Round One: Let The Fight Begin

It is nice to see Baba and Atiku openely quarreling about the third term thing. Tells us that it won't come to fruition.

For all his faults, perceived and/or real, Atiku has shown some courage in coming out very openly and siding with the anti third term lobby. See, it could have been very easy for him to just go and beg Baba, (the kind of crap that the vast majority of our politicians would have done) in the hope that a compromise could be reached and he can continue in office beyond 2007 as well. But no, the man has obeyed his conscience (or is it pockets? with Nigeria politicians you can never tell) and has openely stated that the 3rd term thing doesn't fly.

But what kind of response is Femi Fani Kayode giving? The man is becoming more and more like a slowpoke with each passing day that my heart cringes each time I hear him speak on CNN. Why should the vice president resign for insisting that the constitution be respected as it currently is? Does that make sense? Can't his boss stop beating about the bush and come out to tell us whether he would be competing? Instead of hiding behind God and Mantu?

According to the BBC, Fani-Kayode said: "if Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was unhappy in government, he should do the right thing and step down." What the hell does that mean? A man can't express his opinions? That he says the president should not change the rules of the game in the middle of the game means he is unhappy in government? Last time I checked it was a free country, with freedom of expression.

I have said before that this whole crap that is happening is the fault of Nigerians. We are just sitting down and looking while our elected leaders are taking us for a ride, like say we no dey dier. So let the games continue,

In the meantime, some poor souls have been arrested in Plateau State for eating dead chickens. What those people need is food, not a cell.

chxta..com

I must say I'm glad that someone is finally speaking up openly. Though I seriously doubt Atiku's motives as well, it is more dangerous for OBJ to beleive the constitution is a Work-In-Progress written in pencil that can be erased and re-written when he feels like.

I suspect Bush/US govt did not oppose the 3rd term when he met with OBJ, hence the now un-hidden reference to it.

And like a true politician OBJ trots out God when its convenient. We all remember what happened to the last person that had a God-ordained mandate. He died after a round with apples and Indian prostitutes. I definitely would not shed a tear if it happens again. Maybe the next leech would think twice when he gets into office.

More info here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4882958.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4879010.stm

Even Charles Taylor uses the name of God -- yet his rebels have done unmentionable things.

If Atiku is displaying his recalcitrance in the open and he is distancing himself from the 3rd term ambition of the president, it is because the inevitable has dawn on him: There is no vacancy in Aso Rock. Besides, it is an open secret that there is no love lost between Atiku and OBJ.  On numerous ocassions, the president and his men have humillated the person and office of the VP.  How many times has OBJ removed the personnel in the office of the VP without consulting with him?  Not once, not twice.  What about the redeployment of his ADC by executive fiat?  It happened at least a couple of times.  At the height of the feud between the duo, when they both had to attend a government function, OBJ did not acknowledge the presence of his deputy.  Also as a ploy to weed out the influence of Atiku and his supporters in PDP, the re-registration exercise of party members was initially done to exclude the Vice President and his teeming supporters nationwide until the party had to succumb to public outcry and criticism on the issue.  Who is/are the brain behind this? Your guess is as good as mine.
One does not need the services of a soothsayer to say that the days of VP Atiku in the government of OBJ are numbered.  But if he manages to hang out till 2007, and if (God forbid) OBJ secures another term, Atiku is not likely to be part of that government.

at the time of the meeting our president was in a neighbouring country so i am still waiting for his response.

www.chxta..com

"The call for resignation should be directed at the president , for pursuing an agenda that is subversive of the constitution, and the will of the majority of Nigerians,"

From here

The Atiku Revolt:

By, Reuben Abati


The details of what was discussed by the 200 anti-third term campaigners who were barred from holding a meeting at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, on Wednesday, April 5, have now become public knowledge. When this is placed beside the motives of their traducers masquerading as state agents, it is safe to conclude that it is indeed a sad moment for Nigeria. The third-term gang included Major-General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Alhaji Ghali Na'Abba, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Audu Ogbeh, former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji M. D. Yusuf, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta, Governors Bola Tinubu, Boni Haruna, Orji Kalu, and Senator Uche Chukwumerije, It was in one word, a gathering of well-known opponents of the Obasanjo administration - many of whom have had cause to criticise the government openly on issues of policy, and in the cases of Ogbeh, and Ghali Na'Abba, and former Governors Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo, these are bold critics of the ruling PDP and its methods.

