Any sincere and genuine hope for Nigeria’s future most be concerned with what the future may have in reserve for a nation of over 140 million humans, especially after such a monumental robbery of the citizens will and mandate.
Do-or-die operation it has really been-Just like any other armed robbery incident, alright! But after the storm is over and the dust is down while the loot is been distributed by the gang, what is left to the rest of us (the victims) is naught, but to start counting our losses and march on with sweet life. After all where there is life there is hope. A hope for a better Nigeria to come- “Utopia”.
Lo! Our hope however, remains a hope which it truly is. It is only normal that a victim of armed robbery has no say in how the Villain disposes the loot. He did not give it out in the first place. It was taken from him under duress.
This short correlative anecdote suffices to re-assure us that we stand not to gain anything from any institution or arrangement whose basis is similarly illegitimate- in all ramifications. But even where this analogy suffices not, we can take the classical example of the immediate past regime which was a product of the same arrangement as a case. Nigeria is worse off in virtually all respects regardless of all attempts at white washing the messy and scandalous affairs of that regime.
For want of achievements the outgoing administration at its dying hours was seen aggressively scooping for points to justly its eight washed years despite the unprecedented wealth available. The government acted like a midnight government that held Nigeria ransom from 2003 to 2007.
It is worthwhile to remember all the senseless demolitions in Abuja, crooked reforms, selective- insincere anti corruption crusade, frequent petrol price hike (welcome and parting gift), non conformance with budget etc to mention but very few. So insensitive and draconian in approach to issues. Little wonder it was a government of stolen mandate.
Now the honey moon is over and sun is beginning to shine on all the night time affairs. But then former president said he had no regret for all hi actions in office. Whatever, if a lot of regrets are not really groining him inside, does a humble person need to say he has no regrets to the public?
Shamelessly, the most arrogated accomplishment has been the notorious economic reforms that have battered the life of the masses. Then, the GSM revolution was another high score that has to be celebrated as if it is not an issue of modern global relevance. It is Plausible to say that Nigeria would have had GSM at the time it did even without Obasanjo regime. After all no ingenuity could be said to be involved in the auction of licenses for a highly lucrative investment like GSM in a densely populated nation.
In the fall of 2003 to 2007, the legislative arm (Senate) has played a formidable role in checking the excesses of the executive whose mandate was a stolen one.
It is remarkable to note that Nigeria would have been in a deeper mess if those legislators have not acted to cushion the adverse effects of the berserk gone Obasanjo government. It was that resilience that led to the scandalous ouster of several leaders of the senate, with the last one having a narrow escape. A landmark accomplishment of the outgoing senate is the botched 3rd form agenda of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Emerging from the elections brouhaha of 2007, a spill over effect of the Olusegun Obasanjo’s mess that tends to escape attention of pundits and commentators alike is the seeming docility of the incoming legislature especially the senate. It is not surprising that this fundamental issue is escaping comment. The magnanimity of the robbery of the presidency within the context of the overall election problems is enough to put away attention from embedded but even more explosive problems.
The composition of the senate is an issue of even greater concern. First the old senate (2003-2007) has suffered a catastrophic loss resulting from the vindictiveness of president Obasanjo against the opponents of the 3rd term agenda. These excellent legislators had to be scandalously sidelined and replaced for some anointed favorites of the power brokers of our time. This means that the usual positive balance in the senate which has benefited Nigerians is some what tilted to the negative side.
The second problem with the incoming senate is the infiltration by a sizeable number of former state governors – most of whom have lost out in one way on the other, the bid to become “president of Nigeria”. Their expired tenure in the state mantle-ship lives them with no other thing than joining the senate at all cost in other to remain relevant. These are same governors whose rapport with their respective legislators was not a good tale.
Lest we forget the notoriety of some of these governors in piloting the affairs of their states arbitrarily without recourse to the legislatures and court orders. The unilateralist and checkered track records of these governors coupled with their ill gotten wealth which they carry along to the senate are particularly worrisome to the hope for a better Nigeria. With this ill gotten wealth in their pockets as they take up strategic positions in the senate – Nigerians are in real soup.
Beside these governors, the new senate has also been infested with some other auxiliary elements. These are governors’ wives, presidents’ daughters, governors’ sisters and relations and all manner of links. Even the tradition of giving senate leadership positions to old experienced senators is on its way to the dogs.
The main danger inherent in this arrangee composition of the new senate (2007) is that, these like factors of destruction that share common interest and characteristics are coming together to form a formidable block that would call the shots in our national parliament. They would be suitable for presidency- legislature middlemen. Their dubious wealth can finance and settle whatever dissent that may arise. What they stand for is embedded in how they got to the senate, how they acquire their wealth, how they ruled and banqueted power in their respective states.
Stories are bound of some of these greed driven funny beings- who contemplated the presidency and senate at the same time during their party primaries. Greed did not allow them the common cold to make a feasible choice from one of the alternatives. They were under the illusion that the ultimate medal (presidency) may fall their way courtesy the king of the jungle who would anoint them and help rob the way for them to become presidents like he just did to his chosen one.
Unfortunately they were schemed out of the business by the supreme lord of the jungle in favor of a little known favorite. They have forfeited and foregone the other alternative too (the senate) as the primaries were legitimately closed -with some other persons emerging as Winners of the forfeited positions. But then, the jungle is always a jungle. Still the survival of the fittest. So, the lord of the jungle was invoked to show mercy and do something. He then muzzled out the so called winners and compensated them with the platforms. Not to worry- he who emerges from the king’s platform always wins. Unless otherwise……
The lesson to derive from this sampled story is that, what these elements stand for is conspicuously self centered and therefore not healthy for the nation.
Dinning with a president that is of the same stuff by the an arrangee legislature makes everything set for the squandering of our collective will. All ready the PDP has warned its members that party loyalty is the order of the day.
Before now, these elements use to act in a mutually exclusive set up and the effect of their unwholesomeness was not too far-fetched. Now that they are joining forces in a complex mutually complementary set-up which boils down even to the states level where the new senators (former governors) have their stooges (as new governors) the effect would be too devastating. And, Nigeria would not just be in soup but in a deep soup. May God have mercy.
Although, leadership changes in the judiciary has resulted in landmark judgments that had positioned the courts as the real last hope for the masses, still fresh in our minds is the option to flaggarently disregard court orders with impunity. Their were a lot of referable cases with the last one been the refusal by INEC to allow the opposition access to voting materials as ordered by the courts in spite of the relevance of such to vindicating the credibility problem shared by both INEC and the so called “President elect”.
Furthermore the courts cannot dabble into issues without been invoked. In a situation where the parliament is so engulfed in a never ending hot romance with the executive, the judiciary can well go to sleep. For want of any dispute to resolve.
Commendable is the fact that this singular act has brought together a lot of conscientious Nigerians who use to be divided along flimsy differences in such a manner that make all disunited and susceptible to manipulations for political ends. Their seems to be a consensus of the Nigerian press (devoid of the usual sectional or ethno-religious solidarity) in condemnation of such a heinous crime to the nation.
