Posted by From Martins Oloja (Abuja), Isa Abdulsalami (Jos), Francis Obinor (Lagos) and Hendrix Oliomogbe (Benin) on
OPPOSITION to the planned third-term agenda for President Olusegun Obasanjo heightened at the weekend when politicians from the 19 northern states, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and other prominent Nigerians declared their rejection of the plot.
OPPOSITION to the planned third-term agenda for President Olusegun Obasanjo heightened at the weekend when politicians from the 19 northern states, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and other prominent Nigerians declared their rejection of the plot.
The northern leaders, who met under the aegis of a new political group - the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in Abuja on Friday, vowed to mobilise other Nigerians to make the agenda a stillbirth.
Those who attended the inaugural meeting of the group, chaired by the former Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Gambo Jimeta, are former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na'Abba, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu (rtd), Gen. Muhammadu Bashir (rtd), former General Officer Commanding 1st Mechanised Division, Kaduna; Col. Musa Gwadabe (rtd), Dr. Usman Bugaje, member of the Lower House; Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Senator Kennedy Waku and Alhaji Yahaya Kwande.
In its reaction to the plot, the AD asked the President to break his silence on the alleged tenure extension.
Similarly, former Chief of General Staff (CGS), Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe (rtd), urged the President to quit now that the ovation is loudest.
But the United States (U.S.) through its embassy in Nigeria has refuted a report in a national daily (not The Guardian) that President George W. Bush had written a letter to Obasanjo not to run for another term.
While addressing about 70 members of the MRD at the meeting, Gambo, who was a National Security Adviser to the late head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, said the group was worried by the display of undemocratic tendencies in the running of the affairs of the country by a cabal.
Apparently accusing the Obasanjo administration of impoverishing Nigerians in spite of the huge revenue from crude oil sales since 1999, Gambo said the enthusiasm with which people welcomed democratic governance had been dampened by the leaders' abuse of the rule of law and self-perpetuation agenda.
He said: "The recent flagrant disregard for the rule of law and the desperate effort made by these cabals to narrow the political space and emasculate Nigerians into submission are illustrations of this and are reminiscent of the dark days of the last decade of the 20th century.
"Sadly enough, those days are back with us and as we did in the past, we can rise once more to restore democracy."
Gambo, who said members of the group are representatives of the 19 Northern states, urged Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to respect the provisions of the 1999 Constitution with regards to the two-term tenure of four years for the President and state governors.
Noting that ongoing moves to effect changes in the constitution could spell doom for democratic governance in the country, he called on the people of the North to work together and restore the dignity bequeathed to the region by its founding fathers.
"We, in particular, feel that we should defend the 1999 Constitution. It is too soon to start talking about changing the constitution that is hardly less than 10 years old. We cannot understand why anybody will do that.
"We should also realise that we are not the only country in the world and we have seen the processes that led to other countries' collapsing. And, God forbid Nigeria is heading towards that fast.
"And if people sit down and do nothing about it, then they have themselves to blame. We cannot just sit back and fold our hands. We should come out and really stop people who are trying to drag this country into the abyss!"
The former police boss, however, said the group was not canvassing for change through unconstitutional means, adding that it was prepared to explore all legal means to achieve its objectives.
"I'm not saying that we should do anything extra-legal. We should follow the legal way to ensure that we have restored on us the dignity that our forefathers have left for us," he said.
Gambo also accused the conveners of the Movement for the Defence of Democracy (MDD) of "hijacking" the original idea of the MRD, but added that the group would work with people of like minds to put the country back on the path of true and responsive democracy.
"We have sat down over the matter, time and time again. Unfortunately, some people took the idea and ran away with it. That is the MDD that has sprouted from the South. Well, if they share the same aspirations as we do, we welcome them.
"The MRD is borne out of a feeling for the suffering masses. We don't belong to any political group or any political aspirant in the country. We are coming directly to the people who are suffering and appeal to them to let us restore our dignity and honour", he said.
After a closed-door session, which lasted till about 3.00 a.m. on Saturday, the group issued a five-point statement demanding that the sanctity of the 1999 Constitution be respected and upheld:
Other members at the meeting were Senator Ajadi Suleiman, Dr. Farouk Abdulazeez, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, Senator Kura Mohammed, Dr. Paul Amadu, Alhaji Gwadabe Satatima, Alhaji Salisu Koko, Alhaji Hassan Saleh, Alhaji Abubakar Jigawa and Alhaji Mamman Abubakar Dan-Musa.
