Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Thursday, 20 November 2014
Legal brief Africa
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Quote of the day
“We build our marriages with endless friendship, confidence, integrity, and by administering and sustaining each other in our difficulties.”
— James E. Faust
— James E. Faust
Monday, 17 November 2014
Who will lead rivers State?
AS THE POLITICAL RACE BEGINS, WHO WILL LEAD RIVERS STATE?
This is the time Rivers People should chose their leaders as the Political Parties select or elect their flag-bearers. Rivers People, I presume know what they want and should be able to know who can deliver by way of actualizing their aspirations. I Further wish to state that it appears we Rivers People most be more diligent this time around to avoid personalities that will unnecessarily mix our growth and development with his or her personality ego trite. It is now, I repeat that the choice has to be made because as soon as the Political parties announce their flag- bearers, it will be difficult to make amend.
Having observed as in the above, some of the things Rivers People should clamor for in a candidate irrespective of the Political Party among others include:
1. We need a new industrial base, whether it be cottage industrious it will be more empowering of the citizenry than motorcycles and tricycles. Consider the number of people a tyre factory, Aluminum factory, Glass and bottle factory, a canning industry and Plastic industries will absorb of Rivers youths in two years time.
2. Livestock cottage farms including goat farms, fish pounds, poultry farms and related businesses can revolutionaries Rivers State in two years. Let me illustrate from experience. You need about #400,000 to buy a tricycle and about #100,000 to buy a motorcycle. These automobiles support the transportation of goods and services but do not generate any growth outside the operator who cannot employ another person. But with #400,000.00 a goat farm of 10 she goats and 4 he goats built in a backyard will every nine months reproduce an average of additional 20 goats. These goats will provide, milk, beef, direct and indirect employments for others, families will be feed, and cared for and it grows. The feeds for these goats is every where, grasses, at least we have them in abundance. This is just one example. We have to therefore look out for a leader who can teach us to fish not giving us fish.
3. Is there an aspirant among the lot who will embark on a massive housing project in collaboration with the private sector? For example is anything wrong for the government to acquire land and give it out to private developers and when they recover their fund it revert to the government under the management of the private sector? If that is not wrong and such a leader is found among the aspirants, we have to root for him or her whather as a Governor or legislator.
4. The above issues takes me to the leader with the will power to embark on the geographically decentralization of seat of power and development of other towns outside Port Harcourt and it's environ. I want to ask if among the aspirants, we found the house builder who will build every year 1000 housing units in each local government in collaboration with private developers and exercise executive power to create ten administrative centers outside Port Harcourt, will we support him or her to have in these administrative centers all the ministries in the State? The impart of this initiative cannot be quantified in monetary terms because it will be in quantum.
5. We also have to look very carefully among the aspirants irrespective of Party who will make education affordable, credible and efficient. The schools brings a turn around in the growth and development of any people and because government is a continuum whatever that is on ground in the Educational sector has to be built upon. As education is an industry of it own an efficient management of the sector can generate revenue for the state and still develop the peoples potentials.
6. Employment is now a necessity of life and we most look out for leaders who will marshal out a plan of action to tackle unemployment in addition to the plans above as this is the key to the reduction of insecurity in the state.
The above will help us find out the motives and desires of those who have shown interest to lead our state. In these inquiry, the attitude of the leader can be detected for us to know whether to trust them or not with our state. I most admit that majority of us most be involved positively in this effort. Mistakes will be made along the way but we most make amend and reconcile issues for the interest of the generality of the state.
I am conscious of the fact that some readers will call this a mere sermon. But I believe that if we give it a trial it will make a difference because we know that a competent and purpose driven Governor will make a great difference in the life of our State. And what is on ground is selecting that Governor. We also know that a thinker and planner legislator can make a difference no matter the level because he or she participates in making laws that will control our lives as citizens. And what is on ground is selecting these legislators. So this is serious business and lives will be imparted. I therefore do not think this should be purely politics, tribal sentiment and feeling docile. As me and you know that the single function of government is to protect our rights and freedoms and these rights and freedoms can only be meaningful if we have housing, food, cloths and employment. And this government that will protect these rights and freedom have to be headed by human beings and these human beings in all ramifications will be politicians, but we the citizenry select them in elections that is around the corner. We can make a difference at least letting the aspirants know it is not business as usual.