They and their associates had paid for the use of the Ladi Kwali Hall at the Sheraton Hotel. But the FCT Police Commissioner, Lawrence Alobi and the Director-General of the State Security Service, Kayode Are personally led a contingent of security agents to prevent the meeting from taking place. Their reasons: the politicians did not have "police permit"; they, the security agents, were also acting "on instructions from above". So, the SSS director walked up to Buhari and told him: "Sir, you can't enter." In case anyone had any doubts about the seriousness of this directive, such doubts were soon laid to rest when the security men descended on Francis Amadiegwu, a member of the House of Representatives who had stubbornly tried to enter the Ladi Kwali Hall. He was wrestled to the ground in the presence of his colleagues and reportedly beaten "black and blue". When Amadiegwu was eventually released, he could only mutter a few words: "This is the darkest day in the history of democracy in Nigeria." He obviously did not enjoy the beating!

There have been many dark days in Nigerian democracy, and if present signs are anything to go by, there may well be darker days ahead. What transpired at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja between security agents and the anti-third term politicians last Wednesday, is yet another illustration of the flowering of a culture of dictatorship that is being imposed on the present process by the Obasanjo government. It is reminiscent of the old days of Abacha and Babangida, of crude intolerance and abuse of public institutions. In recent times and as opposition to the third term agenda continues to grow, the Obasanjo government has displayed greater intolerance for ideas or any form of opposition. It is a disturbing antithesis: a government that was ostensibly elected democratically is now in the vanguard of an assault against some of the pillars of democracy itself namely the right to choose, the right to differ, the right to associate freely, and the right to express opinions as free citizens under the rule of law. Any government that breaks the law so brazenly threatens the very foundations of society itself, and the objectives of an open society and the common good. Nor is this the first time that the Obasanjo government will behave in this manner.

Other instances include the disruption, last year, of a rally in Osun, that was organised in honour of Chief Bisi Akande, the 2005 open attack on a group of women led by Mrs Jadesola Akande who were expressing solidarity with women who lost their loved ones in the famous Sosoliso air crash, the March 17, 2006 attack on a meeting of the Advanced Congres of Democrats (ACD) in Dutse, Jigawa State, and the March 20 arrest of Alhaji Lawal kaita, a chieftain of the ACD. Even more telling is the arraignment in court of Miss Funke Adedoyin, Mrs Kofo Olugbesan, Lawal Abba, Musa Garba and others for belonging to a so-called illegal group, the Turaki Vanguard. The accused persons, it is alleged, belong to "a society which is dangerous to the good government of Nigeria". And what did they do? These are friends of the Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, (closeness to the VP is a major crime in the corridors of power these days); in addition, these members of the Turaki Vanguard had the effrontery to describe the current Federal Government as "corrupt". The case is in court. It will be interesting to know what the court will come up with.

But so far, what is indicated in all these instances of repression, is sheer blackmail and abuse of fundamental human rights. The "police permit" that security agencies continue to insist upon has since been upheld by the Court of Appeal in the case of Lewis Chukwuma and 2 ors v. Commissioner of Police (March 2005). Nonetheless, the conduct of the police and other security agencies in these matters amounts to a violation of the right to the dignity of the human person. Of what use is the brutalisation of Francis Amadiegwu? The fellow should go to court to enforce his rights under the Constitution. The job of the police and the SSS is to ensure security, not to act as an attack dog against perceived enemies of the President. If the politicians who gathered at the Sheraton Hotel had been friends of the President, definitely they would have been offered state protection.

There is a creeping absence of civility in the conduct of public officials at the highest levels. "Instructions from above?" Who else could have given such instructions to brutalise members of the National Assembly, a former Head of State, former Governors, former Inspectors-General of Police, former Ministers just because they dared to differ? If Major-General Muhammadu Buhari had defied the SSS Director, and tried to enter the hall, would he also have been wrestled to the ground and beaten "black and blue"? If the Governors had organised a rebellion, would they also have been beaten "black and blue"? Whoever gave those "instructions from above" cares very little about civility. There is only one way to describe what is happening: it is bad.

