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It Takes The Tolerant Of The Terrorist To Live With The Terrorist

Published

1 year ago

on

Bala Ibrahim

 

By Bala Ibrahim.

A Video of the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi is currently trending on the social media, lifted from an interview on Channels Television, where Mr Obi is denouncing the claim of the Federal Government, that the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is a terrorist organization. Following the implication of IPOB in inciting violence against the state and other actors, Nigeria proscribed it as a terrorist organisation, because by law, the government has a legitimate duty to pursue and arrest persons who are, or are suspected of being involved with, or supporting any group that poses a threat to national safety and security.

Despite the evident and countless atrocities committed by IPOB, including the maiming of people, killings of security operatives and the various cases of arson carried out by the group, Peter is of the opinion that IPOB members are not terrorists. “The only thing I disagree with is naming IPOB terrorist, they are not terrorists. I know them, I live with them. I usually see people gathering, and I have never had the sense of threat or molestation from them, even when they gather. Those who took the decision may have information that I don’t have. I stay in Onitsha, and I can tell you that they are people I pass them on the road every day”-Peter Obi.

There is a popular saying that it takes a thief to catch a thief, and the simple explanation of the phrase is, one dishonest person can guess what another dishonest person might do, or is doing, and because they share a common mission, they can be described as people of the same qualities. This assumption is premised on the fact that people who share the same objectives cannot easily change the way they behave and think, hence, once a thief, always a thief. Or once a terrorist, always a terrorist.

In theorizing such credence, Donna Fleming said there is a nexus between a thief and a terrorist, because both of them rob you of the truth you deserve. “You can’t really trust them concerning anything, so there really isn’t any hope of having a good relationship with them. In addition, it’s nearly impossible to make a plan to deal with a liar, because you don’t know what is true and what is not. If the thief in this scenario is not a liar, I would take the thief. But to be a thief, you must be a liar, and the terrorist combines thievery and terrorism. You can make a plan to deal with a thief, especially if you know they will give honest answers to your questions. But you cant with a terrorist. Aligning with any of the two, is like aligning with dishonesty”.

Disturbed by their nuisance, including the incessant agitation for the actualization of Biafra, the Nigerian government proscribed IPOB, but despite the proscription, its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, continued to push for the actualization of the same separatist agenda. After committing a lot of havoc, Nnamdi Kanu fled the country, when security operatives tried to arrest him in September 2017. But pursuant to the international collaborative efforts with security agencies, Kanu was arrested outside the country and repatriated to Nigeria. Since then, Mr Kanu and his co-defendant are facing treasonable felony charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Addressing the press on the atrocities of IPOB, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami said the armed separatists killed about 175 security personnel, and a number of high-profile persons between October 2020 and June 2021. “on October 21, 2020, Nnamdi Kanu, through an online call-in radio programme (Radio Biafra), further instigated IPOB members to burn down all police stations and kill government security forces, which was carried out and several security personnel (especially police officers) were killed and public and private properties destroyed. One hundred and seventy-five (175) security personnel were killed by IPOB/ESN, comprising one hundred and twenty eight (128) policemen, thirty seven (37) military personnel and ten (10) other security operatives”-Malami.

But all these not withstanding, the Presidential candidate of the LP, Mr. Peter Obi, has not for once, seen anything wrong in what Kanu is doing. In fact, while northern leaders, including prominent party leaders from the region, were in the forefront of the pressure on the government to classify Boko Haram as a terrorist organization, Peter Obi is strongly supporting the action of his kinsmen in IPOB.

According to Adamu Garba, of the APC, Peter Obi would not call IPOB terrorists because it may affect his 2023 presidential ambition. He said if Obi wants to be seen as a nationalist, and not the regionalist that he looks like, with silent sympathy for a separatists agenda, he should call a press conference and declare IPOB a terrorist organization. “To disprove Miyetti Allah, Peter Obi should go to Arewa House, organize a media conference & categorically call IPOB as terrorists that they are, like all senior political leaders from the North called Boko Haram and Bandits as terrorists. But Alas, he may not do that.”