We have to look out for who will lead us to continue the contribution of the present and previous leaders.
Rivers State is on the move again….
By Ike Ake Esq.
MOREGOOD : WHO WILL SAVE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN FROM HIM...
MOREGOOD : WHO WILL SAVE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN FROM HIM...: WHO WILL SAVE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN FROM HIMSELF? It is not the intention of this writer to delve into the unpredictable arena of par...
WHO WILL SAVE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN FROM HIMSELF?
WHO WILL SAVE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN FROM HIMSELF?
It is not the intention of this writer to delve into the unpredictable arena of partisan politics in Nigeria, but as a watcher and a law abiding citizen I sincerely wish to express these opinions that are personal and I feel entitled to them since they have being bothering me fore sometime now because of the recent happening in our polity. Thus, I ask, who will save President Goodluck Jonathan from himself? The political forecasters galavanting the capital cities of Nigeria predicting who knows what are they telling him the truth? Where is the place of ethnic envy and jealousy in this whole drama? Are there political broods and novice claiming to be masters in center stage? There are definitely more questions that I can attempt answers. But definitely, An attempt I will do with all sincerity.
Ones upon a time in Nigeria we were our brothers brother as well as Sisters Sister. Particularly during military rule and the two years civilian interruption, Political leaders kept to their words. The political leaders felt they had one common enemy, the soldiers in power, their cohesion was solid and they pushed and pushed harder these men on uniform underrating their tactics.
The dices was cast in 1998, the transition to return to civilian rule midwifed by a General as a necessary evil actually worked, the military politicians sent for one of their own to metamorphosis in Agbada, this time in Aso Rock, not Dodan Barracks. Chief Olusagun Obasanjo, the General with nine life's, known by all Nigerians emerged our democratically elected President. He became a decimal point since 1999 and with the other Generals, they discuss us in their sitting room as numbers and figures to be manipulated. That is the irony, the pro democracy advocates pushed the military tacticians harder to the kitchen to dish for themselves the choicest meals which in the first place is the reason for all the fight, political power. However, ten years after, a child of circumstance was born by cesarian operation code named by another General ‘doctrine of necessity-’ President Goodluck Jonathan, being the oil rich minority states slot in power before the oil wells drys up.
The main challenge now is 2015. All the active partisan Generals are sitting by the fence abandoning this child of circumstance but pouring oil on his path that makes the child slip and fall one scandal after the other, one sleep of tongue after another and one miscalculation after the other. All parties from all the political divide in this country acknowledge the fact that of right the foundation has being laid for this president to achieve greater potential by Chief Obasanjo and Yar ‘Adua, but that appear not to be the case.
The fantasy of office brought in many untrained hands who spoiled the cooking. Their idea of a minority as a President is still new to the minorities, so to them under any condition President Goodluck Jonathan most hang on, after all “it is our turn”and by the way what will President Jonathan tell the Ijaw Nation and the people of the South South that made him not to contest in 2015. This intimidation, cajoling and threat, broadcasted on National TV actually is tensing the polity day after day. And our President has succumbed and has purchased his forms.
There is no doubt these novice gladiators who are thinking of creating a niche for themselves have with them innocent passengers in these fast moving train and they fail to sustain and support their master to arrive safely from his six years trip on the bumpy road called Nigeria and they covered the train windows with blinds that their special passenger could not read the signposts by the rail side. Now many of his co passengers have jumped out of the train to their various states to run their own agenda which may not be transformative. These unpatriotic co-passengers actions smacks of greed, lack of loyalty and lack of believe on the Presidents transformation agenda and in an in-depth analysis an indictment of their master. This lack of calculation is one of the bane of this administration that makes nobody trust the President, even his own ministers thereby knowingly and unknowingly making mockery of the entire system.
Talking about miscalculation, we go to Rivers State, a miniature Nigeria, with it diversity, where the President could not gulp over a ball of eba since the Governors Forum election as he took with the eba a strong bone called Chibuike Amaechi, himself a ‘miscalculator’ who claims errors of judgment as genius.