Defiant, the anti-third term protesters moved their meeting to the Niger State Governor's Lodge, where with Governor Abdulkadir Kure as their host, they met till 12 midnight. Curiously, the security agents did not go to that other venue to disrupt the meeting. Was there a police permit for that second meeting? Or the police and the SSS did not consider the logic and consistency of their action? Anyhow, their point had been made based on 'anti-democratic instructions from above". But the main significance of the meeting hosted by the Niger State Governor was the presence of the Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The relationship between the President and his Deputy collapsed a long time ago. But the Vice President has been fighting quietly, while the President has done whatever he can to make him redundant and to ridicule him. Note: Atiku's supporters are in court for opposing the Federal Government; the "Turaki Vanguard", the VP's political machinery has been labelled a dangerous society, and yet this was the same machinery that facilitated the President's election in 1999.

But we have now reached a point when the Vice President is fighting his boss publicly. The President had once accused him of disloyalty: he is now affirming that disloyalty by declaring, once more, his opposition to the transformation of the PDP into a one-man estate, and the abuse of Presidential office. At the meeting at the Niger State Lodge, Atiku openly called on members of the National Assembly to oppose President Obasanjo; he also invited more persons to join the anti-third term campaign. Atiku is an insider, even if his boss has labelled him a leper. His open revolt confirms the existence of a third term agenda.

Atiku's words bristled with anger and disgust. He holds his boss in extremely low esteem. He even called on Nigerians to stand up and protect democracy. And he pledged his loyalty to the struggle; "I want to assure you I am always available and I will give you any support that you need, I will be with you, look when I begin to talk, you will know more". Without any doubt, the Nigerian Presidency has collapsed. The feud between the President and his Deputy has brought that exalted office to great ridicule. With Atiku coming out in the open to organise a rebellion against his boss, it is doubtful if any real governance can take place henceforth. What the Vice President has done is to stage a moral coup against his boss. President Obasanjo may not know it, but his Deputy has proven to be a master politician, he has dealt him a deep, retaliatory cut.

There are some moral questions. If Vice President Atiku is so disgusted with his boss, the PDP and the character of government, should he continue to remain in office? Shouldn't he just walk away and build up the opposition? Does he not see a contradiction in the dual role he now plays as an insider and outsider? If he openly identifies with "enemies of the government and enemies of the President", would he not feel uncomfortable sitting at the same table with the President? I once wrote that there would be injuries on all sides in the Atiku-Obasanjo feud. I also predicted that the "body bags would soon begin to arrive, and we shall start counting, " ("The long knives are out for Atiku", The Guardian, September 2. 2005, p. 51.) We have now entered that season of the swords! Femi Fani-Kayode acting on "instructions from above," has asked Vice President Atiku to resign. You see the kind of government they are running in Abuja: a Presidential Assistant abusing the Vice President? Surely, Atiku is not going to resign: his strength lies in the fact that he is an aggrieved and well-positioned insider. As Vice-President, he is covered by constitutional immunity. He will hold on to that until his fight with the President is resolved: the battle has gone so far now, The Vice President can only be removed in four ways: if he suddenly dies, if he is incapacitated, if he is impeached or if he chooses to resign. The emergent dilemma is that he will not resign and the National Assembly has already been put in a difficult situation where it cannot afford to take sides in the Presidential debacle.

Whichever way it all goes, Atiku's revolt is bound to become another major event in the history of Nigeria's Fourth Republic, in more or less the same class as the crisis in Anambra, Plateau, Oyo, and Bayelsa, except that for now, it is difficult to predict the end of this particular battle. What can be safely surmised is that President Obasanjo may soon discover that he is about to receive another lesson in the intricacies of power politics. Abacha taught him that lesson once. The second lesson may come from Atiku. Why, to start with, did the Niger State Governor agree to host the anti-third term campaigners? Why was the Niger state Governor so defiant? The long awaited "bloodshed" in the Presidency has begun, Poor Nigerians.

