The truth is always simple plain unadorned
and unblemished. This crystal truth I searched
and did not find in the long awaited replay to
the historical letter: ‘before it is too late’ of
Gen. Obasanjo to President Jonathan. Nor do
I read any convincing argument to the
serious charges.
The former letter charged the principal of :
1. Not fighting corruption or enough of it, a
view shared by most Nigerian
2. Of acting like Ijaw president, a view shared
by many Nigerian more especially the
Northerners.
3. Of breaking the PDP by alluring to his
interest in contesting 2015 presidential
elections, a view known to all Nigerians as
there is yet no Mandela in Nigeria!
4. Manipulating the security apparatus
covertly or adversely for reasons ‘in the mind
of Jacob’. This is a view shared by most
Muslims.
And this last point is my point of contention.
On the ground, people particularly of the
northern states have never had it so bad in
the history of the nation as these few years
of this regime, at a point almost the entire
North was under siege by ‘insurgents’ well
equipped with sophisticated weapons and
expensive explosives carrying out bombings
of churches (there was also an attempt on
Sultan Bello Mosque kaduna), military
cantonments and public places on weekly
basis. A sudden surge preluding the ‘berthing
of terrorism on our shores’ (while confessing
that BH started in 2002) when just few month
before the 1st October 2012 Abuja bombings
carried out by MEND, Boko Haram adherents
were just a few collection of peasant ragtag
Almajiris.
This sudden metamorphosis gave the
justification and the need to bring this ‘very
unacceptable situation under significant
control’. Which also prompted for the
overhaul of ‘our entire national security
architecture, improved intelligence gathering,
training, funding, logistical support to our
armed forces and security agencies, and
security collaboration with friendly countries’
as the president’s response asserted.
However in a simple language for all to
understand, these changes were and are still
in reality all so artificial in content and
character that we are left with nothing but to
believe that they must be part of a ploy
doctored intelligently to either disintegrate
the nation or ensure a forceful imposition of
a second term for the president - the exact
purport of the first letter. Sadly, it is not
strange these days for people in government
to resort to criminality in clinging to power.
We quote the president saying: “Here in
Abuja, a petrol tanker loaded with explosives
was to be rammed into the INEC building. But
luckily for the country, an electric pole
stopped the tanker from hitting the INEC
building. It is clear that this incident was
meant to exploit the general sense of
insecurity in the nation at the time to achieve
the aim of stopping the 2007 elections. “ no
doubt such a stunt can only favour the
proponents of third term. Another incidence
to buttress this observation is the unexpected
assassination of Sheik Jaafar in Kano probably
in anticipation of a turmoil that can prevent
elections the next day. To date the security
people have not also ‘unraveled’ this
heartless murder in cold blood. So If all these
things can happen in a regime who’s head
will evoke the name of God seventeen times
in a letter, what would you say of one that
mention Him only four times?
How many thousands innocent people were
extra-judiciary killed? How many thousands
of innocent people were incarcerated? What
funds are there to rehabilitate the injured and
displaced? Just recently a Yobe State senator
was appealing to the President in the dailies
of over 5 billion Naira taken from the poor
state's budget in the name of ‘fight against
terror’. What about the numerous non-
Muslims caught in various acts of terror?
I don’t think we need any more letter or
replies, the crater created by the first one
cannot be filled by a spade. I will only advice
all parties to shun violence and victimization
of opponents and let there be a free and fair
elections. Fighting corruption starts with
oneself and one’s cronies not political
opponents, otherwise it is called witch-
hunting! Rather than imposing a state of
security emergency, every governor should
be given back the security responsibilities of
his state with all commands and intelligence
under him, it can be handle at that level with
'stick and carrots’. When two varied sides are
in a conflict, it really matters who is beating
or giving the carrots! Forget your 2015
presidential aspiration to save PDP and the
nation, there is need for at least two strong
parties for healthy political maturity, otherwise
positions will be changed and we are left with
another one monolithic political entity. That is
if wrecking the ship is not what is intended in
the first place.
“Think not that Allah doth not heed the deeds
of despots. He but giveth them respite
against a Day when the eyes will fixedly stare
in horror,- They running forward with necks
outstretched, their heads uplifted, their gaze
returning not towards them, and their hearts a
(gaping) void! Q14/ 42-43.
We have rested our case on God Whom we
trust!