The stories surrounding the ambassadorial nominees being sent to the National Assembly by the executive arm is seems to be a well-thought out plans to deny some state of political participation in the central government.
The response of the executive arm to this gross abuse of democratic tenets is a pointer to the fact that the Government deliberately skipped some states out of the list perhaps to satisfy its 5%/95% votes agenda. We are forced to believed that the Buhari led-Government is executing political apathy against some of the States that gave him 5% votes. If that be the case then Nigeria is on the brink of collapse as the present Government is invading the foundation of our fledging democracy.
The recent press interview by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir David Lawal which was published in pages 38 and 39 of the Vanguard Newspaper, June 27th, 2016 edition has shown that the Government is up to something. In the said incisive interview, the SGF was quoted to have said inter alia that: “Now due to no fault of this Government, not all States have people in the Foreign Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. About four states did not make it…” This is the height of an abuse of the principles of democratic governance. The Government deliberately unearth political loopholes to disqualify Bayelsa, Ebonyi and Ondo States from having ambassadors in the central government. This is the worst type of democratic governance for the Government to say those States have no qualified persons to be appointed as ambassadors. There can never be anything called Nigeria without the federating states existing side by side with the Central Government. Has the Constitution that defined the foundation of our democracy suspended? The NASS should do the needful before the executive arm lead the Country into precipe. Nigeria democracy is at the crossroad of invasion. People of goodwill should rise to the occasion to save our democracy from the imminent collapse.
On Dr Jonaid Mohammed’s umbrage by President Buhari to wage war against the militants instead of dialogue with them. To us the later is beating a war drum that himself will be a victim. We are where we are today because of Dr Junaid and his co-travellers’ drum beat of war during Jonathan’s administration. Has Junaid not learn a lesson that in war everybody including himself is a victim? We believe that Dr Junaid is a witness to what is happening in the North East. Has Dr Junaid enlisted any of his children in the Nigerian armed forces to fight the Boko Haram war that is ravaging the region? These same set of people issued incisive comments to instigate violence in the North East, we haven’t seen them taken any proactive steps to contain the fire they ignited.
We want to inform Dr Junaid that should there be any war in the Niger Delta, the entire Country will be engulf in flame. If this war-hungry Dr think he can fly out of the Country to escape the consequences of his irresponsible comments, he should know that the common Northerners do not have that privilege. People like Dr Junaid should commend Mr President for leading the Country to a peaceful path. Dr Junaid with his faint memory should have known that hardly a can Country survive two civil wars in this world. The Government’s decision to dialogue with the militants is the only sure way to save this Country from extinction. Nigeria already has too many problems to fight another civil war. Let us join hands with the Government to achieve its agenda for dialogue. We also call on President Mohammadu Buhari to disregard those factional calls against dialogue. These Trojan horses were on hand to thwart late President Yar’Adua’s efforts but he disappointed them. Let Mr President lead the dialogue and constructively engage the stakeholders in the region.
Signed:
Alaowei Cleric Esq.,
National President.