It is the humiliation that President Jonathan and his Party will receive in Rivers State ( if he does not make amend on time ) that will change the political equation of Nigeria. The political dynamics of Rivers State is not just in the city center, Port Harcourt but on the nook and crannies of the entire state, unlike the ‘tanning’ in the city centers for Mr. President, a Rivers man before Bayelsa State creation and now a great in-law to Rivers State. A big shocker awaits him come 2015 unless he remove the bone in his ball of eba right their in his neck, Chibueike Ameachi. Reconciliation! Reconciliation! and Reconciliation! is the language because it is the stain spot in a white shirt that is visible. And as along as Chibuike Amaechi remains Governor every mistake will work for the good of the opposition and that will be attributed as ‘genus’, for example the Judiciary in Rivers State has being under lock and key for almost five months now and and settlement is not contemplated. This means no complete government in Rivers State as one constitutional arm of government is not functioning frustrating thousands of pending matters as well as custody matters.
These gladiators, Mr. President has sent to Rivers State who claim to be on the ground and those who left him to come to Rivers State are not sufficiently trained to ‘deliver’ Rivers State as it where for Mr. President, not talking of PDP in the state which is one of the albatross of the President if nothing is done and there are no functioning Courts to resolving some of this issues on their own independently.
Sir Peter Odili, for example, that political strategist and master of Chibuike Ameachi is not domiciled in Rivers State, he would have made a great difference if he was in town, but like the saying goes ‘out of site is out of mind’ basically, because the political landscape in Rivers State has drastically changed by Odili’s pupil, Ameachi in a strong effort to erase Odili’s mark and declare himself Socrates. It is a debilitating blow as Odili and his first eleven are in ‘exile’. Today the people of Orashi are facing persecution under Governor Amaechi because of Sir Peter Odili. And because of the poverty prevalent in the region, the vote of Orashi surprisingly is for sale to the highest bidder. I hope Mr. President knows about this truth so that he should not expect a miracle from the two man State Executive of his Party lead by the son of Orashi, Felix Obuah, the maverick Mr. Go-Round. The question now is will he be able to go - round now?
This is the last issue that I will use to conclude this selfie sort of. Today in Rivers State as is in Pan ~Nigeria, there is tremendous envy of the Ijaw Nation by all the tribes in Nigeria. And they want to lead Mr. President to the slaughter like a lamb. The Ijaws have come a long way in Nigeria and I most say they have paid their due. The people of the South–South are hypocritically shouting “GOODLUCK TO NIGERIA” but truly not from the bottom of their heart, they wished he is one of their son, more competent, agile, decisive, articulate, courageous and quick to observe and act. But like the saying goes ‘ a bird at hand is worth two on the tree’ they feel they have no option but chorus the usual tribal sentiment, ‘it is our turn!’. This is what is playing out in Rivers State, the Uplands want to hold on to power out of envy of the Ijaws both in Rivers State and Bayelsa State, that is why the zoning formula in the PDP constitution is jettisoned in the state with the excuse that the Ijaw have the President, they Ijaws have a state of their own with an Ijaw Governor’. This intimidation of the President if I can use the word with respect, is the reason for the silence of Mr. President and this is one of the strength for the opposition to morally deal a blow on the Presidents ambition and the Ijaws will be escape goat in Rivers State and the Ijaws will fight themselves. The opposition is not a political party par sa, it is people anger rightly or wrongly coupled with revenge of sort even by some Ijaw sons and daughters. And this opposition has state power in Rivers State and the presidency should not under rate them, they ‘might win’. This is why I ask, how will President Goodluck Jonathan save himself? Because even if he wins as President in 2015 with opposition majority in the National Assembly and more opposition States Governors including Rivers State, how will he succeed?
I sincerely say President Goodluck Jonathan may be conspiring against himself without knowing with the Boko Haram denying ‘ cease fire’ and capturing the home town of his Defence Chief. It is time to stop this jamboree and carnival for the corporate development of Nigeria and plan, for he who fails to plan has planned to fail.
I believe that Nigerians are too united to be distracted. It is true they may belong to opposing camps, for the politicians, that is their stock in trade. I also believe that Nigeria is too favored by God Almighty to fail no matter what those who manipulate the system try to do.
By Ike Ake Esq.