Source
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article02

we must take note of atiku's words that democracy is growing in countries like Ghana, Benin, Senegal etc and the so called african giant(nigeria)is slumping into dictatorial abyss like Uganda.
anything to stop the 3rd term(non violently)will be wellcome(except interference of western countries)

The battle line has been drawn. Let's see who wins. Anyway, I know that before I finish writing this, Atiku must have resigned.

Its so funny to read all this lines, but the reality is what if OBJ do seek 3rd term, and wins, how many Nigerians are ready to lay their life for a just cause, Fela said it once, my people self dey fear too much. ATIKU to me is a coward and no matter what is part of the government, and if he doesn't like the policies of his boss should be a man and step down with immediate effect, and then pursue his political agenda. Not to forget atiku was once a civil servant, where did he get the money to open an international school in Minna, this people self are all crooks and they need to be kidnap and jail for life.

yes they are all crooks but we need to get democracy fast. if it takes a crook to help us get the democracy then so be it. to be honest it is a shame for obj to want to hang on to power when he can hand over, be a hero as the 1st civilian president to hand over to a civilian successor and return to otta with honor. but he chose the ibb way of missing an opprtunity to be a hero.

if it takes other crooks(all of them are crooks anyway) to stop dictatorial tendency,so be it. no matter how i dislike ibb, i must give him some credit for coming out against the 3rd term(if at all he is not dribbling us again, but i don't want him as the president) since he denounced the 3rd term the anti-3rd term focres have gained momentum.

imagine what happened in sheraton hotel abuja. is that democracy? cant we see a dictator in obasanjo? cant we see? have u ever heard of any reasonable demonstration inthis country? what happens to freedom of expression. the nation is drifting. and for those who thought the us//uk can help us in this fight, the worst they can do is impose sanctions on the country. u and i know who suffers the consequencies of sanctions.-the poor masses.

@Everybody,
This is getting interesting oooo.
Now we know who true democrat are.

Johnny:

The battle line has been drawn. Let's see who wins. Anyway, I know that before I finish writing this, Atiku must have resigned.

Atiku will and must not resign. We need people like him in the presidency, for us to know what is going on there. Remember the role of the weeping Gen. Dipo Diya, at the tail end of Abacha Era. But this time Turaki Adamawa can not be rope in any coup plot. He will continue to be Vice President of Nigeria till May 29,2007.
God Willing

Leadership not for one man – Gowon
A former Head of State,Gen. Yakubu Gowon, on Thursday said leadership must not revolve around one man if Nigeria was to fulfil the vision of its founding fathers.
He said the country could not afford to build its democracy around an individual. He said every Nigerian had the potential for leadership if adequately prepared and given the opportunity.


Source:: http://www.punchng.com/main/article02

Here is the full text of Atiku's speech and the big mouth Fani-Kayode for your reading pleasure. From Vanguard Newspapers Online [ By Charles Ozoemena & Rotimi Ajayi and Posted to the Web: Friday, April 07, 2006 ]

Quit now, Presidency tells Atiku
* It is Obasanjo who should go, says Atiku

ABUJA — THE bickering between President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the third term issue erupted in the open yesterday when the Presidency asked the No. Two citizen to resign following a salvo he (Atiku) fired at the third term campaign.

The Atiku camp reacted swiftly to the “resign now” call and declared that it was President Obasanjo more than anyone else that should go.
Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode responding to a statement made by Vice President Atiku at Wednesday’s meeting of opponents of third term in Abuja expressed shock and said it was high time the VP resigned.

The Vice President at the meeting of Movement 2007 which comprises mainly members of the National Assembly opposed to the third term had said:
“Let me first of all, very, very sincerely thank the organisers of this forum for extending this special invitation to me. I also want to use this very occasion I have been given to commend the foresight, the courage, the determination, the commitment of the members of the 2007 Forum. The presence of all of us here is a clear indication and expression of our solid support to you and to what you believe in, because we believe in the same thing with you. You have absolutely no reason to doubt or to fear because over the last few months, you have seen clearly, in the print media, in the radio, all over that more than 90 per cent of Nigerians are opposed to this agenda.

