The Obasanjo lead Government sudden declaration of Thursday 12 and Friday 13 Public holiday is baseless. I simply don’t see any sense in it, are the masses going to help INEC in putting things in order or there will be registration before election. INEC is yet to display how the ballot papers looks like.
Personally I think this move is to stop Atiku& co from contesting, their case will be decided tomorrow or Friday in the court, so with this sudden declaration what will the court do. Continue with the sitting or Atiku&co should forget about the court order. Please Nairalander, this is a personal opinion. I want your suggestion.

NB
POWER SWEET O AND AT THE SAME TIME E DEY RUN BELLE

@gbolex,

I ask you, is Atiku bigger than Nigeria?

of course not but obj is making him feels dat way

Judges can issue a temporary injunction from their bedroom, if need be. So Atiku should make adequate arrangement to get hold of the court clerk for proper filing.

OBJ has with his blind brawl with Atiku made him the most popular man in Nigeria now. Atiku has publicly killed third term agenda of OBJ and he is publicly retalliating. we know Atiku is not bigger than Nigeria but his smell alone send shivers down the spine of OBJ. its a matter of time for OBJ.

Atiku cries foul, says 2-day public holiday meant to subvert court sitting
Soji Eze-Fagbemi, Abuja - 12.04.2007

THE feud within the presidency reached another level on Wednesday as the Federal Government declared a two-day public holiday a few hours to the Supreme Court’s hearing of Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s disqualification case.


In a sudden announcement, the Federal Government, in a statement, said the holiday was necessary to allow Nigerians to travel in order to participate in Saturday’s polls.


The vice president’s camp is, however, crying foul, alleging that the holiday was meant to thwart the Supreme Court ruling on the disqualification of the vice president.


The Supreme Court had earlier fixed Thursday for the commencement of the hearings on the disqualification of the vice president.


Some judiciary watchers even noted that since all the sides to the case had filed their positions and arguments, the apex court could possibly rule today.


All these, however, changed as the release from the presidency described Saturday’s election as a critical one on which Nigerians must fully concentrate.


“President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared Thursday and Friday as work free days to enable people to travel in order to participate in governorship and state House of Assembly elections,” the government said in a statement.


Abubakar’s spokesman, Mallam Garuba Shehu, said the holiday was a “pre-emptive strike” against the Supreme Court which had been expected to take evidence on the disqualification controversy.


“This is pre-emptive strike to subvert the sitting of the court. It is a holiday that nobody needs or planned for and it is not necessary,” he said.


In a statement made available to the media, the vice president’s campaign team said “the campaign finds no other justification of this unnecessary holiday other than a calculated deliberate and sinister attempt to prevent the law courts from sitting to adjudicate on urgent election related matters.


“It is instructive the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments and possibly rule on the power of INEC, to disqualify candidates without reference to the courts in a case brought before it by the Action Congress and its Presidential Candidate, Vice President Atiku Abubakar.”


“The decision of the Supreme Court would have provided relief to the many governorship and state assembly candidates who have wrongfully been disqualified by INEC.


“This action of the president further confirms our position that the government is manipulating state institutions to exclude its opponents from participating in the elections, and that all claims to providing a level-playing field for all candidates are therefore deceitful, insincere and hypocritical.”


“We regard this as an attempt by the government to muzzle and intimidate the judiciary, an arm of government that has so far demonstrated an uncommon courage and independence in the face of a rampaging and lawless Presidency.


“We can only imagine the colossal losses and the enormous damage to an already weak and tottering economy as a result of these unsolicited holidays that the President has inflicted on the nation.

The President has clearly acted against national interest and it is consistent with his declaration that this election is warfare – a matter of do or die.”


The holiday means any outstanding cases relating to the elections are to be put on hold, giving less time to the apex court to deliver a ruling on Abubakar’s case.

one thing i dont understand about Nigeria is how come they did not declare these two days as holiday long time ago. I cant imagine another country saying tomorrow and next tomorrow is bank holiday without any notice.

I guess its only in naija things like this can happen

na wow oooohhh!