CITIZEN IMPOVERISHMENT
CITIZEN IMPOVERISHMENT
What can we do to make Nigeria indivisible a country? Where every citizen is equal before the law and equal before the commonwealth of Nigeria? It is painful that in today Nigeria, there is so much bitterness and massive impoverishment of the citizenry, particularly the youths, and this poverty and impoverishment has been blamed as the reason for increase in crime, which have turned heinous. The concentration of poverty amongst the youths is in our urban cities, where these youths and even children see the empty mansions, castles, sky crappers built by Nigeria Citizens with loots from the commonwealth, it create anger. Go to Abuja, the Nations capital, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and see what very few Nigerians are doing with money in the midst of so much poverty, it could be frustrating to say the least.
The more offending aspect is the wrong and very evil assumption by public office holders in Nigeria that some people ought to be poor while they are entitled to enjoy the commonwealth of the nation as they will. What matters to these public office holders is to hold on to power even when they are not contributing to improving law and order and the massive impoverishment, which in my own opinion are among the numerous problems of Nigeria.
The surprising thing is that law and order and massive impoverishment are resolve able in practical terms if the government of the day have the will power and courage to do so. And this is what appears to be lacking among the leaders of the Nation in this our time. And to me this is simply wickedness which cannot produce happiness.
RELIGION IN NIGERIA POLITICS
RELIGION IN NIGERIAN POLITICS.
Who brings religion to politics? And how does politics come into Nigeria Religion? To me these are not one and the same question because in Nigerian political arena they are interchanged. Religion, that essential part of all humanity has tremendous influence on all people irrespective of tribe.
To me the crucial issue is Right to freedom of worship as distinct from Religious tolerance which is the focus of Nigeria and Nigerians. Unfortunately, politics have destroyed the sacrosanct role of religion in the Nigerian society.
Years ago in this country, religion and religious people who belong to the three well known religions, Christianity, Islam and traditional African Religions were epitome of conscience driven persons in all that they do. The clergy and Priest of these religion symbolizes then all that was ‘light and True’ of God. Now it is difficult to predict what some religious leaders can say in very clear situation where light and truth is required because of politics. And these politics is not to serve but to acquire power, wealth and fame.
The truth is that religion in any society can solve all problems. But not religion in politics or playing politics with religion. This is because the doctrines of virtually all universal religion is focus on the Almighty God, the creator and giver of all life. That is why no religion accepts, stealing, killing, falsehood, adultery and fornication as good practices. But still all those who are arrested and fingers pointed at for criminality are all members of one of the three universal religions in Nigeria. And their religious leaders have never being heard to say or take any action to right the wrongs of their members.
If religious leaders in this country would live in the light and truth of their religion they will have the moral strength and courage to correct their members escapade in public offices of corruption and abuse of power. If all of us religious people will ask the right questions on our public office representatives for evil doing and appearance of evil on their part. Then our religiosity will be a blessing in our polity.
Ike Ake Esq.
OPEN THE COURTS
NO COURT NO RULE OF LAW.
In the hundred years of Nigeria the Courts have functioned regularly, even under the worst dictatorial regimes in Nigeria, the military junta’s did not close the courts, even the worst industrial strikes the courts’ have served as the place to resolve industrial disputes. Even during the annual judicial recess, the citizenry are served with recess courts. This underscore the important role of the Court in any society. The Courts administered by the Judiciary is a constitutional arm of any government anywhere in the world.
The failure of any of the constitutional arm of government is an aberration such as under military dictatorship when the Parliament is sacked there cannot be in place the rule of law. The worst is when the courts are outrightly closed as in Rivers State in the past five months. The worst the military has done was the introduction of ouster clauses which the Courts declared null and void in this country.
Anarchy is the opposite of the rule of law and that is what is at play in Rivers State, where the House of Assembly ( Parliament) is a mockery as not in full operation. And human rights has being trampled upon by the Executive Arm of Government with impunity as the courts are under lock and keys. What is in operation is a fiefdom of sort, where the state is run like a private family affairs. This is the corruption of absolute power emanating from personal vendetta and revenge in the process of appointing a Chief Judge, who is nothing but an administrative judge. This personal show of political muscle and tribal skirmishes has rendered over 10,000 cases before the Courts’ in both the State Courts and the Customary Courts comatose. The Constitutional rights of 10,000 persons detained in Prisons, Police stations and military institutions violated and the individuals hopeless.