In a statement yesterday, AD's National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said that the increasing reports on the third-term bid demand that the President speaks out. He said the party was more worried by the disclosure of members of the National Assembly about the plan and the huge amount of public resources that the planners want to commit to the "project".
The AD said that was surprising that in the midst of all these, Obasanjo had not deemed it expedient to make a categorical statement, one way or the other on the matter.
"If anything, the statements that have been made either by him or his aides have been vague and non-categorical. Given our past experience, with leaders who say one thing and do another, especially on the issue of the tenure of their regimes, Nigerians are very sceptical, concerned and genuinely afraid about 2007, the date Obasanjo's second-term should come to an end," he said.
The constitution, Adeyeye added, does not allow for a third-term, noting that the issue of third-term was being discussed at all, was absurd. "This should bother President Obasanjo the leader of the New Partner for African Development (NEPAD), which claims to champion constitutionalism and good governance in Africa."
The AD chief specifically urged Obasanjo to end the speculations and rumour with a categorical denial and take practical steps that would reassure Nigerians that he plans to disengage in 2007. "His present silence is not golden. It is capable of throwing the nation into anarchy, chaos and total destabilisation.
"If it is true that the President harbours a hidden agenda for a third-term, we urge him to perish the thought. We also urge the National Assembly to resist the temptation of becoming willing collaborators in such a perfidious and devilish move. If they do not perish the thought, they will perish our democracy and even our corporate existence as a nation," he stated.
On its part, the U.S. embassy has denied any correspondence between Obasanjo and Bush on the third-term palaver.
Last Thursday, a national daily claimed that Bush had warned Obasanjo not to tinker with the country's constitution.
The embassy however said: "President Bush has not corresponded with President Obasanjo concerning a mandate extension to allow President Obasanjo to be considered a candidate in the Nigerian presidential elections in 2007."
It stressed that the U.S. and Nigeria are close friends and partners adding that "there is continuous communication at all levels" between the two nations.
Akhigbe, who spoke in Benin recently advised Obasanjo to shun those clamouring for him to amend the constitution and run for a third-term in office when his tenure expires in 2007.
Under the present 1999 Constitution, he is only entitled to two terms.
He said that he was yet to be convinced of the wisdom of the campaign, reminding that Obasanjo himself has spoken against the move severally. "I cannot believe that Obasanjo is scheming to come back for a third term," he said.
According to the retired sailor, a young nation like Nigeria needs its heroes; statesmen it could look up to for guidance.
Akhigbe said he still holds the President in high esteem for having the courage to quite in 1979 when military rule was in vogue in Africa. Stressing that it was the reason why the military junta, which he was a part of immediately ordered his release from prison when it came to power in 1998 following the sudden death of Abacha. A subsequent presidential pardon enabled him to contest the historic 1999 election.
Looking back, Akhigbe lamented that the country has treated its leaders badly. "The first Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa was killed. So were the premiers of Western Region, Chief Samuel Akintola and his Northern Region counterpart, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello; Maj.-Gen. Aguiyi-Irosi was also killed and Gen. Murtala Muhammed. We should learn to respect our leaders," he said.
In his reaction, a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Awwal Tukur said although he was not aware of the development, he queried the Nigerian populace that once a standard is set it should be followed to the letter.
Tukur spoke with journalists at the weekend during the Bwatiye Women Summit in Jos.
He said that "if we set standards, let us maintain them. If we say we are for two-terms, let us maintain those two-terms. If we continue to change things midway, it will affect all of us. That is what triggers-off our problems."
Also, a serving member of the Lower House, Anthony Madwate, has said the National Assembly has procedures of enacting laws. "And you are bringing a constitutional issue. The third-term thing is a constitutional issue. To the best of my knowledge, the National Assembly has not even deliberated on the matter.
"And even after deliberations, we have processes. Such issues will be subjected to public hearing and the generality of opinion is what the National Assembly will now consider for implementation," Madwate stated.
Senator Jonathan Zwingina, who was also at the summit, refused to comment on the issue saying he was not in Jos for any political comments.