THE
dreaded Boko Haram sect has continued to unleash mayhem on defenceless
civilians including school children in the north east region. In the
last couple of months, the satanic society has annexed part of the
territory of the Republic of Nigeria.
In the circumstance, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has requested both chambers of the
National Assembly to ratify his decision to extend emergency rule in the
war torn Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in accordance with section 305
of the Constitution. While the Senate has commenced deliberations on the
request the House of Representatives has been violently restrained by
the Police from considering such matter of urgent national significance.
Without any justification whatsoever, the Speaker of the House,
Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, and his colleagues were teargased by the
Police and prevented from gaining access to the chambers of the National
Assembly last Thursday. In a bid to enter the chambers some of the
legislators risked their lives by jumping the fence. In the process,
they exposed themselves and the nation to undeserved ridicule.
Consequent on the break down of law and order instigated by the
Police the National Assemby complex was closed down by the Senate
President, General David Mark (rtd). Thus, the House was prevented from
carrying out its legislative duties contrary to the order of the Federal
High Court that the status quo ante bellum be maintained pending the
determination of the suit filed by Honourable Tambuwal over the removal
of his security aides.
Although the majority of the members foiled the coup to remove the
Speaker the triumph of democracy in the National Assembly may be short
lived. Since the ruling party cannot secure the endorsement of the
required two thirds majority to remove Speaker Tambuwal the House will
be factionalized while the minority will be given official recognition
and security protection under a new leadership.
In justifying the barbaric invasion of the National Assembly complex
by security forces the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba,
claimed that the police received intelligence report that hoodlums were
going to break the law and order in the premises of the National
Assembly. To the detriment of democracy the security forces decided to
break the law when the hoodlums failed to turn up as arranged!
In a reckless display of partisanship the Police ensured that the
Deputy Speaker of the House, Honourable Ihediora and a few other
legislators were not subjected to any form of harassment.
Meanwhile, the Presidency and the Police have turned round to blame
the Speaker and his colleagues for assaulting security operatives who
were discharging their “lawful duties” at the National Assembly complex.
According to the Police, Tambuwal and a motley crowd of his supporters
“broke the cordon, assaulted the Police and evaded due process…”
Evasion of due process
The Police then warned “all political actors to respect constituted
authority and due process and desist from the use of thugs to pursue
their agenda.”
As security forces were used last week to disrupt the proceedings of
the National Assembly President Jonathan was prevented by a former
militant , Mr. Government Tompolo from attending the flag-off ceremony
of the $16 billion EPZ project in Warri, Delta State.
Like the terrorists who have prevented the President from visiting
Chibok, the militants declared him a persona non grata and forced him to
stay away from Warri. As if that was not enough, the journalists who
had assembled at the venue to report the event were abducted by a horde
of armed goons. Even though the reporters regained their freedom after
six hours of horrific physical and mental torture those who committed
the grave criminal offences of kidnapping and threatening to overawe the
President of the Republic have not been arrested by the Nigeria Police
Force!
Thus, through sheer negligence and official impunity on the part of
the Federal Government the country has become a failed State where
security forces are competing with criminal gangs in the wanton
infringements of the civil liberties of law abiding citizens. Like the
terrorists who attack communities while ill-equipped soldiers vamoose,
armed thugs are allowed to threaten the life of the President of the
Republic while the Police without any reaction from the Police.
But unlike terrorists who abduct school girls in the night, militants kidnap journalists, lawyers and others during the day.
Unlike coup plotters who overthrow legitimate governments at night
security forces collude with anti-democratic forces in broad daylight to
remove elected leaders of legislative houses. Having been enriched by
the State and allowed to acquire weapons without any license some
ex-militants have set up armed gangs for the 2015 general election.It is
common knowledge that many politicians have also established illegal
violent groups of unemployed youths and cultists. Of recent, there were
bloody clashes between armed thugs in several parts of the country.
In fact, policemen attached to some politicians have taken part in
such clashes which marred some of the congresses of the APC and the PDP.
The Sheik Ahmed Lemu Panel set up by President Jonathan to inquire into
the post election violence which occurred in Akwa Ibom State and some
northern states in April 2011 had recommended that over 850 armed thugs
and hoodlums be prosecuted for culpable homicide, arson and allied
offences.
Although the recommendation was accepted by the Federal Government
the persons indicted in the report have not been prosecuted. In one of
his media chats last year, President Jonathan rightly condemned the
military invasion of Odi community in Bayelsa state in November 1999 by
the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration.
Shortly thereafter, Chief Obasanjo accused President Jonathan of
training snipers to attack his political opponents. Although the serious
allegation was denied by the Presidency security forces are now joined
by hounded militants and other nihilist groups to harrass voters during
elections. It is an irony that the President of the Republic is being
harassed and intimidated with weapons acquired under the pretext of
executing multi-billion oil pipeline monitoring contracts by
ex-militants!In the first and second republics security forces and thugs
were used in the manipulation of elections and the violations of the
rights of the Nigerian people. Such naked abuse of power by the Federal
Government paved away for military interventions and the civil war.
In the third republic, the military dictators annulled a credible
presidential election. The crisis that ensued terminated the expensive
political transition programme and facilitated the return of a
full-fledged military dictatorship with dire consequences.
However, it is hoped that the ongoing politicization of the security
forces, the unprecedented wave of official corruption and the subversion
of democratic institutions by the Federal Government will not lead to
the eventual collapse of the fragile fourth Republic.
In spite of the threat of terrorist and other nihilist groups to
balkanize the country I strongly believe that the rickety democratic
process can still be salvaged by all the genuine democratic forces who
led the Nigerian people to fight against unending military rule and who
equally defeated the cabal that attempted to take advantage of President
Umaru Yaradua’s ill-health to seize power from the then Acting
President, Dr. Jonathan.
As time is not on our side, the forces of democracy ought to return
to the trenches now to halt the imposion of fascism on the nation by the
Jonathan Administration.
Source:
VANGUARD
