Posted by By KENNY ASHAKA, Kaduna on
The President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has warned Nigerians against treasonable actions, saying the law will take its course on those already arrested for treasonable offences.
The President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has warned Nigerians against treasonable actions, saying the law will take its course on those already arrested for treasonable offences.
He also told members of the Armed Forces to ensure that they continue to support democracy and the rule of law, pointing out that "it is now obvious to all Nigerians that democracy is infinitely superior to any system of government."
The warning is coming at a time four ethnic militia lords are being held by the state for treason-related offences. Those hauled in are: Alhaji Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF); Ralph Uwazuruike, leader Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra; Dr Frederick Fasehun and Gani Adams, both leaders of the Oodua Peoples Congress.
Lately, Obasanjo's deputy, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had had to refute insinuations in some documents in circulation purportedly linking him with treasonable acts, even as his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Abdul Yari, was arrested and withdrawn from his station, allegedly for 'security breaches."
The ADC, who is now in court to contest the authorities' move, was allegedly indicted by cumulative security reports which allegedly linked him with the activities of an arm of Turaki Vanguard, a political organisation promoting the presidential ambition of Atiku.
Before this, there has been speculations that the nation's number two man may be roped into a charge of coup plotting in the grand game of extending the tenure of the present administration minus the vee pee.
Nobel laureate and Literary giant, Professor Wole Soyinka, probably had all these in mind when, at the launch of The Whole Truth, a collection of the Editorials of The Guardian in Lagos, last Thursday, he accused the present administration of abuse of the charge-treason.
Said the iconoclast: 'Never in the history of Nigeria has the charge of treason been so prodigally deployed as under this regime. Soon, merely to speak of a strict adherence to the constitution will amount to a charge of treason."
Speaking at the combined passing out parade of officer cadets of Short Service Course 34 (Army) and Direct Short Service course 16 (Navy) of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, at the weekend, the President said democracy has enabled the government to achieve giant strides in restoring public confidence in government and to provide infrastructure, resuscitation of moribund industries and restoration of Nigeria's dignity and esteem in the international community.
"Unfortunately, in spite of all the alternative civil opportunities that exist, some people still believe that they can force their point of view on others by undemocratic means, often including the resort to violence.
"Government will leave no stone unturned in checking these fissiparous tendencies in our country, including stern measures against treasonable actions of some misguided elements in our society. The law will continue to take its course in this regard", he said.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Rabiu Kwakwanso, said that the achievements recorded so far have been made possible by the democratic system, which encourages free expression and harmonious way forward through discussion, consultation and consensus that exist in all tiers of government.
Obasanjo asked men of the armed forces to strive to understand the workings and intricacies of democratic governance in line with their professional and national interest.
He argued that if a thorough study of the nuances of democracy was undertaken by, members of the armed forces, the system will be better appreciated to the extent that they will contribute in their own way towards its stability and sustenance.
"Occasional disagreements do not indicate that democracy does not work. Indeed, for a developing country such as ours, mistakes are inevitable. In the process, lessons will be learnt that will strengthen the system.
"Arbitrary and undemocratic actions are no solutions to democratic problems. The military, more than any other institution of state, owes this country a duty to appreciate this fundamental logic. Your continued subordination to civil authority, therefore, must remain the guiding principle under the present dispensation," he said.