GO TELL IT TO THE BIRDS Category: Opinion Published on Wednesday, 31 July 2013 06:00 Written by . Hits: 30 View Comments A story in yesterday’s Daily Trust quoted the Presidency as denying “for the umpteenth time” that President Goodluck Jonathan made up his mind to contest for the presidency again in 2015, saying he is yet to state his position as to whether he will seek a fresh mandate. Even as this new denial was being made, many Nigerians will reaffirm for the umpteenth time that Jonathan made up his mind to seek the presidency again in 2015 the day results of the 2011 election were announced. This newest incredible claim was made by his spokesman Reuben Abati who spoke on RayPower Radio’s program Fact File. He said “not only has the president been consistent and straightforward in his sole desire to deliver good governance to Nigerians but has also demonstrated this in the recent presentation of his mid-term report.” As far as Nigerians can see, what the president has been most “consistent and straightforward” about is his desire to demolish anyone and anything that could stand in his way to get another term in Aso Rock in 2015. That includes democracy and national peace. Abati said the president “has never at any time discussed 2015” and that he has always focuseAd on governance. If he never had 2015 in mind, why was he so intent on complete control of the PDP by imposing national, regional and state officers of the party, meddling in Nigeria Governors Forum elections, bulldozing sleep in Rivers State, awarding jumbo contracts to ex-Niger Delta warlords and, allegedly, Odua Peoples Congress ex-militants as well? Why has he surrounded himself with old warhorses such as Tony Anenih, Bamanga Tukur and Jerry Gana and has most recently resurrected one of the oldest political warhorses, Dr Umaru Dikko? Abati also said that Jonathan is Nigeria’s premier political leader “who will never watch certain issues overheating the polity.” Is that right? The statements and actions that have most heated the polity were said on Jonathan’s behalf by men and women such as Chief Edwin Clark, Mr Asari Dokubo, Ms Ann-Kio Briggs and Chief Tony Anenih. None of them was ever called to order, as far as the public knows, so the presidency has no moral right to say anyone else overheated the polity. Every action and inaction of the Jonathan presidency these days points to 2015. As for the talk that he has not made up his mind, Mr. Abati, go tell it to the birds. The ‘return’ of Umaru Dikko Alhaji Umaru Dikko once described himself as a General in Nigerian politics. He said the Army Generals that chased civilians out of power in 1983 and hounded him into exile were his equals because he was a political General. Well, like all retired Generals, Dikko shed his “uniform” many years ago and has not been seen of the battle fields doing what he knows best. Until two days ago. PDP’s acting national publicity secretary Tony Caesar Okeke announced on Monday that Dikko has been appointed to head a national party disciplinary committee. This [kangaroo] panel will, among other dirty assignments, try Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who was suspended from the party several weeks ago for alleged anti-party activities. Why Dikko? It was never publicly known that he was a PDP member. The last time that Dikko belonged to a party was during the Abacha-era, when he founded one non-descript party. PDP chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is the one guy in the PDP hierarchy who politicked with Umaru Dikko back in the Second Republic and who knows the stuff he is made off. It is not easy to disbelieve the newspaper story that said it is Tukur that engineered Dikko’s resurrection to do one tough job in politics. What a way to round up a long political career.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 07:14:08 +0000
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