This senseless use of political power which has occasioned death as a result of frustrations on the part of stakeholders including the lawyers and their clients is not only a shame but a betrayal of trust. The Executive arm of Government in Rivers State has destroyed the legal system in the state for selfish aggrandizement. And on close observation no sector of the state economy is functioning as economy is tied to law. Today, a lot of criminality take place as agents of the Executive extort money from the citizens in form of levy and taxes in collaboration with and get away with it because no Courts to stop them. Today in Rivers State, the Executives at the state and Local Government level make laws and constitute themselves into tribunals and arbitrations to trial matters in the ministries and Local Government Councils Chairmen and Counselors. This open mockery of the judicial power of the state has turn lawyers to objects of ridicule and paupers in the state.
The characters of fiefdom include lawlessness and arbitrary rule where one man (who is not a monarch) dominates and turns state apparatus into private or personal property. A fiefdom as Rivers State is turning has it apologist who criminalize any voice of reason. The truth of the matter in the state are: First, there is absolute rule in Rivers State, where the Executive closed the Judiciary and controls the legislature second, the Courts are under lock and key and so no Rule of law, Third, the Parliament in the State is tied to the apron of the Executive and is not functioning according to law and finally, human rights is violated because of the abuse of power.
We most not fail to point out that apart from the Head of the Executive in the State, all the other parties in this breeding of lawlessness are all lawyers, namely, the Judges and their lawyer proponents. The Chief Law officer of the state is a lawyer and the Bar Associations in the state are bodies of lawyers. All of them are those who ought to know the values and sacrosanct nature of rights and freedom, but with respect to all of them they chose to betray the law and the state with their docility. Shame and shame, or is it disgrace?
There is a failure of constitutional government in Rivers State as no courtroom is open and human rights violated with impunity. This is not the meaning of democracy. What we have in Rivers state is anarchy worst than we had under military regimes. We most recall that in Rivers State all the landmark infrastructures in the state were all built by military Regimes, Stadium, Secretariats, Express road and flyovers etc. The subsequent civilian regimes built on these structures without white elephant projects. And all these time the Courts were functioning. This has become necessary because the apologist of this fiefdom will always claim developmental strides of the regime. The truth is that the courtrooms are not open and rights and freedoms are in chain. Democracy is being misapplied and the people are suffering misrule.
We cannot continue like this as we do not know when this fiefdom will end. The silence of the Bar and Bench in the face of this travesty of the rule of law and break down of constitutionality makes the Bar and Bench in this state a lam dock. The Judges in Rivers State should be pro-active and give the Executive an ultimatum to open their Courts and one among them be sworn in by themselves as the administrative Judge and the two contenders to the office of Chief Judge of Rivers State compulsorily retired with their full entitlements. And failure of the Executive to comply, the courts should begin to seat in School Premises or community halls in our towns and cities. The Judges have to Rescue the Courts from the Executive Arm of Government.
The Bar Associations should back the ultimatum issued by the Judges and provide enabling support for the Courts to function wherever they chose to seat and hold Court sessions. The Courts belong to the people and the lawyers are the peoples people and they have to take back their pride and role as the conscience of the Nation. Rivers State does not belong to a single individual.
Our systems of law and our Constitution cannot protect themselves until people take actions to show that the law is supreme. Time waits for no one as the pivotal role of Rivers State in law and practice has being lost to neighboring states. Port Harcourt, Rivers State use to be the hob of legal science outside Lagos but that is not the case now. What has gone wrong?
By Ike Ake Esq.
What did your father tell you?
WHAT DID YOUR FATHER TELL YOU?
All of us had fathers and some of us are chips of the old block. And our fathers and mothers as well are our first image of God we know as we grow they become our heroes some fathers ultimately become superheroes and gods no matter their humble background and circumstances. Such was my father who passed on over twenty fours ago. I know that as you read this your father was and is your superhero.
It is also true that our fathers tell us so many things without minding whether we comprehend or not, but they do it with hope that one day we will remember their words and do something with it. And this is one of the main reason they do all they can to send us to school to acquire the skill to remember. I know you love your father like I do. And those of you whose fathers are still in this mortal live should do everything to make their fathers tell them something. And if you’re a father reading this piece tell your children something for it will guide them the rest of their life.
There is a book of memories in each of us occupied to a greater percent by the stories our parents told us. Last September, I took a long walk across my rural town to the place of my elderly uncle in his humble home, luckily, I met him at home, he is over eighty years of age. I remember things my father told me and wanted to here tales from an old folk and I heard some as he did not disappoint. Thank you uncle Amos.
