Posted by By BIYI ADEGOROYE, Lagos and JACOB EDI, Abuja on
In spite of the outcome of the Port-Harcourt meeting of the Mantu-led committee on constitutional review, National Chairman of the National Democratic Party [NDP], Alhaji Habu Fari said Friday in Abuja that a third term for the current executive led by President Olusegun Obasanjo will not stand.
• It is tragic - Gambo Jimeta (MRDD)
•OBJ has no plans to perpetuate himself in power - Fani-Kayode
In spite of the outcome of the Port-Harcourt meeting of the Mantu-led committee on constitutional review, National Chairman of the National Democratic Party [NDP], Alhaji Habu Fari said Friday in Abuja that a third term for the current executive led by President Olusegun Obasanjo will not stand.
Similarly, former Inspector General of police and helmsman of the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy [MRDD], Alhaji Mouhammadu Gambo Jimeta, described the development as a tragic end to Nigeria's last hope of installing democracy.
An official statement from his party, however, said the development in Port Harcourt will bring together all progressives elements to seek all known legal ways to stop the National Assembly from adopting a third term for the current executive.
Fari who did not express surprise at the outcome of the Mantu-led committee noted that his party, the NDP had 13 months ago raised alarm over plans by the Obasanjo regime to extend its tenure illegally.
'My stand about Port Harcourt is that no single man surpasses the people and God. Look they can do anything but the third term will not work. What they have gone to do in Port Harcourt is just fulfill what they were paid for. There is no way it will work. This whole thing will fail like the confab," Fari stated in Abuja.
According to him the reliance of the committee on zones that are not recorgnized by the 1999 constitution makes the matter worse. Although he said Nigerians will not just sit back and have the 3rd term apologists have their way, Fari dismissed any possibility of a military take-over.
'It is time for the politicians and Nigerians to fight," Fari stated, wondering how the Mantu committee will pass their recommendation through the National Assembly without any bill to that effect in the first place.
In his response, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta, the MRDD Chairman told Saturday Sun that the development will naturally force the progressives into action to challenge the process leading to the constitutional amendment.
Although he did not confirm what level of consultation has been going on since the Mantu committee adopted the elongation of tenure, Jimeta said, 'we have been talking and for us at the MRDD we are talking with a lot of groups and all those who share our aspirations are welcome to challenge the illegality that is going on by this government."
'We are going to use every legal tool at our disposal to ensure that that doesn't happen. We are not opposed to amending the Constitution. What we are saying, for heaven's sake, if the need for that arises, it must be grassroots' initiative. It must visibly be in the interest of the nation."
Reacting in a separate telephone interview, Gambo Jimeta said it was a national tragedy which must be resisted.
Stating that the move was a big blow for restoration of democracy for Nigeria and Nigerians, Gambo Jimeta said the party and indeed all democratic elements and civil society in the country will resist it.
'We are studying it. We are looking at the whole thing to see how to respond to it and the next line of action. Already, our party has issued a press release wherein we have made known our reaction. What I can say now is that we will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to fight the whole exercise and seek a way out of this anarchy," he said in a telephone interview.
He said many politicians from various parties were already talking to themselves because it is a collective fight for the soul of Nigeria. 'All the civil society groups and the rest political parties have to close ranks for this fight. It is not our fight alone, but a fight for all Nigerians"
On whether the next election will be of any relevance in view of the latest development, he said that depends on the outcome of the opposition. 'There is still hope on the matter. Elections are still of importance. But if the status quo remains, the elections are determinable ab initio."
Reacting to the same issue, another former police chief said President Obasanjo does not need a third term at all, rather, he should quit in 2007 to assume an enviable leadership role not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa in the mode of Nelson Mandela.
According to him, Nelson Mandela today is not only a hero, but a pillar for good governance who mentored younger generation of politicians as successors and has become a respected voice in the whole content.
'We are in contact with everybody who is opposed to third term and we hope to really congeal a pool of all those opposed to the idea, and we shall go out to tackle it together. We intend to go to court on every matter that is illegally pursued by the third term protagonists. We seek to pursue the rights of the people of this country through peaceful and constitutional means," Jimeta further stated.
But Presidential Spokesman, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, dismissed all the insinuations that President Obasanjo was planning to perpetuate himself in office.
According to him 'there is no truth in the suggestion. It is not only ridiculous, but it is also far-fetched and only a figment of the imagination of some mischief-makers. It is a figment of their imagination that has gone wild. Mr. President does not intend to be in power for life. Certainly, what happened in Port Harcourt is the exclusive business of another arm of government, the legislature over which we in the executive definitely have no control over."