“And therefore, why should anybody come to tell you that we would give you automatic ticket? Who will give you a better automatic ticket other than members of your constituency? Who will give you support on any platform as long as you do what they want and what they expect of you? And for God's sake, most importantly, God is also with you.

“The Speaker, Alhaji Ghali Na’Abba, said you should give me your support because he knows what I am going to face. I do not think I am going to face anything less than what I have faced in the last three years.

“On the 25th of August last year, when I granted interview to Thisday Newspapers, I revealed clearly this agenda and my total opposition to it. That was when I was branded a disloyal Vice-President. The following month, on the 25th of September, at the Yar’Adua Centre, I raised an alarm that the PDP was about to be hijacked so that a particular agenda could be achieved. I was proved right. Hasn’t PDP been hijacked? Was there any election? At all levels, there was no election. It was hijacked so that a particular agenda or the party could be used to achieve a particular agenda. So, what better testimony, what better evidence do we need that this is a real agenda?

“People are asking: what next? Look, let us step up this campaign. Let us step up this lobby among other members of the National Assembly. Believe me, they keep on counting the number. As soon as they realise that they don’t have the number, they will never bring the bill. So, let us not relent, let’s keep on persuading. Let’s keep on campaigning to our brothers and sisters particularly from the South-South, who I understand have only three members in this forum, because as long as the number keeps increasing, they will never bring this bill to the National Assembly.

“I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to appeal to you to remain steadfast, to remain strong, to give the leadership which history has beckoned you to do.
“And it is true we also definitely recognise you because as somebody was saying that you are the younger generation, you are starting your political career, you are the people who, in the next 10, 12 or 15 years, will love to become president.

Can you imagine, Ghana has stabilised its democratic political succession? Can you imagine, Senegal has stabilised its own democratic political succession? Can you imagine, Benin Republic has done so, Niger has done, Mali has done, Tanzania has done so, and Zambia has done so? Nigeria, which is supposed to be the leading light, the leader in this continent, for God's sake, being behind. We are still debating political succession. It is not about North or South, it is about democracy. Like Speaker Na’Abba said, it is not so. But this North, South divide has been used. Moslem, Christian divide has been used, and ethnicity has been used, just for the achievement of an agenda.
“It is about democracy and stability of our democratic succession and the moment that is stabilised, we become a respected nation, a credible nation, a nation that will give leadership to the whole of Africa and also play a very, very important role in global affairs.
“Now, please for God's sake, it is time we put all these behind us and move forward which is standard to continue to fight until we achieve this very objective. I want to assure you I am always available and I will give you any support that you need. I will be with you. Look when I begin to talk, you will know more,” he said.

Buhari speaks

In his address at the meeting, former mlitary head of state and All Nigeria People’s Party candidate in the 2003 election, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, said the polity would only stabilise if President Obasanjo came out to dissociate himself from the third term agenda.
He said: “If Chief Obasanjo comes out tomorrow to say he will not accept nomination, he will not seek one, he will be amazed how the polity will stabilise. All the parties will rejuvenate and then we will have a very healthy polity.”

Atiku should quit, says Presidency

However, Chief Fani-Kayode, said: “It seems so strange that somebody that is not just a senior official of this government, but also the number two in this government should be stating that he has taken a position on an ephemeral issue such as the third term, especially since Mr. President has not at any point in time told anybody that he is interested in the third term.”

Fani-Kayode told newsmen that President Obasanjo would no longer feel comfortable working with Atiku, saying: “Somebody on his right hand or beside or directly behind as his number two who is criticising him and attempting to stick a dagger in his back, attempting to undermine him and attempting to organise opposition forces to subject the president to ridicule. No president expects such a thing from his vice.”

He said with the latest outburst from Atiku, he had clearly declared war on his boss and the Presidency expected nothing from him other than to honourably bow out of government.

“Of course, he is free to criticise as much as he wants from the outside, but to remain inside the house as the number two and continue to criticise, to undermine, to impugn motives to Mr. President’s actions that do not exist and continue to attempt to demean your president, your principal, the man that appointed you in the first place, to these things, we think, is a little bit unfair to say the least and that is why we believe he should do the honourable thing and resign and criticise from outside rather as much as he wants.