Like I said earlier my father told me and my siblings a lot of things and our mothers amplified them to our understanding. These folks cannot read and write in western manner but were embodiment of knowledge and wisdom. And I have in the cause of my training as a lawyer being taught these same things in the books of western scholars. That only proofs to me that Almighty God loves all of His children. Truth, fairness and the attributes of honesty and integrity are as old as our fathers. Today these characters and attributes are embedded in the modern concepts of Justice, Equity, rights and freedom. My father told me in many forms and patterns including by body language and practical example in over a hundred years of his mortal life that I paraphrase thus: ‘if you tell the truth you will always be in trouble because you will be hated, but that should not make one to change’. These truth I have read in the holy bible and other holy scripts, these truths I have read in latter life in fictions and non fiction texts. Today we all are experiencing it in real life all around us.
I most admit that of the many things my father told me this is glaringly happening daily and I have being a victim of it time over and over. But because father said ‘… That should not make one to change’ I believe my father that that is true because it will amount to a betrayal to change from following the truth and in fact it will be dishonesty to know the truth and do the wrong thing, then what will I tell my children? and if I have the courage to tell them somethings how will I feel if they betray the trust?. We should know people tells something if they trust us. And our fathers trust us and tell us somethings because they want us to remember them.
One thing that is true about what our parents tell us particularly, our fathers, they come as catechism, that is in question and answer, so do not be surprise that I ask numerous questions in my write ups, remember, I am a chip of the old block, but not a chip from the old block from the Berlin Wall that fell 25 years ago by tomorrow November 9.
Read this catechism between a Government Officer and his subordinate who is also his contractor having awarded a major contract worth billions. This contractor does not have a spade or digger in fact he does not have any knowledge about road construction but has been awarded this huge contract from his master. Definitely the motive of both men was to embezzle public fund. And as is characteristic of this kind of deal, things fell apart and their relationship went swore. Also as is normal of this kind of nocturnal relationship they share evil secrets. They muted the issue until it is time for the public officer to handover his position and the contractor wanted to take over from the public officer, here them, from private discussion to TV arena:
Public officer: A thief cannot takeover from me!
Contractor: who is the thief here?
Public officer: you know you stole the billions made for the road construction?
Contractor: Then you most be corrupt for not arresting me all these while…
Public officer: you know that stealing is different from corruption?
The discussion ended abruptly because each party have to go back and research to sharpen their arguments to justify stealing and corruption of public fund. But not long they return in public glare over the money on different platforms.
Public officer ( in a political campaign): A thief cannot take over from me!
Crowd: yes, he is a thief.
Public officer: I have worked with him ( contractor) I have his data.
Crowd: Take him to the Anti-corruption agencies.
Public officer: The Anti-corruption agencies have stopped working these days.
The public officer went to a sponsored TV talk show:
Public officer: All these people who want to takeover from me are all thieves like their masters at the central Government.
TV Presenter: But you are a public officer and have the power to recover these public fund from the contractor?
Public officer: But you know, the police has being taken from me, the Anti - corruption agencies in this country is not working these days, in fact the Army, Air force and the Navy have being taken from me even Boys scouts I do not control?
TV Presenter: Huuuum, how come you are not in good terms with the police, Army, Navy,
Air force and the anti-corruption agencies, even the Boys scouts?
Public officer: Is that question for me?
TV Presenter: Just musing… Sir.
The TV station to present all view and all side all the time, invited the Contractor.
TV Presenter: There is this accusation that you stole public fund made for road construction.
Contractor: Does a thief walk about free?
TV Presenter: I wonder, but anything can happen in this country...
Contractor: In this country there are Procurement Law, in this country there are tender processes before award of contract and other relevant laws. And it is corruption not to comply to this laws.
TV Presenter: Are you saying their was no compliance to these laws before …..
Contractor: (cuts in): I was not awarded any contract in the eyes of the law. By the way if there was a contract while has the Public officer not sued me for breach of contract? If the Anti Corruption agencies have closed their doors against him, the Police is against him and the armed forces, what happens to the Chief Law officer whom the constitution of this country empowers to initiate charges against any persons. That Public officer is corrupt.
TV Presenter: What about the money?
Contractor: Is the question for me?
TV Presenter: Huuuum! Just gazing, sir.