Just this morning, I saw another video on the social media, where another young man was talking with similar sentimentality to that of Nnamdi Kanu. With the boldness of a separatist, and the recklessness of an anarchist, the guy was unequivocal, that elections would not hold in the south east come 2023. The region he said, would only hold a referendum, on whether to exit Nigeria in peace, as Biafra, or Biafra engages the Nigerian state in a Gorilla warfare.

This a bad omen in support of the saying that, it takes the tolerant of the terrorist to live with the terrorist.

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Politics

Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: Politicians Who Accepted Defeat Without Going to Court Since 2003

Published

1 week ago

on

November 22, 2023

By

Dr,Goodluck Jonathan,Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Dr Kayode Fayemi

 

Abbas Yushau Yusuf, Political Editor

As Nigeria’s Fourth Republic marks 24 years, elections were held in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and most recently, in 2023 for the offices of councillors, LG Chairman, State Assemblies, Governors, National Assembly, and the office of the President.

By the time the Independent Electoral Commission concludes the process, litigation follows.

Only in 1999 was there very negligible litigation at the courts. The presidential candidate of the joint defunct APP and AD alliance, Chief Samuel Olu Falae, challenged the victory of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, but the courts dismissed his appeal.

The 1999 General elections were conducted by the military administration of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

By 2003, civilians started to conduct elections, and litigations continued to follow unabated.

Analysts opined that the election season in Nigeria with the highest number of litigations is the recent 2023 general elections.

It is said that 95 percent of the defeated politicians are still in the courts.

Below are some of the prominent Nigerian politicians who congratulated their opponents without going to court or their political parties in 20 years.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Former Nigeria’s President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is the first Nigerian presidential candidate who did not go to court to challenge his victory after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared his opponent, Muhammad Buhari of the APC, in the March 28 General elections.

Even before the final collation of results, he congratulated former President Muhammadu Buhari. Goodluck Jonathan was Nigeria’s President from May 6, 2010, to May 29, 2015.

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was Governor of Kano state from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2003. He is the only Kano politician who congratulated his opponent since the 2003 election, even though as an incumbent Governor.

Kwankwaso was defeated by Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party. Kwankwaso did not only stop at that; he visited the Governor-elect at the residence with his cabinet and congratulated Malam Shekarau.

Kwankwaso staged a surprise comeback in 2011 after 8 years; he concluded his second tenure on May 29, 2015.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Dr. Kayode Fayemi was Governor of Ekiti state from 2010 to 2014 after the Supreme Court sacked Segun Oni of the People’s Democratic Party.

Ekiti state is one of the Nigerian states where off-season elections take place. During the 2014 Governorship election, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of APC was defeated by Peter Ayodele Fayose of the People’s Democratic Party.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi went ahead to congratulate the winner and did not also go to court. Like Kwankwaso of Kano, Dr. Kayode Fayemi also contested in the 2018 election and won, concluding his second term in the year 2022.”

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Politics

“Kano/Zamfara Judicial Coup”. A Coincidence or a Conspiracy?

Published

2 weeks ago

on

November 18, 2023

By

Na'Allah Muhammad Zagga

 

Na’Allah Muhammad Zagga

I’m not a fan of conspiracy theories, but some conspiracy theories are so compelling to be dismissed with a wave of hand. I agree with those who argue that the judiciary coup in Kano and Zamfara Zamfara States are not mere coincidences; they are part of a larger plot to conquer or recapture the North West in 2027. The Muslim/Muslim ticket has turned out to be the biggest political fraud of all time in our recent history. Muslims voted enthusiastically in the mistaken belief that it’s the formula for permanent political conquest of the Christians. And Christian, worried by this sinister agenda, voted massively for Peter Obi to neutralise or defeat this agenda. In the end, both Muslim and Christian voters have been made to look foolish on account of the consequences of subsidy withdrawal.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian voters(both Muslims and Christians) didn’t realize that the Muslim/Muslim ticket had nothing to do with the passion for Islam. Our politicians are not driven by the passion for religion; they are motivated by the passion for power. They merely and selfishly exploit religion religion to attain power.

