CAN, Islamic group, others to watch video clips
From Isa Abdulsalami, Jos
ASCENARIO reminiscent of the Abacha days may be playing itself out, as President Olusegun Obasanjo last Monday began to prove his case by inviting some selected individuals and groups to watch video clips.
With Gen. Sani Abacha, there was a concerted effort to build an open-and-close case to 'nail' the then Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya, on a trumped-up charge of conspiracy and coup plots.
But in Obasanjo's case, the battle ground is slightly shifted. He had declared a state of emergency in Plateau State and sent Governor Joshua Dariye, and the state House of Assembly on suspension.
Although the emergency rule is due to be lifted on November 18, Obasanjo may not be keen on the governor retracing his seat at the Government House, Jos, after he (Dariye) had allegedly been caught in London with �80,000 on him by the English police.
The President has some video clips to prove it. He had on Wednesday invited the Plateau State lawmakers, council chairmen, traditional rulers as well as some women organisations to Aso Rock, to "see for themselves".
Yesterday, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Jama'atul Nasril Islam, joined their traditional counterparts with the President to "feast their eyes" on the "damaging evidence" against Dariye.
A source close to the associations said the women organisations and the religious leaders would persuade the President to lift the emergency rule in Plateau and restore all democratic structures, including the suspended governor, his deputy and the state House of Assembly, as well as the commissioners.
Nobody could yet guess what would happen on November 18, how the President would react.
