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Obasanjo is a civilian dictator -Balarabe Musa
Alhaji Balarabe Musa, first executive governor of the old
Kaduna State ordinarily may not come across as someone who had ruled a volatile
state. His modest appearance would also hardly give him away as a man who had
even had a fair share of romance with
power. An astute follower of the late
exponent of the “Talakawas”, Alhaji Aminu Kano, Musa has remained
consistent as a civil crusader, always baring his mind on government policies
he considered not being in the best interest of the people.The highly
principled politician recently stormed Lagos for the just concluded Lagos
chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalist’s week and took time off to
speak on the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Musa, in his
characteristic manner accused the president of reneging on his promise to rid
Nigeria of corruptive elements and rather chose to be autocratic in running the affairs of the nation. He
said Obasanjo had disappointed all those that worked for his emergence in 1999
shortly after he returned from prison. His leadership of the Conference of
Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) is also legendary. Therefore, when our correspondent, ADESOJI OYINLOLA met him at the airport in Ikeja,
Lagos, he could not but ask his opinion about the recent hike in the prices of
petroleum products by the federal government. Brief as the encounter was, Musa was direct to the point and
blunt as usual. Excerpts:
How would you describe the
action of the federal government on the recent hike in the prices of petroleum
products?What does this portend for the masses?
I have said it several times that
President Obasanjo has totally jettisoned democratic ideas and turned into a
full blown civilian dictator. The whole thing became worse immediately after
the last election which was widely rigged by the People’s Democratic
Party. Now that the party is in control of all strata of government it has no
visible opposition and therefore can decide to do whatever it wishes.
You can see the hurriedness with
which the Senate passed the Labour reform bill without having due consideration
for the people they represent and not long after that came the last fuel
increase. Obasanjo is only deluding himself to think he has succeeded in
silencing the opposition.
Nigerians are going to rise and ask for their rights. You can see the
difference between the last Assembly and what we have now. Obasanjo found it
very difficult to operate with the last Assembly and decided to choose who gets
what in 2003 and the result of that massively rigged election is what we have
begun to realise now.
Back to your question. Of course, the masses are the worst hit
with all these harsh economic policies of the government. The masses are being hardened the more
and a time is coming when they are going to rise up to demand for justice.
Considering the last
legislative action of the Senate concerning the Nigeria Labour Congress. Do you
think the body like before would be able to stand up to the government over the
latest increase?
Labour has never been alone in
whatever struggle it embarks on especially when it comes to protesting bad
government policies. I know that other civil groups will team up with Labour to
fight this fraud. The refusal of President Obasanjo to listen to the voice of
reason and instead act alone on issues of national importance has made him to
grow into a civilian dictator. His know it all policies will lead him to
nowhere, he has to listen to other people or else he will only be postponing
the evil days. The only way out
for Nigerians is to convey a Sovereign National Conference or else we are
heading for the doom. He has no option than to concede to the request by the
masses through labour and the civil society and revert to the old prices of petroleum products. The harassment
of NLC president by government agents is not enough to kill the morale of the
people. Oshiomhole is just one person out of the millions that are crying for
justice, so removing Oshiomhole or harassing him will not remove anything from
the struggle.
You have been known over the
years as belonging to the political camp of the progressives. What can you say
of people of like minds who have jumped to the other side and how do you think
Nigeria can produce a true progressive party?
The problem with some of these so
called progressives started during the long transition programme of General
Ibrahim Babangida. In politics you have leaders and follower, and that long
transition period caused a lot of havoc as some people at a time became so
confused that they did not even know where to belong. Because of the long time
the transition period took, money bags were able to hijack some of these parties
and start to dictate the pace. Some of the few true progressives that remain
also found their ways to different political parties and lost the cohesiveness
with which they are known for. A lot of meetings are going on among people of
like minds and I want to tell you that in a not too far time we will be able to
find an alternative to the menace PDP is know.
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