“If the vice president refuses to resign as he has been advised to do, it would go to show to Nigerians
the kind of person he is,” he said, adding that the Presidency would be left with no option than to arraign him in the people’s court to judge him.
He said the attitude of the vice president was responsible for the diminishing role he had been reduced to playing in government as the president had become wiser and had decided to assign to him (Atiku) such duties he deemed fit.

“We are not concerned, we are not worried, this government will continue to focus on doing the right thing and the president will continue to work hard to move Nigeria forward and to improve the fortunes of the Nigerian people. That really is our major focus and not the issue of disloyal servants and disloyal second in command who are seeking to undermine everything the president and Nigeria have achieved in the last six years.

“The president is in control. He is the number one and it is his government. If somebody is not comfortable working with him, it behoves on that person to leave. So, it is not a question that they cannot function together. It is a question of if somebody cannot function with the number one, whether he is a minister, a government official, whether he is an assistant or whether he is a vice president, then the right thing for that person to do is resign.”

The presidential aide said for the vice president to pre-empt and tell the whole world he was opposed to something that President Obasanjo had not told him or anybody else that he was interested in was the height of disloyalty.

Obasanjo should go, says Atiku

The political camp of Vice President Atiku Abubakar immediately fired back and said it was President Obasanjo that ought to quit office.
The call by the Atiku group was contained in statement issued in Abuja last night by the Media consultant to the Vice President, Mallam Garba Shehu.
Mallam Shehu’s statement entitled: “The President, Not the Vice President Should Resign,” reads: “The Vice President Atiku Abubakar has clarified his presence yesterday (Wednesday) at the stakeholders meeting called by some members of the National Assembly.

“His presence at the meeting, said the Vice President, was in his personal capacity and not as a representative of the Presidency or his party, the PDP. The Vice President believes that the views he expressed in opposition to the so called third term at the meeting were views he held as a citizen.
“That in a democracy, opinions are bound to differ and we must learn to accept that if our democracy is to thrive.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Vice President believes tenure elongation is morally wrong and a breach of the constitution, which he took the oath to defend. Based on this, the call this afternoon (yesterday) by a Presidential spokesperson that he resigns should not at all be taken seriously. In any case, it is not new. Others have made that call before.

“If the President or any other person wants a tenure elongation, that is their view. Indeed, the call for resignation should be directed at the President, those others for pursuing an agenda that is subversive of the constitution, and the will of the majority of Nigerians."

Wednesday’s meeting had initially been disrupted by the police who said no permit was obtained. But the politicians relocated to the Niger State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja where they eventually met.
Police right, Gani

Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, commenting on the meeting said while he was sympathetic to the cause of the deliberation, it was against public law.
Chief Fawehinmi in a statement said: “I am saddened by the event of yesterday, Wednesday, April 5, 2006 when some eminent Nigerians assembled at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja to hold a meeting on the crucial issue of General Olusegun Obasanjo’s Third Term Agenda.

“I sympathise with the cause of those who attended the meeting. I am also anti-third term, but the law of the country has been stated by the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.

i do not empathise with atiku for i know he is not concerned about us nigerians, his only concern is for his selfish political ambition. Let nigerians not be drawn into this skirmish because we were never welcome from the very begining when the going was good. let not atiku think he can whip up sentiments due to popular opposition to the third term charade. We know he is a coward, for morally upright persons would have resigned the day he was publicly accused of disloyalty to the government in which he is vice president.

We do not support Baba for life presidency neither do we support cowards, turncoats and insincere individuals who have nothing to offer us! Please Baba AND Atiku must go!

http://davidylan..com/2006/04/nigeria-as-obasanjo-holdings.html

atiku is now a turncoat? at least we know you don't seek wahts best for nigerians. you are saying he is a coward, yet nigerians should stay away from one of the most important issues in our lives.

every politician is selfish, but so what, as long as he is doign what is best for nigeria. no policy, program o anythign will benefit nigerians if we cantt stabilise our democracy. atiku is a hero and needs backers

in light of what has happened, i can now see that obj did in fact give up charles taylor for hisown selfish gains. to endear himself to the west and not get opposition to hs 3rd term bid

@obong, thnks for your comment.
Some people are fond of condeming other, what has Turaki Adamawa done to be tag Anti-People.
His stand against OBJ 3rd is enough evidence, that he will never go against the wishes of Nigeria Masses. For him to have the courage of being an insider and still feel the pusle of the masses of this potentially great country is high commedable.