The total withdrawal of petrol subsidy without any remedial measures to cushion the adverse effects of the policy on millions of ordinary Nigerians has put Muslims and Christians in the same boat. A bag of rice is over N70,000 today and Muslims are not buying food at lower prices for blindly voting for the Muslim/Muslim ticket. Our North Islamic clerics are seething daily at how they have been used and manipulated by politicians. And these clerics have vowed revenge in 2027 in order to teach APC a lesson.

The APC leadership is silently unsettled by the widespread resentment against the party as a result of the current excruciating hardships in the country. The North West is critical to the survival of the party in 2027 and beyond. So, taking over Zamfara and Kano States by any means necessary is part of the 2027 strategy by the party.

Unfortunately, using the judiciary to achieve this agenda will backfire. The will of the people is superior to a standing army, so said a famous thinker. Our conservative judges have given more prominence to technicality at the expense of the will of the people. They’re punishing the voters over trifling legal issues at the expense of the substance of the justice and the will of the people.

Just look at the case of Ahmed Lawan who was imposed on the people by the Supreme Court, despite the fact that he was neither a candidate nor participated in the election that produced Machina as Senator-elect? Then look at the case of Governor Uzodinma, another Supreme Court candidate. This is worse than a military coup. As Lincoln said, no man has the right to rule another without their consent. But it’s happening in Nigeria through our courts.

However, trying to take back Kano and Zamfara States by force through the judiciary will produce political consequences they can’t handle in 2027. Given the current deep-seated resentments against APC in the North West on account of the its betrayal of the voters in the name of the so-called Muslim/Muslim ticket, I don’t see how the strategy of judicial intimidation would mollify the voters to trust the party again, much less expecting to retake the North West. The defeat will be so comprehensive that not even armoured tanks can save the party from being crushed.

The same religious clerics that they had used in the 2023 election will be their own undoing. These clerics are openly angry and they ready to salvage their reputations in the eyes of the people. So, I don’t know how APC can recapture areas or zones where its popularity has depleted to zero. There are limits you can use the judiciary against the will of the people.

The conspiracy against Abba Yusuf and Dauda Lawal will ultimately backfire. It’s naive to mistake people’s silence in the face of political chicanery as acquiescence to injustice. Just imagine how a court would have the luxury to declare a duly conducted election as inconclusive in order to dismantle the mandate of Governor Dauda Lawal by using federal might. This was what they did against Abba Yusuf in 2019, using federal might to rig the election. They even removed a neutral police commissioner Mohammed Wakili and sent a DIG to intimidate voters. But despite the federal might, Abba Yusuf staged a formidable come back in 2023. Now they are determined to force him out by any means through the judiciary. Unfortunately, for APC, its popularity its popularity is at the lowest point. So, I don’t see how party facing haemorrhaging goodwill can recapture areas where the voters are inconsolably angry and waiting for a payback time in 2027.

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Features

Juicy Ministries and the Geo-Political Zones of their Respective Senior Ministers.

Published

3 months ago

on

August 22, 2023

By

Abubakar Dauda

By Abubakar Sadiq Dauda

The region of the bosses of the Super Ministries i.e. Ministries that have either a large budget size for capital expenditure or juicy parastatals under its supervision are as thus:

Works – South-East
Transportation – North-East
Power – South-West
Petroleum – South-South
Gas Resources – South-South
Finance – South-West
Communications – South-West
F.C.T. – South-South
Interior – South-West
Marine – South-West
Aviation – South-South
Defence – North-West
Police Affairs – North-East
Education – North-East
Health – North-East
Agriculture – North-East
Solid Minerals – South-West
Humanitarian – South-South

Take it or leave it, the North-west and the North-central zones did not get their fair portions, due to the fact that, this administration secured more votes in the Northwest and North-central zones combined, if compared to the total score secured in the remaining four Geo-political zones combined.

Read also: Ministerial Nominee’s: Between Fair Proportions and Political Relevance.

However, delivering his remark after the swearing-in, President Tinubu reminded the Ministers that they are ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not Ministers of a particular region or state.

I want to believe and pray that the Ministers will be fair to all states and regions in terms of project delivery and job allocations.

Sadiq is a political analyst and observer, writes from Kano and can be reached via, sadiqdauda55@gmail.com

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