At the end of the talk show the TV Presenter wisely asked, who is the thief and who is corrupt from our story?
I know your father told you that there three things that destroys a man, Power, riches and fame. My father told me that too and I read the three types of temptations of Jesus Christ by the devil after his baptism by John the Baptist and he went into fasting and prayer for forty days and forty nights at the end of the fasting the bible records that Jesus Christ was tempted thrice by the devil on these three themes: Power, Wealth and Fame. And the Christ overcame the devil who rules the world with a phrase, “get ye behind me satan for thy shall not tempt The Lord thy God”. It was a command, and the father of all lies, the miserable satan obeyed. So my father was right and I know that our fathers today are right because I have not heard of a father who lies to his children.
Remember what your father told you.
By Ike Ake Esq.
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
ELECTION THAT WILL CHANGE NIGERIA.
WHO WILL SAVE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN FROM HIMSELF?
It is not the intention of this writer to delve into the unpredictable arena of partisan politics in Nigeria, but as a watcher and a law abiding citizen I sincerely wish to express these opinions that are personal and I feel entitled to them since they have being bothering me fore sometime now because of the recent happening in our polity. Thus, I ask, who will save President Goodluck Jonathan from himself? The political forecasters galavanting the capital cities of Nigeria predicting who knows what are they telling him the truth? Where is the place of ethnic envy and jealousy in this whole drama? Are there political broods and novice claiming to be masters in center stage? There are definitely more questions that I can attempt answers. But definitely, An attempt I will do with all sincerity.
Ones upon a time in Nigeria we were our brothers brother as well as Sisters Sister. Particularly during military rule and the two years civilian interruption, Political leaders kept to their words. The political leaders felt they had one common enemy, the soldiers in power, their cohesion was solid and they pushed and pushed harder these men on uniform underrating their tactics.
The dices was cast in 1998, the transition to return to civilian midwifed by a General as a necessary evil actually worked, the military politicians sent for one of their own to metamorphosis in Agbada, this time in Aso Rock, not Dodan Barracks. Chief Olusagun Obasanjo, the General with nine life's, known by all Nigerians emerged our democratically elected President. He became a decimal point since 1999 and with the other Generals, they discuss us in their sitting room as numbers and figures to be manipulated. That is the irony, the pro democracy advocates pushed the military tacticians harder to the kitchen to dish for themselves the choicest meals which in the first place is the reason for all the fight, political power. However, ten years after, a child of circumstance was born by cesarian operation code named by another General ‘doctrine of necessity-’ President Goodluck Jonathan, being the oil rich minority states slot in power before the oil wells drys up.
The main challenge now is 2015. All the active partisan Generals are sitting by the fence abandoning this child of circumstance but pouring oil on his path that makes the child slip and fall one scandal after the other, one sleep of tongue after another and one miscalculation after the other. All parties from all the political divide in this country acknowledge the fact that of right the foundation has being laid for this president to achieve greater potential by Chief Obasanjo and Yar ‘Adua, but that appear not to be the case.
The fantasy of office brought in many untrained hands who spoiled the cooking. Their idea of a minority as a President is still new to the minorities, so to them under any condition President Goodluck Jonathan most hang on, after all “it is our turn”and by the way what will President Jonathan tell the Ijaw Nation and the people of the South South that made him not to contest in 2015. This intimidation, cajoling and threat, broadcasted on National TV actually is tensing the polity day after day. And our President has succumbed and has purchased his forms.
There is no doubt these novice gladiators who are thinking of creating a niche for themselves have with them innocent passengers in these fast moving train and they fail to sustain and support their master to arrive safely from his six years trip on the bumpy road called Nigeria and they covered the train windows with blinds that their special passenger could not read the signposts by the rail side. Now many of his co passengers have jumped out of the train to their various states to ran their own agenda which may not be transformative. These unpatriotic co-passengers actions smacks of greed, lack of loyalty and lack of believe on the Presidents transformation agenda and in an in-depth analysis an indictment of their master. This lack of calculation is one of the bane of this administration that makes nobody trust the President, even his own ministers thereby knowingly and unknowingly making mockery of the entire system.
Talking about miscalculation, we go to Rivers State, a miniature Nigeria, with it diversity, where the President could not gulp over a ball of eba since the Governors Forum election as he took with the eba a strong bone called Chibuike Amaechi, himself a ‘miscalculator’ who claims errors of judgment as genius.
