply to our President, Olusegun Obasanjo. To observers of our
Nigeria's bumpy experiment with our current Constitutional Democracy, one would hope that the fine print in our
Constitution that clearly delineated the roles of the three arms of Government and further, with the deep history
of the American Democracy that our Constitution mirrored, would present to us the added advantage to operate our
Democracy with a rich knowledge of precedents. But, in Nigeria, our leaders savour the greed to dispel with order
and strive hard to invent disorder. The lessons thus far since 1999 election for Nigerians has cast a big doubt
with respect to the efficacy of Democratic leadership, as the vices that we intended to cure from our massive rejection
and repulsion with Military dictatorship have almost become tame in comparison with the graft, despotism and rapid
impoverishment of Nigerians to the sagas tic joy of few privileged. Should we take an honest opinion poll in our
country, we may be shocked to learn that an average Nigeria is today worse off than he/she four years ago.
Either by willful contraption or vague hallucination, Nigeria leaders
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have taken our Democracy to new lows. Regardless of our leaders expressed interests to fight corruption and bring
about Democratic dividends, the deficits of democracy have by far outweighed the intended dividends. With the amount
of wealth Nigeria earned from her crude oil sales in the past four years, our roads, electricity, telephony, industries,
health care, education and other necessary stumps of growth cannot look as deplorable as they presently do. We
have created a massive government with a strong central authority that could only showcase pot bellied and pot
cheeked politicians and bureaucrats bent of stifling the last breadth out of our resources.
Regrettable though, the voices of opposition have been largely silenced or atrociously ignored. We have been attracted
in drones to the same beehive from whence our deafening stings have emanated. You either belong to the ruling Peoples
Demolition Party, excuse me, Peoples Democratic Party PDP or you must be a nuisance to the Government. The craze
to belong to the majority, even in the face of massive disenchantment clearly connotes an exceptional situation
for Nigerians, where we have learned or been bullied to run from causes we should fight for , and fight for causes
we should run from.
On several occasions, I have intently watched our President in the manner he handles serious National problems.
While he projects a prophetic
face of determined father bent on sanitizing his prodigal children, he often employs methods of discipline inconsistent
with his own sworn rules of engagement. You somehow would want to feel pity for this man on whose head lies the
stumbling future of our country. When challenged to rise to swift application of our Constitutional requirements,
he gets easily blinded by either confused advisors or takes a personal opinion that rubbish our Constitution. Without
a strict application of our Constitutional codes, our Criminal Code, Civil Statutes and Military Codes , other
forms of laws in the country will be trampled with impunity.
The case of Chris Uba Vs. Governor Chris Ngige cries out for mention. When a renegade bandit of disgruntled political
merchants and so called Godfathers perfected and actually abducted an elected or selected Governor of a State,
the President in an open press conference disputed the reports of any abduction. He cared less to even condemn
such attempt and failed to even instruct his Justice Ministry to institute investigation and bring the culprits
to book. His IG of Police followed a polluted Court order that has been long overturned and removed the Governors
security aides to date, thereby exposing an elected Governor to harm and ridicule. By ignoring such a serious affront
on our democracy, the gangsters became audacious and soared in their daring efforts to remove the Governor by hook
or crook. The events have turned terrible now in Anambra State where allegations surfaced against the very crop
of PDP Renegades who were alleged to have hired thugs and attacked State infrastructures in Anambra State, including
setting fire to the Governor's Office! The evidence is there and yet what would the President do? Lets watch and
see until somebody loses their life. Soon he would contemplate a State of emergency for Anambra State and yes we
have Plateau State as a case in point.
In Plateau State, ceaseless ethnic and tribal warfare flamed by partisan political interests and actors resulted
in a clampdown of a Six
Months State of Emergency since May 18, 2004. As the six months date comes to expire, the Presidency invited Plateau
State disbanded legislators, Stake Holders and traditional rulers of the State to the Seat of Government at Aso
Rock, Abuja and treated them to a video of their suspended Governor with evidence of corruption thereby justifying
his intent to not return him to the Plateau State office. In as much as I do not care about Gov Dariye eventual
fate, the President should please spare our country further charade. Why would it be impossible for the President
to return the elected Governor to his Office, restore the constitutional apparatus of the State and hand his evidence
over to the States House of Assembly for review and consideration of impeachable offenses against their Governor.
Why should Mr. President attempt to always play the role of the Contractor for Virgin Nigeria, Legislative Leader
and even Judiciary in clear violation of our Constitutional provision for Separation of Powers. With the attraction
of several battles with Nigeria Labour Congress, Gov. Ibori and Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu/Slok Airlines, Final Term vs.
Third term rumours, I wonder really how our President finds time to sleep, even with his beautiful Stella next
to him.
Michael Ozulumba, Esq.
Attorney
and Barrister
Atlanta, Georgia
Obasanjo vs. Nigeria Constitution
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