Ride Turaki Adamawa.

His stand against OBJ 3rd is enough evidence, that he will never go against the wishes of Nigeria Masses. For him to have the courage of being an insider and still feel the pusle of the masses of this potentially great country is high commedable.

@onagugaola

True heroes would have resigned the minute he was called "disloyal" by his own boss. What is he still doing in government if truly he has the masses at heart?
He was head of the BPE, what were his contributions?
I have spent 10 months in his state and i have been opportuned to stay in his own local government, Ganye LG in Adamawa state and i know that place is no better than ajegunle if not worse!

Your above statement holds no water, if not OBJ's handover in 1978 should have convinced us that he was an elder statesman that would not spend an extra day in office beyond may 2007; we now know better!

davidylan:

@onagugaola

True heroes would have resigned the minute he was called "disloyal" by his own boss.

true heroes do what the masses want. neither obj nor atiku are true heroes. none of the present politicians is a true hero. what we have are temporary/pseudo heroes. that's why OBJ was a hero in 1979 and a villain(?) in 2006. for the moment, what atiku stands for is what the masses want. so he can act as our hero (for the moment). let us benefit from that situation and support him.

this is the best way a nation that is bereft of true heroes moves on.

toshmann:

true heroes do what the masses want. neither obj nor atiku are true heroes. none of the present politicians is a true hero. what we have are temporary/pseudo heroes. that's why OBJ was a hero in 1979 and a villain(?) in 2006. for the moment, what atiku stands for is what the masses want. so he can act as our hero (for the moment). let us benefit from that situation and support him.

this is the best way a nation that is bereft of true heroes moves on.

Atiku does not and has never stood for "what the masses want". He does not even think the masses exist. He is only cashing in on popular oppinion to achieve his selfish ambition which has nothing to do with the wishes of the pple.

@davidylan

while i don't admire atiku, i must say, that by standing against the 3rd term, atiku has ,at least for once, stood with the masses (unless you want to tell me the masses are for the 3rd term). hence, at this moment, he is a hero, albeit temporarily ( or pseudo hero) but what can the people do? there are no heroes anyway, so let the people support any momentary hero that stands on their side.

why not?

toshmann:

@davidylan

while i don't admire atiku, i must say, that by standing against the 3rd term, atiku has ,at least for once, stood with the masses (unless you want to tell me the masses are for the 3rd term). hence, at this moment, he is a hero, albeit temporarily ( or pseudo hero) but what can the people do? there are no heroes anyway, so let the people support any momentary hero that stands on their side.

why not?

Welcome to the road to perdition for Nigeria.
Support rogues who wear the toga of heroes for their own selfish ends? Why is he against the third term? That is pretty obvious to the blind! As long as he supports third term, he can never be president!

davidylan:

Welcome to the road to perdition for Nigeria.
Support rogues who wear the toga of heroes for their own selfish ends? Why is he against the third term? That is pretty obvious to the blind! As long as he supports third term, he can never be president!

nigeria has always been on the road to perdition. or are you just knowing it? i support any movement that will stop the making of a dictatorship. even if that movement comes from unwanted sources as ibb and atiku. look at the country today. obj decends on any percieved opposition with military fiat.the constitution is being ammended without public imput and against public need. demonstrators are persecuted.

cant you see? we dont want this. do we? so let us get rid of this man (obj) b4 he changes the constitution undemocratically and buries democracy.

talking about rogues, is obj not a rogue?

toshmann:

talking about rogues, is obj not a rogue?

No! he's more than a rogue! Atiku is no better! Don't let this modern day 'democrats' decieve you that they have anything better for u, they are shameless men who are only in power for what they can get!

We don't want OBJ, neither do we want Atiku!

So who do you want?

all we are saying, give us real democracy. There are tons of pple that can be president!