It is the humiliation that President Jonathan and his Party will receive in Rivers State ( if he does not make amend on time ) that will change the political equation of Nigeria. The political dynamics of Rivers State is not just in the city center, Port Harcourt but on the nook and crannies of the entire state, unlike the ‘tanning’ in the city centers for Mr. President, a Rivers man before Bayelsa State creation and now a great in-law to Rivers State. A big shocker awaits him come 2015 unless he remove the bone in his ball of eba right their in his neck, Chibueike Ameachi. Reconciliation! Reconciliation! and Reconciliation! is the language because it is the stain spot in a white shirt that is visible. And as along as Chibuike Amaechi remains Governor every makes will work for the good of the opposition and that will be attributed as ‘genus’, for example the Judiciary in Rivers State has being under lock and key for almost five months now and and settlement is not contemplated. This means no complete government in Rivers State as one constitutional arm of government is not functioning frustrating thousands of pending matters as well as custody matters.
These gladiators, Mr. President has sent to Rivers State who claim to be on the ground and those who left him to come to Rivers State are not sufficiently trained to ‘deliver’ Rivers State as it where for Mr. President, not talking of PDP in the state which is one of albatross of the President if nothing is done and there are no functioning to resolving some of this issues on their own independently.
Sir Peter Odili, for example, that political strategist and master of Chibuike Ameachi is not domiciled in Rivers State, he would have made a great difference if he was in town, but like the saying goes ‘out of site is out of mind’ basically, because the political landscape in Rivers State has drastically changed by Odili’s pupil, Ameachi in a strong effort to erase Odili’s mark and declare himself Socrates. It is a debilitating blow as Odili and his first eleven are in ‘exile’. Today the people of Orashi are facing persecution under Governor Amaechi because of Sir Peter Odili. And because of the poverty prevalent in the region, the vote of Orashi surprisingly is for sale to the highest bidder. I hope Mr. President knows about this truth so that he should not expect a miracle from the two man State Executive of his Party lead by the son of Orashi, Felix Obuah, the maverick Mr. Go-Round. The question now is will he be able to go - round now?
This is the last issue that I will use to conclude this selfie sort of. Today in Rivers State as is in Pan ~Nigeria, there is tremendous envy of the Ijaw Nation by all the tribes in Nigeria. And they want to lead Mr. President to the slaughter like a lamb. The Ijaws have come a long way in Nigeria and I most say they have paid their due. The people of the South–South are hypocritically shouting “GOODLUCK TO NIGERIA” but truly not from the bottom of their heart, they wished he is one of their son, more competent, agile, decisive, articulate, courageous and quick to observe and act. But like the saying goes ‘ a bird at hand is worth two on the tree’ they feel they have no option but chorus the usual tribal sentiment, ‘it is our turn!’. This is what is playing out in Rivers State, the Uplands want to hold on to power out of envy of the Ijaws both in Rivers State and Bayelsa State, that is why the zoning formula in the PDP constitution is jettisoned in the state with the excuse that the Ijaw have the President, they Ijaws have a state of their own with an Ijaw Governor’. This intimidation of the President if I can use the word with respect, is the reason for the silence of Mr. President and this is one of the strength for the opposition to morally deal on blow on the Presidents ambition and the Ijaws will be escape goat in Rivers State and the Ijaws will fight themselves. The opposition is not a political party par sa, it is people anger right or wrong coupled with revenge of sort even by some Ijaw sons and daughters. And this opposition has state power in Rivers State and the presidency should not under rate them, they ‘might win’. This is why I ask, how will President Goodluck Jonathan save himself? Because even if he wins as President in 2015 with opposition majority in the National Assembly and more opposition States Governor including Rivers State, how will he succeed?
I sincerely say President Goodluck Jonathan may be conspring against himself without knowing with the Boko Haram denying ‘ cease fire’ and capturing the home town of his Defence Chief. It is time to stop this jamboree and carnival for the corporate development of Nigeria and plan, for he who fails to plan has planned to fail.
I believe that Nigerians are too united to be distracted. It is true they may belong to opposing camps, for the politicians that is their stock in trade. I also believe that Nigeria is too favored by God Almighty to fail no matte what those who manipulate the system try to do.
By Ike Ake Esq.
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