@davidylan
Your above statement holds no water, if not OBJ's handover in 1978 should have convinced us that he was an elder statesman that would not spend an extra day in office beyond may 2007; we now know better!
Point of correction: First, the handover date was Oct 1,  1979 and not 1978. Second, one of the cardinal reasons for staging the coup that outsted Gowon by Murtala Muhammed & co was the failure of Gowon's administration to honor its pledge to hand over power to politicians in 1976.  And with the outster of Gowon, the administration of Murtala Muhammed of which OBJ was 2nd in command decided that it would hand over power to politicians in 1979.  OBJ became head of state by virtue of the fact that he was second in command to Murtala.  It is instructive to note that OBJ showed no interest in becoming head of state after the assasination of Murtala in the abortive coup of Feb 13, 1976 but was persuaded by members of the SMC.  In that Military Government, the Supreme Military Council (SMC) was the supreme body and whatever action they took was a collective one.  The government of Murtala was a popular one to Nigerians because it was seen as a corrective one and lived up to its billings.  That was why it was not fashionable for OBJ/Yaradua led SMC to renege on the promise made by Murtala to hand over power to politicians.  You also may recall that Buhari/Idiagbon told Nigerians that their regime is continuation of Murtala administration.
Even though OBJ was the defacto head of state between Feb 1976 and Oct 1979, the Northern Officers in the SMC of that time wielded more powers than him.  So once a decision has been taken, OBJ as Head of State is duty bound to implement it. He fears for his live then than now that he has all Nigerians in his pocket.  As the Head of the government he earned the praise for what is supposed to be a joint effort at democratization of the country.  He deserved the praise and encomiums poured on him because if he had not handed over, the whole world would have villified him as we are doing now.
Under the present presidential system of government, the president is an all-powerful one.  Even though we are running a democratic government, the power and influence which the president wields is enormous.  OBJ knows it and that is why he is willing to subvert the will of the people through the unpopular amendement to the constitution to secure a 3rd term.
What he couldn't do in 1979 because of the forces against him, he feels he can do so now that he has the absolute control of the machinery of government.

@davidylan,
nigeria has millions of people of integrity who can lead the country, but the forces against them are too numerous. from finance to rigging etc, they cant fight this war. so if it takes rogue to push off rogue, no stress. after 3rd term is stopped, we can now stand tight from the onset to ensure that another obj doesn't happen in 2011.

nigeria's left wingers (nadeco, pronaco etc) should try and enter the legislature now.let them not relax as they did in 1999 after abacha's exit and their absence helped in the making of another abacha in olusani abachanjo.

sometimes, it takes an insider to fight a battle. i must tell you, obj is very uncomfortable now. atiku cant be prosecuted, he is there with him. we need this to stop the 3rd term. he is a major threat to 3rd term. why not support him, at least to squash the 3rd term. after squashing the 3rd term, we will now find someone to stand for in the elctions (not ibb)

sometimes, it takes an insider to fight a battle. i must tell you, obj is very uncomfortable now. atiku can't be prosecuted, he is there with him. we need this to stop the 3rd term. he is a major threat to 3rd term. why not support him, at least to squash the 3rd term. after squashing the 3rd term, we will now find someone to stand for in the elctions (not ibb)

@toshman

This idea of "support him now remove him later" does not work. how do we know he won't morph into another Asani Abubacha 2moro?

We don't need him to stop the third term shenanigans. all we need is a massive revolt against this govt!

massive revolt cant work now. see, they stopped a meeting in sheraton hotel abuja. a meeting that involved top politicians. and when a member of house of reps tried to enter the ladi kwali hall of the hotel, they beat him up. he is still in the hospital. if they could do this to top politicians including buhari, what will they do to a massive revolt by poor nigerians? they will roll out the tankers and machine guns. there will be amazing blood shed. do u really want that? what if ur relative is among the demonstrators/revolters.

so this is our best bet. after all, it took two indian prostitutes to stop abacha, but the prostitutes did not become president,did they?
relax buddy, let's stop the 3rd term. when the bill is defeated on the floor of the national assembly we will then go ahead and talk of the next president.

Olusani Abachanjo

I love that!

loma:

Olusani Abachanjo

I love that!

It's his real family given name!

There's Atiku Abubacha

Senator Ibrahim Badamosi Mantu